Manual Gearbox oil 'too good'!!

[wirdy]

A few weeks back I replaced my gearbox oil. The stuff that came out was black and the magnetic plug looked like a little christmas tree, so it was due replacement!!

I put in Amsoil synthetic gearlube. Unfotunately the gearchange began to deteriorate after three days and has got worse since :sick: :Cry1: ...time for action....
research c/o - seems that the Amsoil synthetic lube was 'too good' :stunned: i.e it didn't give the synchro's enough 'bite' which is why my gearchange got worse! Great - the gearshafts will never ever wear out, but the synchros will be mullered in a couple of thousand miles! :(

Read up on the other Mitsi forums and realised that Redline MT-90 got the most votes, was a GL-4 oil and gave just the right balance between good lubrication for the shafts and friction for the synchros. So got some of this direct from the UK importers (Delta Oils UK) here (http://www.redlineoil.co.uk/first.htm). You need 2.7L, so 3 'US Quart' bottles are needed, just so happens that you get them P&P-free if you order 3 bottles. ;)

Put the Redline in today and the change is remarkable, I can now go up & down the box like a hot knife through butter. Thoroughly recommended. Plus it's virtually fit & forget, I know I won't ever change the gearbox oil again - I know I've got the best stuff in there and it's designed to last just about forever. ;)

[zedy1]

wirdy isnt it recommended to use the gl5 oil for the manual gearbox

[Kieran]

Useful information Wirdy! :thumbsup:

[wirdy]

wirdy isnt it recommended to use the gl5 oil for the manual gearbox
No, it recommends GL-4, and for good reason!!! Thought I was being on the safe side going for GL-5!! :$ :$

Experience and Wisdom is a wonderful thing! :)

Using fluid with a higher spec than what you really need is not always a good idea!!

Manual owners ...USE GL-4 or Redline MT90 in your gearboxes!! :)

[nismoevo]

Have Redline mt90 in my car now very notchy when the gearbox is cold and hard to put the car into gears, directly when you have cold started it, if you google on mt90 you see that many people complain that its very notchy when the car is cold.

Many people blend it 50/50 with redline mtl to get it to work great when the gearbox is cold.


My car works great with redline when the car and gearbox is warmed up, but i dont want to struggle with gears anymore, when the car is cold.


Will go back to quaker state now when i have adjusted the clutch.

Or maybe Motul 300 gear to see if they solve the notchy gearchanges when the gearbox is cold.

[bradc]

GL5 isn't good at all for them, GL4 works fine :)

[MarkSanne]

This topic screams for a reply from "the Don" ;)

[stuey]

thought they were all a little stiff when cold... (the gearchange that is ... )

[MPBVr4]

thought they were all a little stiff when cold... (the gearchange that is ... )

I would agree they are are bit "notchy" but a very positive shift.

[dickytim]

I have used CAstrol VMX in mine, worked fine, I too was told to use GL-5 by the Repco guy who looked it up in his book, it was terrible so I canged it to VMX and it has been brilliant since.

[Subaru ETA]

yeah i use vmx in mine... never had a problem with it being notchy

[Fully]

Ha someone bring's back a 4 year old thread not a word spoken about it :) how it should be in my books.

I bring a thread back after 1 month on another forum (clearnet) and get told off for it :/

What do you mean by it being notchy?
Like driving a truck with no clutch, find that gear and slot it in at the right engine rev?

[phosty]

Hmmn - these guys seem to know their Mitsi Transmissions and they recommend GL-4 generally as well as some of the Redline products:

http://www.teamrip.com/manual_transmission_gear_oil_recommendation_info.h tml

[glover]

im using redline and have to say its a little notchy when cold. I thought that was just the galant box. otherwise thourougly reccomend it.

[ianturbo]

Don't know what oil in mine but when cold its a bit juddery when warm its fantastic !!!/rally
ian

[amsoil]

Quaker State, theres a name from the past. Good al boys oil that and was used in my race car until they tried Amsoil it must be pretty good as long as it hasn't changed because of a merger or takeover. Mixing oil is never a good idea, If it was a true fix then the manufacturers would do the same and solve the problem.


Have Redline mt90 in my car now very notchy when the gearbox is cold and hard to put the car into gears, directly when you have cold started it, if you google on mt90 you see that many people complain that its very notchy when the car is cold.

Many people blend it 50/50 with redline mtl to get it to work great when the gearbox is cold.


