trouble with gearbox, wrong oil?

[Guest apjoe24]

Every now and then my 700 has trouble engaging gears, it's a manual. It's recently been serviced, could they have used the wrong spec oil? Seems to be worse when warm

[Guest machinman]

Warped clutch steels possibly my friend. Fairly common. A few have been done during the warrany period.

1st to neutral seems to be the worst culprit.

[motorbykcourier 293]

I changed to 10w/40 oil and it has made a HUGE difference

[trisaki 2,029]

I changed to 10w/40 oil and it has made a HUGE difference

what were you using , sometimes honda ,boxes do hang up so to speak , somedays they work well all the day sometimes get hot and bothered , may have too much oil rather than wrong oil , level ground , start it let it run for a minute or so , turn of , check oil after a couple of mins , should be approximately halfway up an unscrewed in dipstick , no more , I check mine before a cold start , just under max

[fred_jb 10,269]

Every now and then my 700 has trouble engaging gears, it's a manual. It's recently been serviced, could they have used the wrong spec oil? Seems to be worse when warm

I've had dealers seriously overfill bikes on several occasions, and read of many other people experiencing the same issue.  So, as has already been suggested, follow the handbook procedure to check the oil level.

 

Fred

[Guest apjoe24]

Thanks for the info guys, I'll check it out, if it's not too much oil I'll change it anyway just in case.

[Guest apjoe24]

Dipped the oil this morning, it's halfway up the mark with the stick unscrewed. I'll have to try changing the oil and see if that helps.

[chubbsni 2]

Mine was the same changed to 10w 40 unbelievable difference.

[trisaki 2,029]

If you have changed to 10w40 what were you using

[chubbsni 2]

The dealer put in 10w/30 the gearbox was very stiff to engage and find neutral put in 10w/40 oil and it works great.

.

[RussB644 379]

Interesting that the owners manual recommends 10w/30.  I assume dealers will add what is requested by the owner, and what impact on warranty I wonder, not that I've got that now as mine is about to expire, have booked in for a service shortly and may well ask for 10w/40

Edited April 6, 2016 by RussB644

[motorbykcourier 293]

For those wondering - I was using 10/30w

But as the mileage climbed I was concerned with both clutch noise and hard to engage gears. In addition the 'clunk' or 'smack' going into to 1st gear was unreal.

There was also gear whine noise.

Had also looked into changing to a different clutch - because of the mileage.

Since changing to 10/40w the engine and clutch are quieter, gear changes have much improved, there's no gear whine.

Strangely it was after the 2nd oil change with the 10/40w that the bike finally felt best?

Bike has now done a bit less than 100K miles and the change with oil (10/40w) was done at ~75K

Bike hasn't and still doesn't use oil between services.

[Guest machinman]

Motorbykcourier, your milage still amazes me.

[Wedgepilot 727]

I've had dealers seriously overfill bikes on several occasions, and read of many other people experiencing the same issue. So, as has already been suggested, follow the handbook procedure to check the oil level.

Fred

A bit OT, but mine was also overfilled when I got it from the Honda dealer. Luckily I've got a Pela, so taking some out was a 2 min job.

[Guest sykospain]

¿ Wotsa Pela ?

[aquaboy 105]

I've always freed a clutch first thing in the morning before starting the bike so you don't get the huge clonk as the engine drags the slack up in the chain as you engage first for the first time.

[ste7ios 469]

According to the service manual you may choose between 10W30 & 10W40 depending on the environmental temperatures...

[jef 9]

Every now and then my 700 has trouble engaging gears, it's a manual. It's recently been serviced, could they have used the wrong spec oil? Seems to be worse when warm

Did the problem only manifest itself after the service ?  If so, then take the bike back to the person who serviced it and ask him what he thinks might be causing the problem.

[Guest machinman]

A Pela is a vacuum pump that you can use through the dipstick tube, rather than remove the sump plug.

Machine Mart used to and may be still sell them.

[Wedgepilot 727]

A Pela is a vacuum pump that you can use through the dipstick tube, rather than remove the sump plug.

Machine Mart used to and may be still sell them.

Beat me to it

I got mine off flea bay when I had my Smart Roadster. They don't have a sump plug, so oil changes had to be through the dipstick tube.

[ScaredyCat 1,659]

Hehehe, I just used an empty 1L Castrol oil bottle that has the tube sticking out. Squeeze it insert the tube release... it sucks some out which can go into the waste container, repeat as required. I didn't realise you could 'buy a thing' for doing it.

[giley 458]

Turkey baster!

[ScaredyCat 1,659]

I've never been called that before!

[Guest machinman]

Any updates to this thread?

[Guest streetsahead3]

I have been having Clutch / Gearbox issues especially when hot and was totally unable to select neutral with the engine running.

This happened all of a sudden after a service, well within 40 miles of the 8k service.

The dealer couldn't tell me what oil they had used, but I suspect it was the standard bulk workshop oil. 

I telephoned the Technical Department at Silkolene (Fuchs) to ask their advise after describing my issue.

They informed me that late Honda's (> 2009 model year) are prone to this kind of problem, brought about by Honda's pursuit of enhanced MPG figures, in conjunction with thin oil, ie 10w/30.

They advised me to try Comp 4 XP 10/40.

On start up no difference. But after a 40 mile run to expel the old oil off the clutch plates, i've got my old gearbox back, actually its better than ever.

No clutch drag, no clunking into 1st and neutral so easy to find now- What a relief  !!    

My advice - Don't suffer a clunking badly behaving clutch and G-Box. Use a quality 10w/40 oil 

NC700S Manual