hi i have a cannondale atv and i was wondering what is the best oil to use in it. also what kind of tranny oil is best to use in it.

 

Rotella T from Wal Mart works just fine, the only one available in the blue jug. Diesel trucks run it for 500,000 miles.... Red Line 10w40 synthetic motor oil is also a great alternative, just a little more difficult to find. For the tranny use Red Line Lightweight Shockproof Gear Oil, it is spectacular and coats great.... Synthetics WILL keep your engine performing and long lasting...

 

But you gotta use specific 'atv oil' I use Valvoline atv 4 stroke oil for mine because atvs have a wet clutch unlike regular car engines. They say to use atv oil, not just regular car oil...

 

That does NOT apply in this case, as the tranny is lubed seperately, in this case by the Red Line lightweight shockproof oil... The Cannondlae engine is a dry sump engine, and the only thing the Rotella T is used for is to lubricate the cylinder... Not to be rude, but make sure you understand the particular engine you are giving suggestions about before giving suggestions. That is why forums are dangerous. The oil combination I gave you is just fine. If you do not like the Rotella T idea (even though diesels go for 500k miles on the stuff), then use Red Line's synthetic 10w40 oil... Good luck!

 

Ok, sorry....

 

You should only use motorcycle oil in your ATV because it is made for the shifting of a wet clutch. You should NOT use regular motor oil in an ATV. I would use any motorcycle oil, like Lucus, AMS-0IL, 7th Gear lubercants, or Motul oil. But really anything that is for a motorcycle.

 

Due to the dry sump design of the dale engine Id stay away from heavy thick oil. These engines rev to 12,000 rpm so a lightwight synthetic is ideal. I exclusivly run 5w30 full synthetic of any brand year round in the crankcase . Yes cannondales have a wet clutch but it has far more surface area than the the usual engines and has no issue running any oil you like. The tranny lubes the cam chain with an oil pump and here again heavy thick oil is hard to get moving through the oil squirters and is more work for the oil pump drive gears. I personally run synthetic ATF in the tranny of all the engines I build . Its a perfect oil because its made for wet clutches and oil pumps.

 

Racequad250, did you even read my post? The engine oil has nothing to do with the clutch on a Cannondale engine... Please read what I posted above...

I only mentioned the 10w40 because that is what the manual recommends, I actually plan to run a 5 weight also (Red Line)...

Some of these replies make me wonder if the people even on Dales...

 

Shell Rotella 10W40 is just fine for trannys with wet clutch design. Many top engine builders (ATV Builders) just use this oil with great results.

I use it in my YFZ450, Cannondale, and Banshee.

 

I was actually referring to the Rotella T (Blue jug) usually only available at Wal-Mart, which is their synthetic formula, and is a true synthetic....