1977 360 auto

Just picked up a 1977 360 auto and wasn't sure what crankcase oil I should be using and also what type of 2 stroke oil along with the ratio is recommended. Bike is completely stock with no modifications. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Simply the best for the crankcase !

Yes, Mobil Univis HVI26 is the ticket as Michel says. As for fuel mix ... (risks opening a can of worms here). My personal preference is 40:1 Silkolene Comp 2. I tend to use the "original" version as I don't like the new "suitable for oil injection" oil they have on the market. I use 97 octane unleaded mixed 20% with 115 octane leaded race fuel. Standard 97 is fine on it's own. You would need to experiment with jetting as the previous owner may have used a different fuel/oil ratio.
If you've not already done it, I would pull the gearbox to check it over before you ride it.

Michel is correct, UNIVIS HVI 26 is the crankcase oil recommended by Husqvarna back in the day.

However, in the USA this oil can be hard to get. If you're not in the US, its probably easy to find a distributor.
I use Golden Spectro Very Light Shock Fluid oil (which has similar specs as the Mobil UNIVIS) or B&M Trick Shift ATF.

You don't want auto clutch slippage, so no friction modifiers are preferred. Change the crank oil after every ride.
There are threads here about the correct oil and other Auto topics.

Cycle Magazine did a review and road test in January 1977 on the 360 Auto. Reprints are online, maybe on Cafe Husky somewhere.

Also, VMX Magazine has a past issue on 70's Husky Automatics and how to maintain them. You can find and order the back issue here:
http://www.vmxmag.com.au/02_Home page/homepage.html

Good luck with your Auto. They are great bikes to ride.

I was using motorex at very high ratios of 75 - 100 to 1 with good results but I have watercooling. i don't recommend this for a/c engines....I have just switched to castor 927 at 40:1 cos it smells great (the motorex shop closed down) . seems to work fine as well.

As Grouty and Michel I use Univis and change every ride. I buy it 20 litres at a time. Very light shock fluid does apparently have a similar performance, I wouldn't use ATF personally. 25 to 1 for the fuel 97 octane unleaded with Silkolene Comp 2.
Check the primary drive and make a broken spring catcher before running. Check Michel's posts about broken spring retainer. Enjoy the ride, you now have a bike that will always be in the right gear when you are accelerating and always in the wrong gear when slowing down!

Yes, change often the oil. My friend Fabrice filter the used oil.
He let it rest one month in a bottle, then take off the small material in the down and re-use the oil

Everyone gets "all rapped up around the axle" as to what is the trans oil to use and everyone has there favorite brand. All you need to remember is to use a Synthetic hydraulics oil with a grade of ISO 32. Brand name does not really matter, what ever is available in your area. Farm supply stores usually have a good suplly in one gallon containers, also Napa stores. It is highly recommended to change the oil often. I usually change mine after running 3 full tanks of gas after each oil change.

Marty

I take a plastic bottle. Make a hole in the plug. Put some cotton.
And let the oil go through the cotton and in the hole.
Then wait 1 month. The dust material stay in the bottom.

Thanks, Marty.
I've searched for hydraulics oil in the past because I thought it was the best match for Auto trans duty.
I'm going to check my city Napa store, but maybe only Napa stores out in ranch country has it?

The hydraulic oil recommended for hydraulic breakers tends to be very close to what is needed.

Thanks for the info. I drained the oil today and the magnet on the oil plug had quite a bit of metal on it. Seems like I should definitely pull the left case off first and check everything. Do you have any good parts sources for the free wheel needle bearings ? Thank you.

Hi Michel,

What a fantastic idea.

The oil would not have done enough work to have broken down.

It is just contaminated.

One job I had, one of my duties was to run a centrifuge.

All the old hydraulic fluid was run through the centrifuge to remove the contaminates.

The thing with oils,

make sure it does not have any friction modifiers in it.

Otherwise the clutch will slip.

I always used diesel engine oil in my 82 WR250, a base oil and very cheap!

it was amazing, with other oils there was always a lot of contamination.

With the diesel oil contamination was almost nonexistent.

With the Auto I would like to see someone try 15w/30 diesel oil.

If it doesn't work, change back to your original oil.

The thicker oil may reduce the amount of contaminants, I see in Michels oil.

Don't forget Husqvarna will use the thinnest oil possible to reduce inertia, to get every HP.

If you are trail riding you don't need to worry about a couple of lost horse power from spinning a thicker oil.

When I used to be the Greaser in a timber mill,

Greaser is a nick name, I was paid as a fitter 2nd class.

We had a industrial variable speed gearbox that used Hydraulic oil.

It drank hydraulic oil like you would not believe, was always putting oil in it.

So I decided to try a thicker oil, the gearbox stopped using oil.

This gearbox ran 24 hrs a day 7 days a week.

When they finally reconditioned the gearbox, they called for me and the hydraulic oil.

No, I says we will be using this, you can't use that they said.

Well this gearbox, it has been in service for a long time correct?

When was the last time you overhauled it?

Can't remember it was so long ago.

That's right!

With the thicker oil it ran cooler!

Stopped drinking oil.

So they knew better put the hydraulic oil in, so straight away it started drinking oil again.

After I went back to the thicker oil,

the result,

A cooler running gearbox that stopped drinking oil.

interesting is the argument of running 1000 cc of oil as opposed to 1200 aswell . sweedish person that sold me the bike said that so i do it

I've heard that, but don't understand it.
Best would be to add a mechanical oil cooler like George Erl - Up-Tite built for the 510 4-stroke.

1000 cc of oil can cool itself down 20 % faster than 1200 cc at the same temp given then same amount of cooling area .

also gets heated less due to less oil being getting physically flung around and not doing much else

yea i agree an oil cooler that dumps cooled onto the 1st gear clutch would be ideal . there is no decent option for a pump or driving it . all are more bulk and liability than they are benefit .

now for a real curley one . have any of you ever seen the 4 stroke auto . and the husaberg auto ?

both were one off creations tho

they ran so hot, a military heat seeking missile got them both!! LOL