Another 'Oil' thread but with a question!

Rocketdave

.020 Over
Joined
Jun 2, 2020
Messages
45
Location
Wiltshire
Ride
2010 R3T black and cream
This isn't directly related to 'what oil should I use in my.....' etc.
I am wondering if I have a common problem on my bike.
I have a 2010 Tourer. Most of the time its OK but when the weather is really hot and I take it out for a run its like as if the oil has been turned to water. The engines sounds noisier than normal and the gear box is very clunky (more so than normal) and it jumps out of gear etc. Never have that issue on a cooler day.

Being in the UK I am hesitant to just put thicker oil in it as (in all fairness) temperatures we've experienced over the last few weeks are exceptional. It also seems to be using a little oil although since the last (main dealer) service the sump plug drips slowly, maybe thats dripping more than I give it credit for? The plug has been torqued but really needs to come off and have the washer replaced which will be done on the next oil change. I'm not going to tighten it any more given how easily they strip the threads.

Anyone else noticed the poor mechanical performance when very hot? Luckily as I said days like that are few and far between here but annoying nevertheless.
 
I also have a 2010 Touring, I use the recommended viscosity and never noticed anything like that.
 
I did have a problem with poor running when hot, turned out to be a bad coil, though, but it was way beyond, " poor running ", it was losing a cylinder.
 
Jumping out of gear makes me suspicious it's strictly an oil "issue." Motorcycle oil has a high polimer content that is necessary to deal with the shear stress the transmission puts on the oil (tearing the oil apart). Standard motor oils have a low polimer content because they don't have a lot of meshing gears to deal with. Gear engagement is held by the torque of the motor and shifter dogs. Make sure your dealer/mechanic is aware of the behavior you describe to head off any real problems.

This explains how your tranny operates:
 
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Jumping out of gear makes me suspicious it's strictly an oil "issue." Motorcycle oil has a high polimer content that is necessary to deal with the shear stress the transmission puts on the oil (tearing the oil apart). Standard motor oils have a low polimer content because they don't have a lot of meshing gears to deal with. Gear engagement is held by the torque of the motor and shifter dogs. Make sure your dealer/mechanic is aware of the behavior you describe to head off any real problems.

This explains how your tranny operates:
Cheers. They *should* be aware as they are a Triumph dealership but I will call them.
 
Jumping out of gear makes me suspicious it's strictly an oil "issue." Motorcycle oil has a high polimer content that is necessary to deal with the shear stress the transmission puts on the oil (tearing the oil apart). Standard motor oils have a low polimer content because they don't have a lot of meshing gears to deal with. Gear engagement is held by the torque of the motor and shifter dogs. Make sure your dealer/mechanic is aware of the behavior you describe to head off any real problems.

This explains how your tranny operates:
Is it always jumping out of the same gear, 2nd, I read a lot of thread's saying there was a problem with the detent spring they broke, you running a stock filter, I don't trust the high flow aftermarket filters, it may change the pressure in there but that's just an opinion not a fact, is it the same as the touring Mobil 1 4t racing oil 10-40w, I ride lately in 95⁰f heat and everything sounds fine, just did a gear oil change, it looked like regular gear oil and smelled like it too, not like synthetic, and I couldn't find the mobilube shc fully synthetic hypoid gear oil it recommended, I called shop they said, motul V-Twin 75-90w they use, I like Mobil products, just a preference, I heard on here someone said Mobil recommended delvac fully synthetic hypoid gear oil 70-90w, sounds a little better now, at low rpm's it did seem to grind a little before and vibrate the floor boards more. I have 44,000 miles on it, 2nd owner just got it, doing a lot of PM cause not sure what was and when done, but I think the gear oil is supposed to be changed every 20,000, I'm going to change it in 500 more just to clean it out a little, and I have a gallon of it.
The coolant is supposed to be changed every so many years I think, but I just changed mine, used Peak Final Charge Global, had all the requirements OAT formula, be careful with the bleeder bolt, I dropped mine behind the oil tank and tried for like 2 hours in 95⁰ Sun and it's not magnetic, I learned to put a little clay bar in the socket to keep it from falling, have no idea where it is still, maybe when I adjust the TB's I'll find it, a new one with washer is $7, I still have a steel one from auto parts store in it, have to change it. I would guess the high temp light's not coming on, Did you check the temp in tuneECU, I think they run about 200⁰f a little more, thermostat is 190 I believe, but that's not a fact either not sure I'm sure someone here knows what's normal, I would think over 210 is high don't know when light comes on, 212 at sea level is boiling but it's a coolant so I guess you can go a little higher than that before it boils and build's up pressure. Well good luck with it
 
