Hi All You might have seen the question about my Raw Gas smell that I just posted. However, something else of interest happened this weekend. Since I had the car opened up and on the lift, I decided to change the engine and gearbox fluids. After changing, and buttoning up the car, I took her for a test drive. What a change in shifting! Before, when cold, shifting from 1st to 2nd was very, very, very stiff. It required considerable force. However, once warmed up, the problem went away. After the fluid changes, I started the car. I waited for about 10 seconds to ensure that all fluids would circulate, and to see oil pressure on the gauge. Then, curiosity got me. I ran the transmission through it's gears. What a change. Even though the car was cold, all gear changes were "buttery" smooth. No stiffness going from 1st to 2nd. Not even a little bit stiff! We (my son and I) took the car for a test drive. Shifting remained buttery smooth as the car warmed up. I used Redline 75W90. I had read on these forums about others having good experiences with Redline. However, I'm the type that doesn't believe much of what I read on the internet. In this case, I was really wrong. The fluid change made a huge difference! Sid P.S - The oil change was actually kinda funny to watch. Sort of like watching an episode of the 3 stooges (although there were only 2 of us in the garage - my 27 yo son was helping). Car is up on the lift. I had purchased 11 quarts of synthetic oil, a new filter, and a new bucket to catch the old oil in. I purchased one of those purpose made used oil containers at a local autoparts store. you know the type, they have a hole on top for oil to drain into, an air breather on top, and a spout on the side to drain oil out of. They look like a giant bedpan. The fun began with the car up on the lift. Thinking we were clever, we used a transmission jack to hold and position the oil catch bucket under the car (we even used the chains to ensure the bucket wouldn't fall). Everything in position, we removed the oil drain plug from the car. Whoosh - oil started coming out FAST!!! Much faster than the small drain hole in the bucket could accommodate!! pretty soon the top of the bin was full and overflowing. We frantically tried cutting a larger hole in the top of the bucket - We succeeded, but only after a couple of quarts of used oil had flowed all over my tranny jack and garage floor. It was pretty funny. Although my wife didn't think so.
Hey Redline is amazing, like you I was sceptical but we were due to go on a European tour 3500 miles in my girlfriend Emily s 1976 X19 the gearbox felt so bad getting it in and out of reverse that I really felt a rebuild was needed. However we were out of time our boat was booked, as a last resort Emily found this Redline oil and put it in her gearbox.....wow! Increadible it felt buttery smooth like brand new.. I am still amazed by it even now. I'm going to get some for the Ferrari however what about the LSD what did you use as Redline do so many gear oils.... Regards Bell
I also went from a God-knows-what gearbox oil from the previous owner to Redline. Words cannot describe the change Redline made. I can now engage 2nd with engine cold, although I prefer not to (my thing). Gear changes are completely smooth and accurate. Seems like I have a different car or a brand new gearbox! I strongly recommend it from my experience and I'm yet to learn of an owner not 200% satisfied with it. Kind regards, Nuno.
In my T I had the same tough 1st to 2nd gear change when cold. Took it in for service, they changed the tranny fluid (not sure what they used) now even when its dead cold no problem!!
Ok Chaps, what version of the Redline marvel did you use in your Ferraris so I can get some based on the fact that we have LSD diffs.... Regards Bell
Redline 75W90 NS GL-5 Gear Oil. Here is exactly what I ordered Red Line Synthetic Oil - Gear Oil for Manual Transmissions - 75W90 NS GL-5 Gear Oil Sid
In the 308 section, a popular Redline mix is 4 litres of 75W90NS with 1 litre of 75W90, the latter to prevent limited slip differential chatter that some experience with 5 litres of 75W90NS. However, Rifledriver has posted that he uses Redline MTL in customer cars for years, and gets great feedback on it. He also pointed out that there are no hypoid gears in the 308/328 transmission/differential transaxle unit, and it's hypoid gears which require the GL-5 with the extreme pressure additives. GL4 oils are generally better for transmission synchronizers, and MTL is a GL4... I ran the 4x75W90NS/1x75W90 mix last year, and had trouble getting 2nd gear when the transmission was cold. I just changed last weekend to straight Redline MTL per Rifledriver, and so far (2 drives) 2nd gear when cold is easier to shift.