My car works great with redline when the car and gearbox is warmed up, but i dont want to struggle with gears anymore, when the car is cold.


Will go back to quaker state now when i have adjusted the clutch.

Or maybe Motul 300 gear to see if they solve the notchy gearchanges when the gearbox is cold.

[wirdy]

Put the Redline in today..... Thoroughly recommended. Plus it's virtually fit & forget, I know I won't ever change the gearbox oil again - I know I've got the best stuff in there and it's designed to last just about forever. ;)

Uhhhh, well.......it's an old thread & I did change the oil again....but over 4 years on the redline stuff was good, but I'm always looking to improve cold gearchanging performance.

After some recent input from Don (Amsoil) I aquired some " AMSOIL Manual Transmission & Transaxle Gear Lube SAE 75W-90 API GL-4" to try.

I put the amsoil stuff in just after xmas. I'm pleased to report that cold weather changes (especially first to second) do not scag as you beat the synchro and are considerably better that Redline MT-90. Warm / Hot performance is very slick and the same as MT-90.

So in common with our tiptronic cousins, us manual owners now have a clear 'best buy' Amsoil choice for our gearboxes :happy:

[gee118]

To continue resurrecting old threads; Has anyone else found that "AMSOIL Manual Transmission & Transaxle Gear Lube SAE 75W-90 API GL-4"
is the way to go??
I'm replacing the clutch so need transfer box oil as well....would the recommendation be amsoil as well?
The garage i'm going to say that they would have put redline mt90 and redline 75w90 in but because wirdy says cold starts are 'considerably better' with the amsoil over the MT90 i'd be tempted to buy this in.

[elnevio]

Amsoil's GL-4 manual transmission oil is spot on (code MTG, I think?). Do not use anything that even mentions GL-5!

The usual recommended Amsoil product for the transfer box (and for the gear part of the rear diff) is the Severe Gear Oil 75w-90 (code SVG).

Don't forget that Club members get 15% off Amsoil products! :thumbsup:

[amsoil]

Very delighted to hear that the oils I sent you has performed so well. I had wondered on many occasions but now we know. Thanks for this. :love:


Uhhhh, well.......it's an old thread & I did change the oil again....but over 4 years on the redline stuff was good, but I'm always looking to improve cold gearchanging performance.

After some recent input from Don (Amsoil) I aquired some " AMSOIL Manual Transmission & Transaxle Gear Lube SAE 75W-90 API GL-4" to try.

I put the amsoil stuff in just after xmas. I'm pleased to report that cold weather changes (especially first to second) do not scag as you beat the synchro and are considerably better that Redline MT-90. Warm / Hot performance is very slick and the same as MT-90.

So in common with our tiptronic cousins, us manual owners now have a clear 'best buy' Amsoil choice for our gearboxes :happy:

[wirdy]

Well, another year on and the Amsoil gearbox oil is still keeping my manual 'box in good order.

I'll see if it takes you a year to read this post Don :d

[Nick Mann]

Amsoil certainly does change gear better than other oils I've tried in the manual box when cold.

TBH though, the box is still a biatch when chilly!

[ANTHONY]

I've had amsoil manual transmission oil in mine for the past 3 years

[amsoil]

No not a year but I am not into sitting at the computer searching loads of forums for an 'in' to sell Amsoil. Just pleased we got there in the end.

[gee118]

Amsoil's GL-4 manual transmission oil is spot on (code MTG, I think?). Do not use anything that even mentions GL-5!

The usual recommended Amsoil product for the transfer box (and for the gear part of the rear diff) is the Severe Gear Oil 75w-90 (code SVG).

Don't forget that Club members get 15% off Amsoil products! :thumbsup:


Ok, so I bought 3 quarts of the 'SAE 75W-90 API GL-4 Manual Transmission Gear Lube's for the gear oil and I bought and 1 quart of the 'SAE 75w-90 Severe Gear' for the transfer box.

Just one question though, the 'Severe Gear' oil has (among other things) API GL-5 on the back. Are we sure this is good to go into the xfer box?

[elnevio]

Yep, it's the right stuff for the transfer box. :thumbsup: I have it in mine!

[wirdy]

Ditto. No synchros in your transfer box, so GL-5 is great.

[amsoil]

You have the grades correct, and they will work, The survivability will depend upon whether the fluids are mineral or synthetic. As in all cases you get what you pay for.