you answered my question.

....and 530MX for winter.

I do more winter riding it seems so extra in summer and 530 mx in the winter.

thanks

 

Be aware that air cooled engines like your Rancher 350 have looser tolerances than the more modern water cooled engines (like the Rancher 420 and 450R). So, they tend to need thicker oils to bridge the larger gaps between moving parts...so don't make the mistake of going to thin in hot weather.

So, always check the oil table in your owner's manual, and run what is spec'd for that time of year. My Rancher 350 is an 00, and it says a 5W is good anywhere below 50 degrees F. So yes, 10W40 will probably be the best summer oil, and 5W30 the best winter.

 

gotcha!

thanks

 

I've been using Valvoline 10w40 ATV oil for about the last 7500 miles with no problems, I used regular Valvoline 10w40 engine oil prior to that.

I currently have 8917 miles and 1002 hours with no engine, trans or clutch issues.

I change the oil and filter (I use Honda brand filters) every 500 miles.

In the winter I let it warm up as recommended in the owner’s manual.

 

Well, I'm glad I asked the original question a few pages ago about engine oil, as it's generated lots of discussion and information. An extra thanks to reconranger for your input. It looks like Maxima and Redline oils are the preferred synthetic options and for my Honda Rubicon, no molybdemum. The concern I had, and it's my fault for not wording the question properly, was has anyone had a transmission failure with the Honda Rubicon that was attributed to improper oil? The Rubicon has the Hondamatic transmission, running on the same engine oil from the same reservoir as the engine lubricant - 5 litres total (more or less the same a 5 U.S. quarts and makes the engine oil change a bit expensive!). As someone pointed out long ago, Honda recommends GN4, a basic average oil and if the tranny runs on that, it will work on higher grade oils. My local Honda dealer ran his Rubicon over 8700 miles on GN4 before he went to a newer model, sold the old one and it still is running fine. My initial problem was poor cold weather starting with the GN4 and it seems the Maxum 4 Ultra 5W-40 would solve that.

 

We have unfortunately not had a lot of input from folks running a wide variety of different oils in either the Rubicon, Rancher 400AT, or Rincon. I do know one person who has run Maxima Extra for years now....no big deal.

Remember that oils get formulated to meet a market price point. To make an oil less expensive, they have to short something...the additive package, base oil chemistry, or whatever. GN4 is just a basic petroleum oil meant to have a reasonable price, to attract the low end buyer. I think the statement is true that anything that will run on GN4, will run better on something that is more sophisticated.

 

I live in southern Manitoba and just bought a 2009 rubicon 500....Canadian Tire is close by so I bought MotoMaster Formula 1 SAE 5W-30 motor oil for the upcoming winter months.....My manual states I should use API SG oils but they also "RECOMMEND" API SJ oils....The oil I bought states," EXCEEDS API SL,SJ,SH AND SG SERVICE CLASSIFICATIONS"....It goes on to say," IT`S BLENDED WITH ANTI-WEAR ADDITIVES AND A FRICTION MODIFIER THAT REDUCES ENGINE WEAR CAUSED BY METAL TO METAL CONTACT. IT ALSO UTILIZES AN ENHANCED SEAL CONDITIONER TO HELP REDUCE OIL LEAKS.INCREASED LEVELS OF ANTIOXIDANT COMPOUNDS PROVIDE GREATER PROTECTION AGAINST VISCOSITY BREAKDOWN. "....I`m a little concerned about the oil as a whole for I`m ignorant of all the info provided in the specs for the said oil....I originally bought the oil because it said exceeds api sg and sj....Should I use this oil or not?Please help.....

 

no help?

 

Sorry I missed this one...but it sounds to me like this is a "car" oil, that will have wet clutch unfriendly friction modifiers. Are they calling this a "motorcycle" specific oil???

Someone mentioned Moly friction modifier. Molebdenum disulfide (MoS2) is great stuff for your engine, it is just that it can make your integrated wet clutch slip. Some motorcycle oils will however contain MoDTC which is wet clutch compatible, unlike MoS2. So, just because a motorcycle oils may list some moly in an oil analysis, that doesn't mean it will be bad for your wet clutch.