Gear box oil again

[ermie571]

Firstly, sorry folks for the question

I have read the wiki, and done a search.

Thought I had it sussed - my box requires 80 w 90 GL4 gear box oil, about 3.5 ltres.

Halfords do such a thing at £8.49 litre

Then, I rings the place I normally get my bits from...

and they say they stock a 75W90 GL4/5 at £5.15 + Vat Litre - its by Carlube. This is £2 a litre cheaper!!

So, which do I put in. Its having a little whine at me....so I thought I would start by draining and replacing the oil and see where we go from there.

regards

Emma


E D I T - just read wiki again....

originally in the Vanagon VW called for either an 80W or a 80W-90 GL4 fluid according to my guide.... the MT-90 is a 75W90 viscosity a suitable replacement for the 80W90. You could use either and I would base my recommendation on the operating conditions and/or transaxle condition.

I would recommend the MTL if most operation was at relatively low temperatures and cold shift ability was of prime importance. If it is typically used in higher operating conditions, elevated temperatures and/or there is some noise in the transaxle, I would recommend the MT-90. I hope that helped clear some of the confusion.>>


so - do I stick with what VW originally stated...or because of the noise go with the 75w90? Going to use molyslip as well.

Em
x

[Hacksawbob]

Or go for some redline at £60 a fill! nicest thing you can do for your box!

[ermie571]

Thanks Bob!

[Aidan]

NO, NO, NO

please can the reference to Redline MT90 be pulled from the WIKI, I do not recommend this oil at all, every box I've known that has had it has had issues, and there is a lot of evidence from the states of excessive wear with this product, Daryl at AA transaxles has been looking at this problem and now he no longer recommends it and on the Vanagon forums it's been spread about that it's not good - unfortunatly the UK importer is targeting the T3 market on ebay, based on old recommendations

the carplan 75w/90 gl4/gl5 is what i use now that the Fuchs is no longer readily available, if you want to spend a lot of dosh then use Millers, and if you want to spend a fortune then use the SWEPCO, but personally I go with the £20 stuff regularly changed and from what I'm seeing on wear after 5 years that advice stands

[Hacksawbob]

Dont put redline in Em its the worst thing you can do for your box! Wiki editing....

[ermie571]

Aidan,

thanks. Gearbox oil just changed.....carlube 75W90 3.5 Litres with a tube of molyslip, following your comments in a search in which you said it was good (if difficult to clean the box afterwards). No-one round here offered me the redline, anyway! and at £60

took the drain plug put, and only a few filings on the magnet - not even a huge christmas tree...more like a microphone cover, and only really on the top section of the magnet...and no chunks of anything! The oil that came out was pretty damn black and thick....so maybe things will improve a bit. God alone knows how long that had been in there!

will let you know if things improve!

Em
x

[ermie571]

Oh - wiki editing....

please can we have a one line statement....including what you mean by changed regularly?

thanks

Em
xx

[Aidan]

Emma

sounds ok that plug - though the black may mean it's been molyed previously to shut it up - is it a 4 or a 5 speed ?

[ermie571]

Hi Aidan,

yes, that thought did cross my mind....

its a five speed.

The whine has only started since changing a CV...and although I cannot for the life of me see how it could be the cv, i am getting a rotational noise, most clearly heard when slowing down.

Em
xx

[CovKid]

Er......Has anyone looked in Wilkinsons??? They do it by the litre for under £3 in a red bottle. In fact is the only gearbox oil they sell. Corkyboy and I cleared the stocks from Droylsden and Ashton a few weeks back,

Oh, and its 80W90 - the proper stuff. We're trying to get everyone to buy from them so they freak out wondering who is buying it all

[Red Westie]

Oh, and its 80W90 - the proper stuff

Proper because thats all there was around when the manual was written....infact if you look at the early manuals it would have been a straight 80 weight.....things move on.

You can stick with the older spec GL4 80W90
But
These aging tired boxes work well with the newer Semi synthetic 75W90 GL4/GL5 as the lower viscosity from cold improves gear changing, especially noticable for the first few miles where baulking can be an issue.

Frequency of change....as these were 'fill for life' then the frequency has to be gut feeling....say 3-4 years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes sooner.
Martin

[Smudger38]

Anyone tell me if this is any good for Gearbox, as it was recommended on another thread although cannot remember where!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... fe=sidebar" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Aidan]

yep that will do fine it states GL4 , same spec as the Shell that

[CovKid]

The Wilkinson one is GL4 too. As far as Corkyboy and I could work out, it was what GSF used to stock before they changed brands. Either way, bargain at £2.74 a litre or whatever it was we paid. Under a tenner for a complete change. We cleared two branches of stock in one week



Frankly I was shocked at what Halfords were charging. I saw them at that price too. We walked out in 'a huff' muttering something about 'daylight robbery' or similar....

[iowcamper]

Was reading this thread and started to wonder whether i should consider draining and refilling my gearbox oil?? looking in haynes it suggests checking the level of oil regularly and topping up if necessary, but does not give any idea on how often to consider changing this oil? ive owned my van 2 years and know it not been done in that time and have no service record to go on to know when it would of last been done, is this a wise precautionary change to make and if so how often should it be done??

iowcamper