What kind of oil

[DangerousDean]

I'm new to the 4strokes... so i dont know waht kind of oil i need for the 400ex

2 cycle stuff wont work im guessing?

What do you use?
any brands you wanna suggest?:)

[400EXSTUDMUFFIN]

I run .....Mobil 1 syn 15w-50

Air cooled engines run a tad hotter than a normal engine that is why you want such a think weight

[Big - D Racing]

I run Maxima Maximum 4 20w-50 a bit expensive at @ $7.00 a quart but really good racing oil.

[Werx615]

honda hp 4

[Rickj4828]

i use spectro 10w40. its like 3.50 for a quart and its good oil

[DangerousDean]

so just regular var motor oil ?

i have quaker stake stuff...
so i can use this ?

i wouldnt use that quake stuff unless you absolutely have to...I would reccommend the HP4 oil from Honda...that is what I used untill today, I am now running the mobile 1 supersynthetic stuff in mine 15-w50 i think? :confused: I hope it does well like everyone says it does :D

[DangerousDean]

whats wrong wtih quaker state?

im probbly gonna do an opil change in a week or too anyways, i jsut need some oil untill then... when i change oil i will use the honda stuff i guess

[K_Fulk]

I always used Kendall GT. But i'll have a 8 plate setup in my 460 and i'm gonna switch to amsoil after i break it in.

[400EXSTUDMUFFIN]

I will say again my bike runs better with

Mobil 1 SuperSyn 15w-50

Run this oil you will never look back it is great!!!!!!!!!!!!

[UglyMotha™]

mobile 1 synthetic 15w-50 the red cap

[cals400ex]

Originally posted by UglyMotha™
mobile 1 synthetic 15w-50 the red cap

this is what i run too!!

[UglyMotha™]

Originally posted by cals400ex
this is what i run too!!



MAN! I always new this guy was a bright bulb i could just tell :macho



:blah:

[Smokin 440]

I run AMSOIL 0w40, i like it alot. I used to run pro honda and i switched to the amsoil and the wheelers ran smoother with less engine noise, i never looked back. I also like not having to worry about cold starts as much. Mobil 1 is fine though

[BBW]

Did you ever think about running what Honda recommends? The oil is the life blood of your machine. I'm not saying the other stuff doesn't work but why take a chance? People don't talk about how reliable the EX's are because Honda didn't do a little research. This is not something you can take back. You put the wrong oil in and your going to eat it!

[redroost85]

I run the Honda GN4 10-40 in the winter and run Motorex 10-30 in race season. This Motorex schiz is some good stuff. A friend of mine runs the 250 class and is sponsored by them and got me running their stuff too.......besides I get it dirt cheap too, lol!:D

honda just says to use their own oil so they can make even more money...that crap is expensive..its good oil & all & if you want to be super safe & have absolutely no worries than use it but im running this mbile 1 red cap stuff like alot of people are on here. :macho

[K_Fulk]

Originally posted by BBW
Did you ever think about running what Honda recommends? The oil is the life blood of your machine. I'm not saying the other stuff doesn't work but why take a chance? People don't talk about how reliable the EX's are because Honda didn't do a little research. This is not something you can take back. You put the wrong oil in and your going to eat it!

Your not going to greande your motor just beacuse you use a diffrent brand or weight of oil. Pretty much as long as you have oil and change it often you should be fine.

[Diedrich]

go get some dollar store oil..i heard it worked great in quads

naw im just messing dude..i run honda oil most of the time..but i'll probably changed this summer when race season comes around since i got the 350x motor now

[BBW]

Please read what I said, not what I didn't say. As I said, the other oils mentioned may be as good or better, and cheaper. Better safe than sorry however. "ANY" oil is NOT safe and could grenade your engine. If you can't afford the correct oil this isn't the sport to be in.

[kenny]

i use motul 10 40 clutch feels good.seems to be working . i think the key is to pick an oil and stick with it. whether it's quaker or mobil-synthetic, whatever. running different oils can cantaminate your clutches and cause unwanted swelling and or slipping.

