What fluids should I use in the Tranny?

[chewy4x4]

I want to change the transmission fluid but I dont know what to buy. I know I want a synthetic fluid but what weight? Also how much should I buy?

[Bob_Roller]

You need about .75 quart for the transmission .

I haven't used any synthetic oil in the transmission, so I can't give you a recommendation for brand, or weight .

[chewy4x4]

What have you used and what weight did you use?

[Bob_Roller]

I've been using BMW branded gear oil by Spectro Oil, I think it's 85/90 wt .

I change the oil every year, and only put at best 3000 miles on the bike in a year, so I decided not to use a synthetic type oil .

[Bengt_Phorqs]

I've been using the BMW transmission oil in all of my bikes for years and never a tranny problem.  Of course they all still sound like a box of rocks when shifting.  

Just recently did a fluid change on the R100GS and Red Line HD Shockproof is what the local BMW mavens recommended so I thought I'd give it a try.  It looks like green Pepto but I don't have enough miles on it to comment.  I know that Red Line is very popular with the oilhead riders.

[montmil]

Chewy,  Keep in mind the comments from a few airheads that when switching to synthetic after a "lifetime" on dino, oil seals began to leak! Returning to the fossil oil stopped the drips. It happened to me, too. YMMV.

Monte

[marcmax]

Chewy. The BMW guy I use for parts and help in central FL has been restoring BMW's for years and has a collection of BMW's going back to the 30's. When I asked him about it he insisted that under no condition would he ever put synthetic in an airhead. According to Tom even with a completely rebuilt bike and all new seals it will still leak. Now on my K bike he replaced all the fluids with synthetic and it is happy as can be. He can't explain the reasons behind it and it may just be a mechanics urban myth, but even if you are willing to pay for the service he will not do it on an airhead.

[Yikes]

A few month ago, I switched to synthetic tranny fluid and my occasional drip from the neutral switch turned into an out and out leak.  I'm going back to dino when I replace the switch - another of the many jobs I have the parts for but don't seem to have the time to get to.  

[Bob_Roller]

'Farm implements', don't need synthetic oil . [smiley=ROTFLMAO.gif]

[chewy4x4]

I went with a Valvoline sin blend 80w-140. Now everyone tell me I'm wrong so I can spend an other six bucks.  . Also it didn't help with the clunk I get in the tranny I think it might need to be reshimmed after reading through a bunch of different threads. On a scale from 0-10 10 being hard how hard is this to do?

[Bob_Roller]

You need to remove the back cover of the transmission, getting the drive flange off of the output shaft, can be an undertaking sometimes, install a special tool, or another cover with a hole bored into it, so you can measure the end-play of the bearing .

[chewy4x4]

So hard. Does it even make sense that I would need to do this in on a bike that only has 6000 miles?

[msbuck]

According to Tom

That wouldn't be Tom High, would it?  

[marcmax]

That is the Tom I speak of. If it wasn't for his willingness to pass on what he knows about BMW's, my bikes would spend a lot less time on the road and more in my garage.