I did change my transmission oïl in my TR with synthetic GL5 from part store, I used it for a couple weeks and was not happy with it and replaced it with Redline NS and a miracle happened. Amazing! New gearbox. I'm sold to it.
Happy to be of service! And, the pics of your gorgeous engine bay have given me a goal to shoot for! Mine isn't bad, it's actually pretty clean. However, nothing like yours! Sid
Hey Cheers Sid, I actually did my engine without taking it out, I did however remove the cam covers, plenum chamber and various other acilliaries from the engine itself. Oh yes and my custom made flat engine floorpan seals in all the gaps around and under the motor so it doesn't get all dirty now All the best Bell.
Same Here, had Lucas synth. in mine for the first time, couldn't pull in 2nd gear till the car was fully warmed up. That never happened before. Changed it out to Red Line NS for transaxles and it went into 2nd without any hesitation and all gears mesh like new . Never had any luck with Lucas brands of any kind.
Have anyone tried Valvoline SynGear 75W-90 synthetic in their F-cars,i had great succés with it in Alfas some years ago but never tried it on Ferraris.Alfa berlinettas also have some problems with shifting when cold,but went really smouthly with this oil and even smaller sync ring problems disapered...
Important and concise info here ^ The Mondial Owner's Manual (1988) only specifies Agip ROTRA SX 75W90, without mention of GL4 or GL5. However, the spec oil applies to both. http://travel.eni.com/catalog/products/documents/0NL912_14_en_FR_1_106.pdf . Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The replacement, per the part number, is copper. I haven't (yet) heard of anyone using something else.
I see no issue in using a fiber one really, but there is one must. Always use it once and replace it by a new one for sure when you drain. A copper one you can re-use if it is in "good" condition. Re-heat it though so that it can re-form ��
My experience with Redline gear oil: Used the 75W90NS plus one quart of the 75W90. Improved the shift quality noticeably over a non-synthetic fill when I had purchased the car. Tried MTL. Definitely eased the shifts even more, but felt a bit notchy in comparison. Tried MT90. This seems like the best trade off for ease of shift and feel. Redline gear oils can all be mixed, so different proportions may work for a specific car.
I use MTL, same cold weight, slightly lighter weight when hot. Other than balky 2nd gear when cold, shifting is very good. Good thought about mixing Redlines products. Regards, Jerry
As long as i am doing a major on my 86 Mondial QV, thought it best to change transmission fluid while I was at it. To my surprise, there are two drains for the tranny fluid; one for the main sump and one for the jackshaft that transfers power from the clutch output to the transmission input. There is also a fill plug in the cover behind the bell housing. The manual calls for "100 g" of fluid to be added in that fill plug. Essentially to replace the oil that was drained from the jackshaft sump I am surmising. My question is this, does fluid circulate back to the main sump from this jackshaft sump? My thought is surely it has to but seems to be a rather odd design. Also finding that the fill plug probably hasn't been removed in eons as it has not budged in my struggles thus far. So I am wondering if anyone has bothered to add fluid in at this point in the car's history simply because the oil is pumped through the area anyway. Thoughts? Brock
Drain the oil from both drain plugs. Reinstall the drain plugs. Then fill the fluid through the "100g" fill plug, and do this til the fluid runs out of the main sump upper plug as you would normally when determining the fill. This procedure gets the correct amount of fluid into the transmission as the main and jackshaft sumps are indeed connected. I think there was a thread on this, I have been doing it for years. I use a smaller funnel with a pvc tube attached to it. The funnel with its flex tube can be stuck in the jackshaft sump fill from in the engine bay, making the fill easy to do. The jackshaft fill plug can seize due to the steel /aluminum dissimilar metals, but a long ratchet with the allen head socket should get it loose. Put some anti-sieze on all the drain and fill plugs.
Andy, excellent!! Great ingenuity using what is available to get the job done...without the knowledge that the oil will drain to the main sump from the jackshaft side I have been mulling over how to pump oil into the main sump through the overflow plug. Using the other fill plug makes all the sense in the world...great advice! Brock
Personally I would not put locktight of any kind on it. These are brass plugs and should be changed to new ones after at least 3 times of use and new copper rings every time. They will settle in when it is on working temp. You will already need to put some force on it to get them lose. Another thing is that when you lose up and have used locktight, pieces might fall into the transfer case. Even more when you put on the plug again as the remaining hardened locktight get pushed into the case.
