Best Trans 4 speed Gear Oil - FJ45 (1 Viewer)

[love2fly]

Checking around for maybe a better Transmission Gear Oil for my 82 FJ45s 4 speed trans. I have a small amount t of shift notching between gears so I checked all the clutch adjustments/parts and all is fine. I have 90W straight gear oil in the trans now and was wondering if I should use a GL4 synthetic due to the brass in the shifter if compatible to this trans.
Was considering Red Line MT-90 (75W90) GL-4 type of gear oil full synthetic but actuly would like to hear on what others have used for the same type of transmission in the FJ40/45s.

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Thanks guys

 

[brian]

gl4...no need for anything fancy.....its just possible the syncros are showing their age.

 

[mattressking]

New clean fluid, filled to the correct level. These aren’t Le Mans cars, no need to chase for the best. Whatever you can get locally/easiest is the winner.

I use bradpenn for brand new stuff just because it makes me feel good but usually Sta-lube for anything else that calls for GL4. Negative temps to over 100, never felt a difference. I wouldn’t waste the money on redline personally.

If you enjoy spending money on name brand items, go load up on Amsoil.

 

[love2fly]

Well maybe should just find a cheaper 80/90 gear oil that is compatible to the trans and change it out to see if there is any change in the shifting. Seems as most of the gear oils today are tainted with some kind of additive's. Not sure how much brass is in the trans but as one mentioned it just maybe getting on with age and the syncros are wearing. I like to waste money mostly on beer.
The getting on with age and time on the trans makes me think that I also may want to see who rebuilds these old transmissions here on Mud.

Thanks guys
Cheers

 

[devo]

Just think of the market that FJ45 came out of, Toyota didn’t make those gear boxes to need some fancy lubricants!





devo

 

[Skreddy]

If you have a Carquest near you, they stock a gl4 that I’ve been using. It’s either labeled Fram or Carquest, seemingly dependent on the month. I use the same fluid for trans, t-case and both diffs.

What area of the NW are you out of?

 

[love2fly]

We do have a Carquest nearby so I will stop in tomorrow and see what they have. It now seems as what was old school gear oil from the past is now the special oil of now. The cost is nuts but it is what it is. Found some Sta-Lube API/GL4 Multi-Purpose Gear Oil 85W90 SL24229 – 32 Fl Oz, GL4 Hypoid Gear Oil for Corrosion Protection for 12 buck a Qt on Amazon so if the Carquest does not pan out I will try the Sta-Lube with the yellow metal protection.

Cheers

 

[love2fly]

Well went to the CarQuest were I knew it used to be but since it has shut down. So went to a transmission service shop and asked if they could drain and fill with some GL4 gear oil for my 1982 FJ45 4 speed manual trans and guess what they had no GL4 on hand that was compatible with yellow metal parts. I mentioned that I will just buy some
Sta-Lube API/GL4 Multi-Purpose Gear Oil 85W90 SL24229 – 32 Fl Oz, GL4 Hypoid Gear Oil for Corrosion Protection as stated above and he (an older gent) said that the 4 speed trans I had would not do well with Hypoid gear oil as it was meant for differentials mainly. This guys been in the business for some time and now I am not sure if I should use the Sta-Lube GL4 with Hypoid. Any input on this??

Cheers

 

[Green Bean]

Well went to the CarQuest were I knew it used to be but since it has shut down. So went to a transmission service shop and asked if they could drain and fill with some GL4 gear oil for my 1982 FJ45 4 speed manual trans and guess what they had no GL4 on hand that was compatible with yellow metal parts. I mentioned that I will just buy some
Sta-Lube API/GL4 Multi-Purpose Gear Oil 85W90 SL24229 – 32 Fl Oz, GL4 Hypoid Gear Oil for Corrosion Protection as stated above and he (an older gent) said that the 4 speed trans I had would not do well with Hypoid gear oil as it was meant for differentials mainly. This guys been in the business for some time and now I am not sure if I should use the Sta-Lube GL4 with Hypoid. Any input on this??

Cheers

The FSM that I'm looking at has a recommendation for Hypoid gear oil in the differentials only. The transmission and transfer recommendation is for SAE 90 API GL-4.
From a little poking around on Google: "The hybrid design of the gear system of a car includes basically two gears who have a shape like a Christmas tree mesh. Both of these gears were arranged at an angle of 90 degrees to each other." See: What is Hypoid Gear Oil: Can I Explain! - Car Care Lab - https://carcarelab.com/hypoid-gear-oil/... "Long story short- a hypoid gear oil is a lubricant that is designed to lubricate a hypoid gear system. The criteria to be a good quality hypoid gear oil is- it has to contain a high percentage of EP(Extreme Pressure) additives in order to make sure that the gear system can survive the pressure. "
Me: I used the same GL-4 lubricant throughout Driven GO 80W-90 Conventional GL-4 Gear Oil - https://drivenracingoil.com/i-30497794-go-80w-90-conventional-gl-4-gear-oil.html. Maybe I screwed up?

 

[B y r o n]

Well went to the CarQuest were I knew it used to be but since it has shut down. So went to a transmission service shop and asked if they could drain and fill with some GL4 gear oil for my 1982 FJ45 4 speed manual trans and guess what they had no GL4 on hand that was compatible with yellow metal parts. I mentioned that I will just buy some
Sta-Lube API/GL4 Multi-Purpose Gear Oil 85W90 SL24229 – 32 Fl Oz, GL4 Hypoid Gear Oil for Corrosion Protection as stated above and he (an older gent) said that the 4 speed trans I had would not do well with Hypoid gear oil as it was meant for differentials mainly. This guys been in the business for some time and now I am not sure if I should use the Sta-Lube GL4 with Hypoid. Any input on this??

