I've been using Ravenol VSG 75W90 lately in my TR gearbox/diff: https://www.amazon.com/Ravenol-J1C1109-SAE-75W-90-Gear/dp/B00QL31M3O/ref=sr_1_14?crid=1NX2EE4TNQGPB&dchild=1&keywords=ravenol&qid=1605069739&sprefix=ravenol,aps,218&sr=8-14 Only GL-5 gear oil I could find where the manufacturer specifically states it's good for syncromesh transmissions, too.
imho I'm using good 'ole SWEPCO and think it works well. I've received some lukewarm (but not terrible) comments on F chat regarding it's use. I like it because it's a simple petroleum product which seems to check all the boxes. It is not great 'til the box warms up, but I like to treat it gentle 'til it warms anyway.
I have Castrol 75W90 and like it. I'm changing this weekend as well and using the same thing. No LS additive. I find the shifting more affected by how well the gate is aligned with the transmission. Extremely sensitive.
My Boxer transmission does not seem to need it. No chatter from the clutch plates. My Daytona, on the other hand, needs the LS additive and I use Mobil 1 with the LS additive. To me. it’s just a compromise of no slip so the synchros engage smoothly vs some slip for the clutch plates. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Very bad to use in a TR and meant only for Porsche older units. The blue stuff. Red Line NS works well cold. Mine shifts great 1-5 when its cold. No skipping gears. Easy choice. I would like to try Steve's oil choice because he is just as smart as it gets!
By searching on the internet I would be glad to learn of any other GL-5 gear oil where the manufacturer specifically claims that it is also good for syncromesh transmissions -- I didn't find any others that did.
Interesting. Quite the conundrum for oil I agree. If you think about it, lube on synchros is contradictory system for physics. Good catch! I've tried lubes that really didn't impress me with how synchros behave. I used the Redline products as well and have noted a limited slip issue. A call to Redline steered me to a different product which has worked well. I gotta check out Ravenol. Thanks again Steve. Happy Thanksgiving!
Had the same experience with the Redline 75W90 NS (which they don't seem to offer anymore) -- very good cold-shifting, but the LSD chatter was just horrible (even after adding some of their LSD additive). Do give some feedback if you try the Ravenol -- every car (even of the same model) seems to have slightly different frictional characteristics in the gearbox so don't think that we'll ever have a "one-size fits all" solution and can only speak in probabilities.
That's a good price. I'm used to re-resellers selling something on Amazon for more than the reseller that they get it from to make a profit, but blauparts is the Amazon seller, too (so I give them a demerit for price-gouging ).
The things you learn on Google ! I was just surfing around for oils and came across this: Agip Petroleum Featured snippet from the web Agip (Azienda Generale Italiana Petroli, English: General Italian Oil Company) is an Italian automotive gasoline, diesel, LPG, lubricants, fuel oil, and bitumen retailer established in 1926. Headquarters: Rome, Milan, Italy Founded: 1926 in Rome Parent: Eni Always wondered what a g i p stood for. And this: Is Agip oil any good? Yes, it's a good quality oil. perhaps that's because Agip, which is the fuel brand of Italian integrated oil company Eni used to sponsor Ferrari's F1 team before Shell currently sponsoring Ferrari.Mar 12, 2010 Any input Agip gear oils? I used to use their SINT 2000 engine oil with great results.
https://oilproducts.eni.com/en_GB/products/automotive-lubricants/lubricants-for-classic-cars/transmissions-lubricants/agip-novecento-80w-90 Here's Agip info from their website for classic cars. Their gear oil for manual trans talks about EP properties which means extra pressure and very slippery, so how is it w synchros and LSD ?? On the observations for Swepco... Any problems noted beyond the cold shifting? Bearing issues, corrosion etc? If I stay away from second for about 5 minutes, synchros work fine.
Like Steve i do like the Ravenol but i ended going with the ENi Rotra Lsx pictured below Now my indy is putting in Spirax S6 in the 512tr which i can't get in smaller quantities Image Unavailable, Please Login Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
Thanks for posting the possible GL-5 alternatives. I like the manufacturer's description of the ENi Rotra LSX 75W90 OK (however, they don't actually use the word "synchromesh" in the data sheet description, but it is strongly implied in the phrase "...gearboxes... in modern vehicles"). Is the "Spirax S6" that you are using Shell Spirax S6 AXME 75w90 or Spirax S6 ADME 75w90 or something else?
You are right ..i was always thinking it was the spirax S5 ate but now that you made me go look iat again and it is the S6 axme which i agree doesn't seem right .. S5 ate is the one that is hard to get and seems to be the right one for our cars I don't know if the S6 is supercedes the S5 ..more research needed and have to check with my indy to see if I misunderstood him Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
Yes, I like that Spirax S5 ATE 75w90 datasheet just as much the Ravenol datasheet, if not more, since the description is so spot-on for the BB/TR application, and they include "synchronised gearbox" plus "Ferrari" .
I think the bigger concern iirc is that the 360 etc have brass sync vs tr's have steel which may not be affected as much Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
Are you saying that the Spirax S5 ATE 75w90 may have a problem with non-ferrous components? I don't see anything on the Spirax S5 ATE 75w90 datasheet one way or the other, but do note that the Ravenol datasheet specifically claims "good compatibility with non-ferrous metal".
Good catch. Most definitely only use GL-5 in a Ferrari gearbox, especially the BB having the hypoid bevel gears. The Agip/Eni 85W140 oil is GL-5, but a too heavy a viscosity. Wonder why their 80W90 only satisfies GL-4? Another lube is Mobil-1 ~~> Never tried their trans oils ? Granted the Porsche synchro like the Dino uses behaves differently w respect to oil than the cone type BW synchro used in Boxers & 308's. I use Swepco for the Dino & BB, and Redline 75W90 for the 308's. Here's a case to show the different synchro behavior with the same oil. The Dino is fine with Swepco cold, but BB must warm. With the 308's on Redline, they too must warm before I try second gear. Got me thinking more about the Ravenol. So the key performance observation is 2nd gear is fine when cold in the BB?? How we love them so!
I have enjoyed reading this thread, with lots of good, thought provoking information. Just my two cents, but for 275, Daytona and 365 BB (with ZF synchros), I am now using Mobil 1 75/90 plus LSD additive. Works great in all the cars, cold or hot. I did try the Redline in the Daytona and could not get rid of the LSD chatter (even with the additive), but the Mobil 1 stopped it immediately. I have also used Amsoil in these transaxles, with good results, but the Mobil1 shifts with less effort.
