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Too Cold to Shift?

15794 Views 27 Replies 17 Participants Last post by  Alex3650
Picked up my P4 fri put 40 miles on over the weekend hauling wood and getting stuck in snow covered ditches. Started it up mon morning it was about 5:30am, -10 temp and headed off for work @1/4mi ride. Noticed at about 25 MPH it didnt wanna shift out of 2nd and started bouncing off the rev limiter.

SO when lunch time came I let it warm up about 5 min before heading home for lunch,no issues.

It was similar today when I left for work, I let off the gas for a sec and it shifted. Having never owned an "automatic" style machine can I not just jump on it like the foreman and start bashing thru the gears on my way to work? Its not ready for the 100mile service yet but I am thinking 0w30 full synthetic would help on these cold mornings?

Any suggestions?
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Have noticed that when its below zero it needs warm up time. Remember that the motor and trans share the same oil and it is thicker than trans fluid.
Yes....i went to 10-30 syn and it helps a lot. 0-30 would be even better. What brand do you intend to use, as I've never seen a 0-30 syn for bikes?

The shifting thing in normal for these.
you need to let that oil warm up for 5 to 10mins before driving it ....read the owners manual before you ride it in cold weather (below 20 degrees)
The local wrench carries older Honda HP4 gold which he has an 0-W. Thats what I was running in the foreman.

Having only had it 3 days I thought I would see if others had this issue, I did'nt plan on the first thing to do when I got it off the trailer was change the oil according to the temp, so it caught me off guard. -25 and nothing above 15 til mon, guess I need to wake up earlier. Thanks
The local wrench carries older Honda HP4 gold which he has an 0-W. Thats what I was running in the foreman.

Having only had it 3 days I thought I would see if others had this issue, I did'nt plan on the first thing to do when I got it off the trailer was change the oil according to the temp, so it caught me off guard. -25 and nothing above 15 til mon, guess I need to wake up earlier. Thanks
I unloaded mine off the trailer today after a minute of running in 60F weather and still got the "hold shift" in first. I think Honda does this to protect the clutches...IE, they know that thick, cold oil can't apply the clutches fast enough to not have a big, flared shift.
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The pioneer has a 2 mode tranny that it applies to your riding style. It was probably cold yes but it also has to learn your riding style to program the tranny. It can be a little balky at first but it will settle in with time.
I haven't gotten to my first service yet. But, the mechanic I bought my plow system from said DO NOT run synthetic in the Pioneer.
I haven't gotten to my first service yet. But, the mechanic I bought my plow system from said DO NOT run synthetic in the Pioneer.
He probaly meant not to run synthetic in it until it is broke in good.
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^^If he did man that, that's not what he said.
The owner's manual tells what kinds of oils you can and cannot run. Check it out.
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0 w - 40

Amsoil makes it for their 4 stroke line.
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I haven't gotten to my first service yet. But, the mechanic I bought my plow system from said DO NOT run synthetic in the Pioneer.
Still learning here and I might be wrong, but seeing as how this is the same engine and tranny (other than gear ratio I believe) as the Rincon and that people have been running synthetic in those since they came out around 2003 I would think your mechanic is wrong on this after break-in.
There is no reason NOT to run synthetic oil so long as it meets specs for use.
So, does the owner's manual say you can use synthetic?
So, does the owner's manual say you can use synthetic?
It says you can use any oil that meets Honda's specs.

Ask your mechanic why you can't use syn. I bet he will have nothing but hearsay based on old wives tales.

Like i told you at the other boards, i have been running Honda Syn 10-30 for 600 miles. Moose runs Mobile 4T bike syn. Rincon riders have been using it for a decade + now.
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The owner's manual tells what kinds of oils you can and cannot run. Check it out.
Of course it does, it also tells you that any modifications should be done by Honda, and wear your seat belt, and pull down cargo nets, and dont overload it. check tire pressure before every ride etc.etc..

It does'nt mention that you may notice slow shifting at temps below 0 so changing to a lighter oil may help. Or let it warm up for 15 min so it shifts better with the oil that it came with from the factory.

Owners manuals get recycled in the South and are used for starting fires in the North.
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Honda does not recommend using the synthetic with moly in the wet clutch motors. They do recommend their full synthetic though, which translates to equivalent oils.
Jump in your auto truck or car at -20 and stomp it losts of hard shifts. I live in south louisiana and I wait till at least the cold comes off the temp gauge
If you are in an area where the temperature is very cold, it really doesn't matter what weight oil you use. You still need to let the vehicle warm up. Just like your car or truck.

Let it warm up before you go.
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