10w40HD oil.(Is there any difference,auto/atv oil?)

[chris63]

Can I use this for my older trailboss 325 instead of the over priced polaris atv oil?

[pulsar_nx]

ATV oil has friction additives for wet clutches.

I dunno if it's OK to use car oil in an automatic, I've always wondered about it though.

[huntingislife]

I think its fine to use with the autos but you should stick with the OEM oil for the clutches.

[cold one sd]

Does anyone know what brands other than AC use a wet clutch???

[Black_Bay]

I think all the manual shift models, without a hand clutch, are considered wet clutches.

[spearchucker]

Quote:

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I think all the manual shift models, without a hand clutch, are considered wet clutches.

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The ATVs with a manual hand clutch are also wet clutches. A wet clutch is just a clutch that is bathed in oil to keep it cool. Most anything (with the exception of a few) with a belt drive automatic have no wet clutch, so oil isn't as important since it doesn't lube the transmission. I think there are a few belt drive ATVs that drive the belts with a standard wet clutch tranny. Some of the bike and ATV oils have a little beefier additive package because they don't have to worry about catalytic converters.

[aczr2k]

I think last week when I was in Fleet Farm, they had some brand of 10-40 atv specific oil.

[spearchucker]

Quote:

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I think last week when I was in Fleet Farm, they had some brand of 10-40 atv specific oil.

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Fleet Farm has Valvoline and Amsoil bike/ATV oils. I personally use Amsoil 0W40 in my ATV and 10W40 in my dirt bikes.

[theoilman]

Yes, there definitely is a difference!

Almost all of today's automotive engine oils contain friction modifiers. Friction modifiers will damage wet clutches, so for an ATV (or Motorcycle) you need the oil to NOT have friction modifiers. ATV and Motorcycle oils don't have the friction modifiers. Most ATVs the preferred viscosity is now 0W-40 while most motorcycles now prefer 10W-40 or V-Twins: 20W-50.

In addition to the wet-clutch/friction modifier there are other differences:

Most of the smaller engines in ATVs and motorcycles (small as compared to automotive and truck engines) have higher levels of acids and other combustion by-products and are more prone to rust and corrosion problems. Therefore engine oils for these engines need to be better fortified (additized) to solve these needs.

Specifically the AMSOIL for ATVs (and Snowmobiles) is 0W-40, product code AFF with a picture of an ATV and Snowmobile on the label.