gear and tranny fluids- what to use

I have read through most of the posts on oil and thanks to Cary and others I have a pretty good understanding of it now. Thank you very much!!!!!

My question is I have about 10k on my diff and trany fluids since my cousin changed them at his shop. Since they were a little dirty before this I am going to change them out again. I was thinking about going with synthetics on this also, should I? What are good choices both mineral and synthetic and where do you find them?

From the posts I have found pricing in my area to be the same as others have posted for M1 and other oils. Wally world here does not seem to have a good selection of gear and tranny fluids nor did the near by parts store.

Thanks for the help.

Andrew

Mobil 1 is the sweet spot for synthetics IMO, their ATF made a nice improvement in feel in my chevy (Allison 5 sp auto) it is the easiest to find and cheapest true synthetic, a lot of people like Redline gear oils, they are ester based, more expensive and not available locally for most people

for dino I like chevron ATF and Chevron Delo gear lube

As RavenTai said, Mobil 1 offers the most bang for the buck. I personally use Redline in Diffs, T-fer cases and Tranny's, as I feel that this is where Redline really performs better than the competition. I do not have any objective data for this, only the numerous Manual trannies and diffs that were going to have to be rebuilt soon that went another 100,000+ miles on redline, and a lot of guys at the track that saw dramatic increases in Gearbox and diff life using redline products. Amsoil, also makes quality products. Unlike many, I am located 15 miles from Redline so local availability is not an issue.

Cary

Cary,

Which specific grades/products are you using? The only way I can get it is via the internet and I wanted to ensure that the products I purchase are suitable.

- Diff fluid
- Transfer fluid
- ATF

Thanks,

Chris

I just drained/filled the front diff with Valvoline 75W 90 5 gal bucket i got for $50...will do the transfer case and rear diff later in the week....figure since the LC i don't drive that much, using reg oil is good enough for it.

NovaFZJ80 said:

I just drained/filled the front diff with Valvoline 75W 90 5 gal bucket i got for $50...will do the transfer case and rear diff later in the week....figure since the LC i don't drive that much, using reg oil is good enough for it.

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FWIW, you can get the Chevron Delo for that, plus in 80W 90 as speced for the diffs (not sure how much that really matters though). I've notice a marked improvement in gas mileage since draining out the soup in the front diff and replacing with the Chevron Delo. Got Mobil 1 75W 90 in the T-case.


Rookie2

I use the Redline Gear Oil 75w-90 in the diffs and T-case and their D4 ATF in the trans.

Cary

Thanks all. I checked at Adv Disount auto in my area and they said they could not special order the Redline Gear or ATF (not what Redline's Website says) so I am going to call another store or ask for a Manager. If not much different in price I will get the Redline but if it is very expensive, I will go with Mobil 1 for all.

Thanks again.

Andrew

I found a supplier on EBAY that sells Royal Purple Gear and tranny fluid. Cary, I know you are not a big fan of the engine oil but do you have any idea on the gear and tranny fluid? I am not able to find the Redline Gear and Tranny Fluid locally so far. If you are not familuar with the Royal Purple Gear and Tranny fluid, I may just go with Mobil1 as it is at PepBoys down the street.

Thanks

Go with the M1 as it's easily available and the front diff generally needs to be changed out more frequently due to birfield grease contamination. So, you'll be going through the search process again if you use something hard to find in your area. Better to have fresh quality oil than to extend changes of a slightly better product due to inability to find more of it, I say.

DougM

IdahoDoug said:

Go with the M1 as it's easily available and the front diff generally needs to be changed out more frequently due to birfield grease contamination. So, you'll be going through the search process again if you use something hard to find in your area. Better to have fresh quality oil than to extend changes of a slightly better product due to inability to find more of it, I say.

DougM

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Great point Doug, and is exactly why I use the Delo at $2.50/quart instead of Mobil 1 at $7.00/quart.

I like fresh.


R2

I've heard Delo is good stuff. But I haven't heard that it is Mobil 1 synthetic good.....

DougM

IdahoDoug said:

I've heard Delo is good stuff. But I haven't heard that it is Mobil 1 synthetic good.....

DougM

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No-sir, wasn't implying that. Simply reinforcing your point that:

IdahoDoug said:

Better to have fresh quality oil than to extend changes of a slightly better product

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For the same price, you can change out the Delo three times as often as the Mobil 1.


Rookie2

Mobil 1 gear oils are perfectly good and you should not hesitate to use them. I agree with Doug M about availability. For me Redline is available all over locally.

Ok, I just looked at my cousin's receipt to see how much tranny fluid I used last time and I almost had a stroke 20 Quarts!!!!

I found a place to get Redline for $8 a quart which is no big deal for the gear oil (about 7-8 quarts or so) but the Tranny, took 20 quarts to flush last time at his shop where he uses a machine to flush it out. And, I need to do the same tranny flush in my wife's 98 Sieanna Van. Am I missing something here or is this going to be very expensive???

I may go Cheveron Tranny fluid and Redline in the diffs and transfercase.

Thanks

Andrew

Andrewsreef said:

Am I missing something here or is this going to be very expensive???

