For those of you with manual gearboxes

[wirdy]

I changed all my drivetrain oils this weekend and put in some AMSOIL synthetic gear lube. I suspect a lot of you get this done at the dealer and you never know the condition of the old oil.

My car has done 41,000 miles.
Gearbox oil looked good as new, nice and clean, but changed it anyway. Magnetic drain plug had a bit of swarf on it.
Transfer box oil was very dirty / discoloured. Magnetic drain plug had quite a bit of swarf on it.
Rear diffferential oil was very dirty / discoloured, magnetic drain plug had a bit of swarf.
AYC fluid looked good as new, but changed anyway. INSERT INTO post VALUES (ATF SP-III); drain plug easy, but fill plug is a complete BAST**D to get to and fill up!!. Mitsi put a little hole in the rear subframe to get a socket through but you still need articulated fingers!!!

It was nice to notice that Mitsubishi have little legends cast into the drain plugs and fill plug areas to tell you where each fluid goes and its type. I've never had that on Fords or french cars before!!

So if your manual is due a transmission oil change don't put it off! my transfer box oil and rear diff oil was well due a change, even well before the recommended change interval at 45,000 miles.

By the way, the AMSOIL lube has made the shift much nicer between 1st and 2nd with a cold gearbox.

[Kieran]

Silly question - can you put Gear-lube in an autobox? I suspect you can't?

[wirdy]

No Kieran!!!!, just ATF!!,
although AMSOIL do a synthetic ATF but it's pricey INSERT INTO post VALUES ( although I've seen many of you ripped off by Mitsi for mineral ATF that you can buy at any motor factors for £3 per litre that fulfils the full Mitsi spec).
Transfer box and rear diff are exactly the same on manuals and autos as far as I know, so the oil is equally suitable for those.
How's the dash going???
My VR4 looks kinda mean at the moment, in a sort of shark-like way without its headlights and front grille. Am in the process of modifying my lights to fit the HID bulb kit. Have had them running on the bench and they're effin' bright!!
Pics to follow once HID kit installation completed, also of my marine bilge-fan boosted cold air feed that I fitted this weekend.

[Kieran]

How did you change the AYC fluid? Don't you need the MUT-II diagnostic thingy to make sure all the AYC fluid is pumped and refilled correctly?

[wirdy]

Took the risk and changed it any way.
As soon as the fluid drained I filled it up again. Did some enthusiastic handling checks on the taxiway INSERT INTO post VALUES (very safe - lots of run off!!) and no trouble yet, AYC lights lit as normal as traction changed, no strange noises.
We have an independant mitsi place up here that has a MUT-II if I need to get it bled at a later date- shouldn't cost too much to just plug it in and bleed the system.
I suspect it's a nicety to get the valves to actuate on the test set following a fluid change, they're doing this anyway on the road INSERT INTO post VALUES (depending on how you drive) so maybe will take a little while to bleed any air out, but the system must be self bleeding otherwise we'd all be back and forth to the mitsi garage getting our AYC valves played with all the time!!

[Kieran]

And one final question before I go to bed:D

Where did you get the amsoil stuff from? Just your local motor factors, or via the Intergrot?

[wirdy]

Got AMSOIL gearlube from Demon Tweeks. INSERT INTO post VALUES (www.demon-tweeks.co.uk)
INSERT INTO post VALUES (£40 for 5 litres); their synthetic ATF is about £40 for 5 litres INSERT INTO post VALUES (I don't know how much your 'boxes take).
Check out the AMSOIL website at www.amsoil.com
Good testimonials for all their products.
Pity there aren't more UK dealers for this stuff, I would like to use both the engine oil and their oil filters if I could get hold of it at a better price than Demon tweeks charge. I'm considering becoming a AMSOIL dealer, it doesn't seems too difficult according to the website.