Cheers

I think the technician may have been confused about GL-4 and GL-5 differences. According to this information:

"API GL-4 – Intended for gear sets with light to heavy load and sliding forces. GL-4 lubricants are often used in syncromesh manual shift on-road and off-road truck transmissions.


API GL-5 – Intended for heavily loaded gear sets with high sliding forces such as hypoid differentials. GL-5 lubricants contain high levels of extreme-pressure additives to provide protection under boundary lubrication conditions. Common heavy duty applications include differentials in on-road and off-road trucks, differentials, final drives in Caterpillar scrapers, and differentials and planetaries in Euclid haul trucks. Some manual-shift transmissions can use GL-5, but typically should not be used in synchromesh-type transmissions, as the EP additives can be corrosive to yellow metals found in those transmission types. Limited-slip differentials also typically require a specific lubricant with a limited-slip additive."

So any GL-4 should be good but don't use GL-5 in the transmission.

 

[love2fly]

You are correct as I too was looking around on the 4 speed specs for this year trans and Hypoid gear never came up in any of the writings. I did read as you mentioned that the differentials were the areas of main use with some transmissions but far as I can tell not for the Toyota FJ40 4 speed transmissions. GL4 in a conventional (no heavy additives) use is getting harder to find. I think the old guy knows his stuff. I will check into the GO 80W-90 Conventional GL-4 Gear Oil you show.

Thanks for the information, stay safe.

 

[love2fly]

Just saw your post as I finish the reply. I not to sure if the guy was wrong at least altogether. He did say in his relay to the gear oil I was planing on using is you can use it but the pressures of some Hypoid oils in low gear trans gear boxes may be fine as long a the do not reach a higher speed internally, foaming was one word he used and reaction to syncromesh parts . He said that if a gear oil foams foams for a long period of time (years maybe) that one of the problems is condensation forming along with a fast breakdown of the oil. I am guessing that he means road speeds of continues 60-70 MPH and I never can get that fast anyway. But he said that the additives used today are more for the new style transmissions with different metals compared to what is found in the older GL4 HD style trans such as the LC trans so one does need to pay attention on what you use and for how long. I am not an expert on all of this just trying to do the right thing for this old transmission.

Thanks for the info.

 

[GA Architect]

The FSM that I'm looking at has a recommendation for Hypoid gear oil in the differentials only. The transmission and transfer recommendation is for SAE 90 API GL-4.
From a little poking around on Google: "The hybrid design of the gear system of a car includes basically two gears who have a shape like a Christmas tree mesh. Both of these gears were arranged at an angle of 90 degrees to each other." See: What is Hypoid Gear Oil: Can I Explain! - Car Care Lab - https://carcarelab.com/hypoid-gear-oil/... "Long story short- a hypoid gear oil is a lubricant that is designed to lubricate a hypoid gear system. The criteria to be a good quality hypoid gear oil is- it has to contain a high percentage of EP(Extreme Pressure) additives in order to make sure that the gear system can survive the pressure. "
Me: I used the same GL-4 lubricant throughout Driven GO 80W-90 Conventional GL-4 Gear Oil - https://drivenracingoil.com/i-30497794-go-80w-90-conventional-gl-4-gear-oil.html. Maybe I screwed up?

You wouldn't be the only one.......just say'n.

 

[brian]

i have the stay lube in all my geary parts in the 75....easily with 40+k miles driven...nothing seems to be displeased with it.

 

[PEOPLES]

I would also go with a very simple GL4 90 gear lubricant. Usually it's a minderal oil then.

In "old days" a GL5 had EP-Additives which could harm the brass-synchro-rings, but most of the new/uptodate lubricants can handle both, means the have a GL4/GL5-Rating or GL4+ or something like that.
It's just not necessary in the transmission, since those oils are more expensive.

Mine transmission also needs some time for the synchro-process, it's not as smooth, as in a normal car. Also some of the old transmissions had only 1st and 2nd with synchrorings.

 

[love2fly]

Well so far I found this on line in a near by town so I am considering this for now as it is not synthetic as far as I know, its compatible to yellow metals, green in color and about as low price as I can find @ around $7.45 a qt. I am looking into that Driven oil also, so thanks for that post.
I do not want synthetic as I have used it before in other cars and trucks and if you have a small seep or so you will have a lt more oil seeping and a mess, thats my 2 cents on that.
As far as finding a simple GL4 85-90 conventional gear oil as you stated it actuly is not that easy as I am finding out here in the US. I must of been lost something in the last five years on whats going on in the Gear Oil World but GL4 is being phased out by most of the big name in the oil business as I learned today. I stopped in at the local large oil store under the name Chevron and was informed by the tech/salesman on what to expect in the near future on gear oils. Chevron and others have already pretty much started to dropped the GL4 tag for Gear Oils and now use the GL5 which now has a list of additives that are now to supersede the GL4 product and just use the GL5 tag, but the caution now is you MUST read the fine print of the additives in each bottle or gal to make sure it suits your engine or trans and to top it off the are looking to discontinue any straight convectional oil and going all synthetic other than for the large trucks and HD equipment that have special needs. That is just Chevron as told by the rep so the writing is on the wall is clear to me. The good news is some company's such as red line, Penn will still produce the gear oils that fit the 50s-60s-70s-80s trucks and cars but at a real premium cost.
Cheers