[2004TRX450R]

OK recomendations from a tech are to use the factory stuff. I personally am a firm believer in factory replacement parts and lubes. I am in no way part of the parts or sales depts. and do not care one bit what you buy so don't think that just because I am a tech I am trying to get you to buy the factory stuff. That is what I run in my bike and what I will run in my new TRX450R when I get it. However you can run what ever you want. Just make sure it is a MOTORCYCLE oil. Automotive oils aren't designed to run in a transmission and aren't made to handle the stresses of running through gears and don't have a high enough sheer point to do so effectively. Also they are not made to run in a wet clutch. The motorcycle oils however are designed to run in a tranny and with a wet clutch. So dno't just go down to Schuks and buy some auto motor oil for $1.25 a quart and think it is just fine. Also be carefull with synthetics. I am a firm beliver in synthetics but some bikes don't recomend the use of them in a full synthetic state as they are too slick and won't let the wet clutch work properly. Some units it's fine but other it isn't. Consult your owners manual for what is best to use.

so your saying the mobil 1 fully synthetic is bad? alot of people use it on here & Iv'e never heard one complaint from it.

Originally posted by 2004TRX450R
I am a firm beliver in synthetics but some bikes don't recomend the use of them in a full synthetic state as they are too slick and won't let the wet clutch work properly. Some units it's fine but other it isn't. Consult your owners manual for what is best to use.


Take my quad for a ride and tell me if the clutch feels like it's slippin....;)

Maybe if your motor was built in the 80's it wouldn't like syn. This is 2003 you know...:)

We've had many many many threads on oil, massive research by members and the conclusion is that syn oil is just fine for a 400ex any other statement that its bad is pure BS..

[400EXSTUDMUFFIN]

Hello Mr. Tech I have spent many hours trying to find the best oil for my bike.

I have asked a ton of people and all of them seem to say the same thing after you break your bike in run a SYN oil it is the best for your bike.

You can tell me tell your blue in the face that honda oil is the best on this earth. I DONT CARE

I am going to run my Mobil SYN till the day I die.

Why dont you go ask some of the GNCC honda racers what they run.. I WILL BET MY BIKE ON IT THAT IT"S NOT HONDA OIL.


Have a nice day!!!

Well of course honda is gonna tell you to run honda oil. They make money pushing their product to joe consumer.


Honda probably buys the oil from penzoil and slaps their name on the bottle anyway. :cool:


Just like yamaha recommends you use yamalube, more money in their pocket..

[UglyMotha™]

man you know what if my clutch is slipping because i run mobile one i hate to see how the mofo would run if put hondalube in it it'd be scarey fast :eek2:

[2004TRX450R]

You guys didn't read my post very well I see. I NEVER said anything about NOT running syn. in the 400EX. I said SOME models say not to. And there are NO HONDA GNCC riders. They may ride Honda's but they aren't Honda riders. Honda just now has a new ATV race team and I'd bet they are running Honda Pro oils in it. You could probably run just about anything in your bike and it will work. I was just saying that Automotive oils aren't rated for the abuse that the motorcycle trannies put on them. I don't think any member on here has put nearly the amount of time or money into researching oils as Honda has. And no you don't have to run Honda oils. Yes they recomend their oil as well as Yamaha and everyone else for that matter as they want to sell you their stuff. Other oils will work just as good also. I'm jsut saying that the factory stuff is made to run in the bikes that the manufacturer makes and you will not go wrong by running factory oils. The cost of the oils may be more but who cares if a quart of oil costs $8.00 or what ever. Bikes don't take that much oil and most people don't ride everyday so it will last a long time so the actual cost over time is very minimal.

[BBW]

It is truly amazing what can be extrapolated out of some these replies. I looked everywhere for the thread that said synthetic oil caused the clutch to slip but was unable to find it. Many oils with different brand names come out of the same barrel and I’m certain Honda is one of them. I just happen to like to error on the side of caution and that’s all some of the replies are saying. If as was said, the manufacturer did not recommend the use of synthetic oil you can bet your bottom dollar I wouldn’t use it.
So, DangerousDean, it would be my opinion that your guessing right, 2 cycle stuff won’t work. Good luck on choosing a non 2 cyle oil.

[UglyMotha™]

"no colonel sanders your wrong!" :huh

[Smokin 440]

For most brands of sythetic oils you will find one that is made for use with wet clutches and not to mention they are made to exceed manufacturers reccomendations. Either way i have never heard of problems with anything spectacular by using certain oils......