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Lucas Primary Chaincase Oil, good or bad?

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Old 02-11-2015, 07:39 PM
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Default Lucas Primary Chaincase Oil, good or bad?

Hi, I originaly posted this in the oil section, but did not get any feedback. Hope to get some here as more are viewing.

Thinking of using "Lucas Primary Chaincase Oil" in the primary on my 2013 RK. Searching forums and can't seem to find much on this oil and was wondering if anyone is using it. If you are, do you have any concerns?

My reason for changing to this is because I always seem to have engagement when starting the bike in gear as the bike slightly pulls especially when cold. Very hard to move when shut off and not in neutral with only clutch disengaged. The Lucas oil is easily available where I am.

I am using the Lucas 75w140 in the tranny and it works well, finding neutral is much easier. I am starting to believe those who say, motor oil in motor, primary in primary, gear oil in tranny.

Thanks
 
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Old 02-11-2015, 08:14 PM
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For starters, I would very highly recommend that you quit starting your motor while in gear. As you have no doubt noticed, there is substantially more drag on the entire system.As a fringe benefit to what you are doing, you can expect to have a shortened starter lifespan, as well as being hard on all other related components.The Lucas oil will have zero effect on that.Otherwise, if the oil meets the specs, then it is probably worth trying.
 
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Old 02-11-2015, 08:23 PM
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thanks Musician, I would agree, I shouldn't start in gear. When I first got the bike, neutral was a real pita to find. Since changing to the gear oil it is much easier.

problem is, I am not sure of the spec for the primary. Lucas says it,s a coolant for the clutch and and not a lubricating oil. I am not sure if I need a lubricating oil for the primary, if this is the case, the Lucas primary would not work for this bike.
 
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Old 02-11-2015, 09:52 PM
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ok,

the clutch absorbs the fluid into the disks.

changing the primary fluid will usually result in about 15% of the old fluid held in place in the clutch basket- unless you take it apart and clean it..and the old type of fluid remains soaked into the disks.

so if you now add "special magic fluid" to your primary..you are running 15% old stuff, 85% new stuff and the old stuff is in the disks.

what if these 2 fluid types are not compatible and you don;t have friction when you want it?

the stock fluids work fine. no fluid invented has ever solved a mechanical problem.

when you start a cold bike in gear the fluid in the primary is thick and there will be some transfer of power even with the clutch pulled in- it's physics...but only a slight amount of power is transferred as there is no mechanical coupling, just fluid moving and dragging on adjacent parts

same as if your bike is jacked up in Neutral with the motor running the rear wheel will turn--- it has no real power.

If it bothers you make sure you are in neutral.

difficulty finding neutral indicates a maladjusted clutch and/or primary chain tension


jeez just realized you are 5 months away from riding season anyways.

mike
 

Last edited by mkguitar; 02-11-2015 at 09:55 PM.
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Old 02-11-2015, 10:17 PM
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Thanks mkguitar,
Maybe I will stick with the harley recommended oil. I will be checking the clutch adjustment while doing the spring maintenance.

Hoping for an early spring, maybe riding in 3 months.
 
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Old 02-11-2015, 10:20 PM
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ha- spent much time in Ft Garry.

gelled my diesel...

No wonder I live in AZ now!

Mike
 

Last edited by mkguitar; 02-11-2015 at 10:31 PM.
  #7  
Old 02-11-2015, 10:34 PM
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Hopefully I will be in AZ in 6 years from now. At least for the winter months. Looking at A snowbird home in Yuma, enough of these long winters. I work about 450 km North of winterpeg. -35 out today.

Thanks again for the info, enjoy the south.
 
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Old 02-12-2015, 04:35 AM
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Originally Posted by mkguitar
ok,

the clutch absorbs the fluid into the disks.

changing the primary fluid will usually result in about 15% of the old fluid held in place in the clutch basket- unless you take it apart and clean it..and the old type of fluid remains soaked into the disks.

so if you now add "special magic fluid" to your primary..you are running 15% old stuff, 85% new stuff and the old stuff is in the disks.

what if these 2 fluid types are not compatible and you don;t have friction when you want it?

the stock fluids work fine. no fluid invented has ever solved a mechanical problem.

when you start a cold bike in gear the fluid in the primary is thick and there will be some transfer of power even with the clutch pulled in- it's physics...but only a slight amount of power is transferred as there is no mechanical coupling, just fluid moving and dragging on adjacent parts

same as if your bike is jacked up in Neutral with the motor running the rear wheel will turn--- it has no real power.

If it bothers you make sure you are in neutral.

difficulty finding neutral indicates a maladjusted clutch and/or primary chain tension


jeez just realized you are 5 months away from riding season anyways.

mike
He is scaring u, the Lucas was alright but I would give redline a try. Expect it to improve a bit more the more u change the oil. In every engine there is oil left over, how many engines have u heard blowing up for this reason.
 
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Old 02-12-2015, 05:12 AM
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REMEMBER

Primary Chaincase Oil is a coolant for the clutch, not a lubricant.

--------------

Chuckle, great reason to not let marketing people and or lawyers have total control of advertising statements.

It is in fact a lubricant, as clearly shown in the tech sheet and the MSDS. Roughly an 85-90 gear oil. I will say I'm rather curious about what the 20-30% undisclosed non-oil ingredients are. For that's a whole lot of something else to be mixed into oil!

But, by claiming it's not an oil, I suppose they help themselves in lawsuits should your primary fail. After all, they warned you it wouldn't lubricate it.
 
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Old 02-12-2015, 05:18 AM
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All you need in you primary is 20w50 non synthetic, nothing special any 20w50 will do fine.
 


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