Need Help and Advice!

The Kodiak/Grizzly Ultramatic transmission uses a multiplate wet clutch, meaning the clutch is bathed in the engine oil. Most automotive engine oils whether regular or synthetic have friction modifiers for fuel economy. Long term use of automotive engine oil will likely cause problems with the clutch. In an occasional pinch, you can likely get away with it.
I can't comment specifically on the Fram oil filter. One thing to keep in mind is many oil filters will fit, but most spin on oil filters have a bypass valve incorporated to prevent the pump from emptying the sump of oil at high engine speeds. It's important to have the correct bypass rate.
In similar fashion to the clutch, the Kodiak rear brake is contained in the final drive housing/oil. The owners manual calls for Mobilfluid 424, while the service manual (which arrived just yesterday) calls for, get this, "Yamaha Friction Modified Plus Shaft Drive Oil" P/N ACC-SHFTL-PL-32.
The front differential reveals another discrepancy in the manuals. The owners manual calls for SAE 80 API GL-4 Hypoid Gear Oil and the service manual calls for the same gear oil OR the same shaft drive oil for the rear final drive.
In my online research Mobilfluid 424 is a GL-4 rated hydraulic fluid specified for tractors with hydrostatic transmissions and wet brakes. It's primarily available in 2.5 and 5 gallon pails, not really a viable option when both front and rear drives combined take less than a quart on the Kodiak.
My machine is also due for the first service and for peace of mind I'll spend a few extra dollars for Yamaha branded fluids and filters.
Hopefully, I've helped here and not added to the confusion. :smile2:

Some oil clarification...

The service manual states engine oil as API service SG or higher, JASO standard MA. For more on JASO standards check out oilspecifications.org. The forum won't let me post links, yet.


"Modern passenger car engine oils contain more and more friction modifiers. While this is the good thing for those segments (reduces wear and fuel consumption) it's bad for the motorcycles. At least for those motorcycles which use engine oil to lubricate their transmission and wet clutch. JASO introduced the MA and MB specification to distinguish between friction modified and non friction modified engine oils. Most four-stroke motorcycles with wet clutches need a JASO MA oil."

I went to a dealer yesterday to get the stuff I needed with mixed results. They didn't have the correct oil filter in stock. I haven't found the Yamaha part number for it to properly cross reference to other brands.
Also, when I gave the guy at the counter the part number for the shaft drive oil he said he'd never seen that part number before. It appears the part number in the service manual is incorrect. From Yamaha's website the correct P/N is ACC-SHAFT-PL-32.