Lane wrote:Synthetic oils don't cause clutches to slip, oils with friction modifiers do.
I cant find it right now, but Neo put a post in here somewhere about the difference in the oil make up and how it affects engine components, and i am pretty sure it states that fully synthetic oils will have no adverse affect on clutch slipping.
I use fully synthetic and have never had a problem and my clutch gets quite a hammering.
Same item but from another site;
This was taken from AMSOIL's site.
"Many people have the perception that since synthetics are more slippery than petroleum oils (which simple don't reduce friction as well), that wet clutch packs in either their automotive automatic transmission or motorcycle transmission will slip when using "super slippery synthetics". AMSOIL Synthetic Oils are no more "slippery" than petroleum oil. AMSOIL Synthetic Oils simply have a more uniform molecular structure which reduces frictional resistance better than the irregular shape and size molecular structure of a petroleum oil.
Look at it this way. Wet sandpaper removes paint as well as dry sandpaper does. The slipperiness of the water does not impede the sandpaper's ability to function. The same applies to the "slipperiness" of synthetic lubes in wet clutches.
If used dry, the sandpaper is soon filled with paint and no longer works- it slips across the surface without grasping the surface. If kept clean and free of paint, it continues to work. The lubricating/cleaning solution used can be water, soap, oil or any other liquid. The liquid's slipperiness does not affect the performance of the sandpaper.
It is simply not an issue. However, just as rinsing the sandpaper keeps it cleaner longer so it functions better longer, so the AMSOIL Synthetic Oils keeps wet clutch plates cleaner longer so they function better.
AMSOIL Synthetic Oils will prevent deposit buildup on clutch plates, therefore keeping the face clean and able to do its job in preventing slippage.
And, since synthetics are superior cooling agents to conventional petroleum lubes, using synthetics will help wet clutches last longer, too.
Petroleum oils have low resistance to heat and allow varnish and glaze to form on clutch plates, which eventually leads to slippage and increased heat generation and eventually failure of the clutch pack.
Also, AMSOIL motorcycle oils are specifically formulated without any friction modifiers for compatibility with wet clutch packs. AMSOIL ATF lubricants are also designed with specific coefficient of friction values to meet the requirements of each and every specification that it not only meets, but far exceeds.
Now you know the facts. The next time your buddy mentions using AMSOIL Synthetic Oils and Wet Clutches as a potential issue, you can explain to him exactly why it is simply not an issue."
I'm not biased towards other oils but in the case of synthetic oils being used in wet clutches I think synthetics are fne to use in wet clutches. Remember synthetics are no more slippery than petroleum oils. They are just more uniform in various temperature ranges than petroleum oils are, which, in turn, offers more protection.
HTH