Andrew

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Nope, not if you do the full exchange..., about eighteen to twenty quarts. I've seen on a prevous thread someone mentioning that you can get either the Amsoil or Redline (don't remember which one) through some on line clubs for under $6/quart, but don't know anything about them. Either way this route will hit you in the wallet. If you just had the flush, why not let it be till the next time around?


Rookie2

I know what you are saying. I am just trying to do a little "over maintance" to help make up for the PO lack of maintance. The gear oil is no big deal but the Tranny, Wow!!!

Rookie2, did you say you use the Delo ATF? I found Cheveron ATF it at Costcos today for a good price but not sure if it was Delo (I think it was like $12 a case). Is that the best non-synthetic to use similar to their oil? I also found a supplier of Royal Purple for $120 for 5 gallons vs $160 for 5 gallons Redline. Considering I need to do my wife's Van also, I may not use the synthetic in the Tranny.

THanks

Andrew,

I'm not aware of a Delo ATF.

I have asked the same question regarding the best non-synthetic ATF to use, and the response I got (I believe from Cary) was that any major brand Dexron III ATF will do.

I checked a local distributor about their Amsoil and was quoted something crazy like $9 a pop. As George Sr. would say "not gonna do it... not prudent at this juncture".


Rookie2

I don’t believe chevron makes an ATF in the Delo line (could be wrong) I used the chevron ATF in my tranny and PS, Chevrons overall good reputation for good products without a lot of marketing BS was good enough for me to use short term

Info on Engine oil is contaminated with a lot of marketing lies opinion and brand loyalty but at least tempered with UOA’s and other impartial data, no such luck for gear and ATF fluids , basically left with manufacturer data (suspect) and tribal knowledge (depends on who you ask)

Andrewsreef said:

Am I missing something here or is this going to be very expensive???

I may go Cheveron Tranny fluid and Redline in the diffs and transfercase.

Thanks

Andrew

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Not only is buying enough synthetic ATF for a flush expensive you then have to pay about the same amount again for use of the machine, that is a lot of $ that could be better used on other PM

Here is my plan for the tranny right wrong or indifferent, when I got it at 106K the fluid was slightly off color, not brown yet but not new looking either, bought 2 cases of chevron atf, used 3 or 4 to flush the PS and then drained the tranny pan (4 of the 12-16qt capacity) twice within a few days and then at every oil change after that,

This way is cheap and easy to do in you own driveway, just scoot the oil drain pan back a foot and pull the tranny plug wile you are under there for an oil change, as batches of new fluid come in with their new detergents, additives and solvency they clean the parts to a certain extent, when the fluid is drained some contaminants go with it, after enough of these the majority of the old fluid is gone and any sludge or varnish that will come loose has come loose and is gone as well,

<hear-say> some also say that it is better to slowly introduce clean fluid to old fluid in a transmission, especially one that has been neglected, don’t know how accurate this is but cant hurt? </hear say>

When my supply was down to about 7 qt's I pulled the pan, cleaned the pan, filter and the 4 magnets, there was a good bit of fine powder/glitter wear metal and clutch material settled in the pan, but no bits big enough to see alone, all fine powder, this seams consistent with waht I have seen on good tranny’s, and much better than I have seen in bad ones, would be interested to hear what other FZJ-80 users are seeing in the pan

Reinstalled everything and filled with the last of my dino, this way if my FIPG install leaked it would only be the cheap stuff not a pan-full of expensive synthetic

Plan to start doing drain/fill with M1 ATF (good experience with it in the past) but not every oil change more like every 15K after enough of these changes the fluid will be all synthetic, in the mean tiem it will be a mix of newish dino and syn with is better than a mix of old dino and syn

Here is a spreadsheet that figures the ration of old fluid to new fluid on the pan drain method

http://webpages.charter.net/raventai/Tranny4Bobistheoilguy.xls

The flushers claim to exchange all of the fluid, claiming DIY methods leave dirty fluid in the tranny, the second is true but I just don’t see how a flush machine can keep from mixing new and old fluids in something as complicated as an idling transmission. it has a pumps, several separate areas that hold large amounts of fluid, hundreds of passages spinning gears all of witch moving fluid




Have not decided what the final fluid for the diffs and transfer will be yet, I might splurge on the Redline gear oil, it has such a good reputation, the clean fresh Delo in all 3 diffs will hold me for now


Dam that was long

I've been on a plan like Raven's since new. I drained/filled the 6 qts available via the drain at around 30k (442). Then at 75k I had the pan dropped and professionally cleaned/refilled the old fashioned way (no flush, etc). From then on, I drain 6 quarts annually and fill with Chevron DIII. My tranny shifts smoothly whether I'm around town or yanking the 6000lb boat trailer - like new, really.

Sometime around 200k, I'll have the pan dropped and the filter cleaned again (currently around 140k). I got this from years of asking cab drivers how their company takes care of their vehicles. They simply drain monthly and never have any tranny issues even on GM trannies in the 300k range used in stop/go traffic. From this, I concluded that having fresh clean fluid in there is the way to have a lifetime tranny. Also agree not to flush an old tranny with poor maintenance. Lots of tiny orifices and valves in there that could get clogged by blasting loose grundge all at once. Better to dissolve it over time as Raven described.

DougM