Manual gear oil

[hbkuk1]

Hi guys
So what's your gear oil recommendation? And yes yes I know everyone loves amsoil reason I ask is I already have amsoil and a notchey gearbox has anyone found anything better and yes I know on pain of dead don't use gl5 but has anyone tried? Anyway what have you got? And have you used a treatment with any success?

[elnevio]

Don't use GL-5, or even anything that's labelled as GL-4/GL-5. It must be GL-4 ONLY. The friction properties of anything else is not suitable for these manual gearboxes. And you're always best off using a decent quality fully synthetic gearbox oil. Hence recommendations for Amsoil. But there's no point in using a normally-unsuitable gearbox oil and using additives to bring it into spec, when you can just buy the decent stuff in the first place, IMO. And as you only need 2.7L to change it, along with the service interval of 45,000 miles, it works out as extremely good value, and a high quality oil will remain in spec for the duration of the service period. :)

[hbkuk1]

I'm not worried about the cost of amsoil just if there's anything anyone's used that smoothed the gear changes?

[Subaru ETA]

Castrol Vmx would be my recommendation

[amsoil]

Need to know what Amsoil gear oil you are using that gives a notchy change. The correct oil is MTG and not FGR or SVG. the latter 2 will cause a difficult gear change as they are designed to retain a surface oil film to prevent wear, you need an oil that will allow the syncro dogs to cut through the film and bite to allow quick gear engagement.
An alternative and especially if you are using MTG and still get problems , is MTF. This is a recommended oil for many boxes and would be your last chance before a gearbox change or rebuild.
The problem you have is not the oil; its your selection of oil or the wear in the box. No oil is capable of removing wear from a gearbox. (although some dodgy product almost make such a claim!)
Any further question please ask, remember search is your friend and this is a well trodden path with known results.

[hbkuk1]

Changed from mtg to castrol and it's better

[amsoil]

Really; I dont believe you.
Been here 10 years and never said that to anyone before.

[Subaru ETA]

I would have to agree, I had MTG in mine and it was rubbish when cold. Changed to Vmx and never had a problem. Can only go by personal experience

[amsoil]

VMX is an MTF (manual transmission fluid) like Amsoil MTF it aids cold gear selection at the cost of protection. Both are you last option in a box with wear before considering replacement or rebuild. I would not recommend either in a gearbox unless a good GL4 fails to give the desired gear change.

[Subaru ETA]

The car I used it in now has well over 200,000km and 340 odd kW atw with over 500nm and is still going strong!

[adaxo]

seems like this castrol vmx is not available in uk?? as I go through both ams and, as you guys, always have issues when cold, especially trying to put reverse. Been thinking that may is due to wear but its a very low cost of changing oil is worth to try b4 expensive rebuild.

[amsoil]

The car I used it in now has well over 200,000km and 340 odd kW atw with over 500nm and is still going strong!

:) And may it continue to do so.

[hbkuk1]

Mines not worn done only 50k

[hbkuk1]

I also changed engine oil from am soil to Fuchs that was a mistake got rattley lifters now