Is it always jumping out of the same gear, 2nd, I read a lot of thread's saying there was a problem with the detent spring they broke, you running a stock filter, I don't trust the high flow aftermarket filters, it may change the pressure in there but that's just an opinion not a fact, is it the same as the touring Mobil 1 4t racing oil 10-40w, I ride lately in 95⁰f heat and everything sounds fine, just did a gear oil change, it looked like regular gear oil and smelled like it too, not like synthetic, and I couldn't find the mobilube shc fully synthetic hypoid gear oil it recommended, I called shop they said, motul V-Twin 75-90w they use, I like Mobil products, just a preference, I heard on here someone said Mobil recommended delvac fully synthetic hypoid gear oil 70-90w, sounds a little better now, at low rpm's it did seem to grind a little before and vibrate the floor boards more. I have 44,000 miles on it, 2nd owner just got it, doing a lot of PM cause not sure what was and when done, but I think the gear oil is supposed to be changed every 20,000, I'm going to change it in 500 more just to clean it out a little, and I have a gallon of it.
The coolant is supposed to be changed every so many years I think, but I just changed mine, used Peak Final Charge Global, had all the requirements OAT formula, be careful with the bleeder bolt, I dropped mine behind the oil tank and tried for like 2 hours in 95⁰ Sun and it's not magnetic, I learned to put a little clay bar in the socket to keep it from falling, have no idea where it is still, maybe when I adjust the TB's I'll find it, a new one with washer is $7, I still have a steel one from auto parts store in it, have to change it. I would guess the high temp light's not coming on, Did you check the temp in tuneECU, I think they run about 200⁰f a little more, thermostat is 190 I believe, but that's not a fact either not sure I'm sure someone here knows what's normal, I would think over 210 is high don't know when light comes on, 212 at sea level is boiling but it's a coolant so I guess you can go a little higher than that before it boils and build's up pressure. Well good luck with it
Thanks for this. Interestingly, I had the same problem (all the time though) when I first bought the bike (as well as the 'can never find neutral' issue). Thought it was a gear box failure so I had a local Triumph dealer check the detent spring (which was fine, no 'faults' found anywhere) and when I got the bike back all was fine and none of the issues. It now only happens when the oil is hot so new oil (and coolant) about 2000 miles ago. I did have to top the oil up as I mentioned above and again I don't know if that was leakage or if it was just a little low when I got it from the dealer. It's now on max and I put less than a litre in. All of my other bikes have had very smooth gear boxes, this is by far the most 'clunky' which I'm kinda getting used to but there does seem to be a link between very hot engine exacerbated by high ambient temperatures. I do have the Lenolec(?) lead but I'm a MAC house so don't have anything to run TuneECU on.
 
Thanks for this. Interestingly, I had the same problem (all the time though) when I first bought the bike (as well as the 'can never find neutral' issue). Thought it was a gear box failure so I had a local Triumph dealer check the detent spring (which was fine, no 'faults' found anywhere) and when I got the bike back all was fine and none of the issues. It now only happens when the oil is hot so new oil (and coolant) about 2000 miles ago. I did have to top the oil up as I mentioned above and again I don't know if that was leakage or if it was just a little low when I got it from the dealer. It's now on max and I put less than a litre in. All of my other bikes have had very smooth gear boxes, this is by far the most 'clunky' which I'm kinda getting used to but there does seem to be a link between very hot engine exacerbated by high ambient temperatures. I do have the Lenolec(?) lead but I'm a MAC house so don't have anything to run TuneECU on.
Get a buddy with an old android phone, I'd give you mine but I need numbers off it every once in a while, didn't all transfer 👎 it's about a year old I think 3 gb ram galaxy A10 I think, only 32gb storage, got really slow in about 6 mths, I bought a used OnePlus 7 pro on Amazon for $400 8gb 256gb at least a dual core or quad, a long time ago I was an apple guy, first computer was a Mac when they had floppy disks LoL showing my age, I have to get the nerve to load a new map, just got it backed up the existing one 20368, trying to find the stock one, the only change on the bike is tor's, no de-cat yet, just put a airbox K&N in it, getting really crappy milage, I'm an hour from work, took it in yesterday and got back I have less than 1/4 tank, probably about 20 mpg, I think it's really rich, the inside of the exhaust pipes is black and I just cleaned them at the tips, the plug was black on the end electrode, but porcelain was white, a little worn, I have new plugs NGK Iridium, it should have a lot more power than it does, a lot less than my 80 kz 1000 my first bike, if I can't find the tune I'll take it in. Just got the bike about 3 months ago, if anyone has a R3T stock tune please share, I'm still looking on tuneECU, haven't figured it out yet, I know there's not many to pick from LoL but I'm a little slow in my old age, be easy on me ☺️ well be 3 time's safer and more careful than in a car and Live To Ride, Ride To Live, I've had the bike 3 months and got cut off 2 or 3 time's already. GL
 
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