Gear Synth Oil 75w-90

[tonyduc]

Hello

We sell a full line of ENI products both in our retail store and online store (http://stores.ebay.com/staccatogear). Looking to see whether  Gear Synthetic Oil 75w-90 should be placed with our next order. A customer had said his “2016" model Moto Guzzi V7 Stone requires such gear oil, any other Guzzi's use this? My Stelvio uses the 85/90.

Tony

Staccato Cycle (Board sponsor)

[Vasco DG]

In reality I don't think it will make a lot of difference. I'm sure that such decisions are made on some form of formula that meets an engineering ideal but in all honesty I don't think a base viscosity difference of five in a multigrade gear oil is going to make a vast difference to anything.

With the V7-II it should be remembered that the pinions run on bushes rather than needle rollers and the bushes are pressure rather than splash fed so I'd be shy of running something like an 85/140 in it but 75/90-80/90? Meh.

Convincing oil pedants of such things will be another matter.

Pete

[sib]

My new 2016 V7-II Stone with the 6-speed gearbox takes, not Gear Synth 75W-90, but a related AGIP/eni oil, Rotra LSX 75W-90.  The two oils are very similar, both are rated API GL4 and GL5, but only the Rotra LSX is also rated MT1, which is a rating for extended life (more miles between changes).  This may correlate with the different recommended change intervals: for the 6-sp gearbox, it's 60,000 km (37,000 mi) [according to the user's manual; the workshop manual hasn't been updated yet], compared with 20,000 km (12,000 mi) for the previous 5-sp gearbox.

I just talked to the USA eni representatives, who told me that Rotra LSX 75W-90 is not currently being imported into the USA in 1-L bottles, only in 5-gallon cans.  It is available in Europe in 1-L bottles, but the shipping cost to the US is large (about $25/L).  Perhaps you and other dealers can prevail on eni-USA to get the Rotra LSX 75W-90 imported in 1-L bottles.

As a follower of manufacturers' recommendations, I don't consider myself to be an oil pedant.  As valuable as the extensive experience of other commentators is, sometimes information gets updated and it takes a while for that to sink in.

Sam

[Vasco DG]

Sam, as I've said before, regardless of the recommended change interval for the tiny cost of swapping the oil more often I'd recommend it anyway. You are far more likely to get particulate matter in a gearbox than an engine and while the bearings in the new six speed are probably sealed it does have an oil pump. If there is one thing that is going to be particularly sensitive to particulate damage its an oil pump.

Customers call but I'll be recommending more frequent changes regardless of oil type or factory recommendation.

Pete