Lubing up your rear end

I've had this discussion before and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

What weight and type and brand of gear lube do you use in your gearbox and more importantly, why?

examples:
75W-90 mineral valvoline because it shifts best with this
85W-140 synthetic royal purple because I live in a hot climate

I personally have run several different types over the years and I've had best luck with a lighter weight mineral oil. I've noticed that synthetics didn't seem to get along to well with my synchro's. Shifting was heavy and inacurate at times. Or maybe I was just having a bad day.

How about you?

 

Catchy thread title

(I'm sorry, I can't stop laughing)

 

I use castrol syntrax 75 W 140 LSD and until now no bad experiences

 

me as well...

 

There has never been a need for anything heavier than 75/90 no matter the climate. My climate is much hotter than yours and I have never dreamed it to be required.

I have not had a positive experience using Royal Purple but I do only use synthetic.

I experimented with it once and found it improved nothing and caused some cars to be worse. I had one client request it once. He came back and requested I drain it and refill with what I had been using. I have seen some shops here use Redline MTL or MT90 to make them shift better but neither should ever be used in a TR transaxle for the sake of the ring and pinion.

 

It was intended to get your attention. It worked.

Would you have read it if it said "What gear oil do you use?"

 

Maybe ?

IMHO:
I like SWEPCO (South Western Petroleum Co). It's a petroleum oil. Smells up the garage when you use it. I like how it treats parts, and shifts after warms. Also, (I think) is kind to limited slip hardware, and holds wear debris in suspension from LSD and synchros. You need to change it every year or so as it ages, but generally a very good product.

I like Redline, but think SWEPCO behaves more predictably.

 

Used SWEPCO for over 20 years. Not as good as synthetic when hot and terrible when cold.
Still can't figure out why I drank the Koolaid so long.

 

Having posted having good results with Royal Purple before, I'm going to have to change my previous "buy" rating to "hold". Don't know if they've changed their formula, or if my previous results were influenced by having enough of a residual of something else left in there before, but not happy with the cold shifting behavior since my last change (and TX isn't exactly "cold"). What are you using lately Brian? Redline NS straight, Redline NS plus something, something else?

 

I do know some that have liked it. Don't know their basis of comparison. My best experience is neutral but often negative.

I use Redline NS, sometimes with their additive, sometimes not. My own makes just the slightest noise without and I leave it that way but I run into them sometimes that just need a bottle of the additive.

I have been told by a very trusted source that drove ours once to try the Agip Rotra LSX but Agip USA seems disinterested in selling it at least in quantity. He knows the cars very well and says it works better than anything he has experienced. You should be able to find enough for a single car on the internet.

 

This is 1 time I agree with you.

After multiple tries, I'm sticking with Valvoline 75/90 forever.

 

OK, So I didn't read it correctly. It isn't just 75/90 you're talking about it's the Redline NS stuff too.

 

Thats the stuff Scott

Phil

 

Mine reacted very well to the Redline NS. Very smooth shift at almost any temperature. Add some LSD additive.

 

you weren't alone, Moe; I immediately thought 'colonoscopy'

patient to kaleidoscope [sic] operator: 'are we there yet, Doc, are we there yet?'

2d patient to same: 'you know,Doc, in some places we'd be considered cousins now.'

 

Likewise. I won't use anything else.
Redline 75W90NS. 4 ounces of LSD additive. Case closed.

 

Curious what symptoms do you additive adders experience warranting the need for the additive? I've been using the NS for 12 years and see/feel/hear nothing that would have me adding anything.

 

Chattering of the limited slip.

 

Just a little update:

I've now added 2 bottles of the GM LSD additive (10 ounces) to my 11 qts of Valvoline 75W-90 and most of the chattering is gone but the slow speed chatter remains. I'm going to try 1 more bottle. If that doesn't completely eliminate it, drain, fill with Redline, shake head about money.

 

scott,
as long as it makes noise you know it is working

 

Funny.....NOT! I hate chattering.

 

Back when GM additive was genuine whale oil it was great. I think there are better products out there now.

Try some Redline additive before you give up.

I'd be surprised if the Valvoline oil did not already contain additive. Might be more to the problem.

 

Well, here goes bottle number 3 and a test drive.

I hope my rear end is slippery enough this time.....((he said with a completely straight face))

 

The season is upon us here. Maybe I should just harvest my own. Does anybody know if humpback is the right flavor?

 

I could feel the clutches chattering (surging) around tight corners, like in parking lots, or pulling out into traffic.

You may have enough residual additives in your gear box from the previous type that you used OR your clutches are no longer grabbing at all.