Date:         Wed, 13 May 2009 18:35:40 -0700
Reply-To:     aatransaxle <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         aatransaxle <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM>
Subject:      Re: Manual transmission oil?
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

Many of us have been using Redline for years with no issues...
Some of the hype on the syncro list is valid for higher power engines...
mostly 165 hp and up..Like the 1.9 Diesels and the 3.3 subie guys.
For most of us "daily drivers" who don't off road or race, any name brand
synthetic works quite well. The Porsche guys I deal with mostly all use
Swepco..but thay also change it several times per race season and they hold
up well that way..
In my experience, None of us who use our rigs as campers and ski rgs
TYPICALLY need the racing oil as long as we change it every 2 yrs or so.
Cold weather morning shifts are easier with the synthetics and many have
said how much better their tranny shifts with a fresh fill of Redline. I
know this goes against the sometimes overzealous ones on the Syncro list who
look for the be all do all oil , so use your own judgement. If your worried
about wear in your high power tranny, change it..If your fine with an
occasional change, then keep on doing as you have been.
Most shops just use a name brand GL5 when changing gear oil and that almost
never has any repercussions down the road. Only those of us on these lists
even know about such things. We are lucky to have these discussions
available.
Daryl of AA Transaxle
(425) 788-4070
aatransaxle.com
86 Syncro Westy
Zetec in the trunk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 3:19 PM
Subject: Re: Manual transmission oil?


> Big discussion on the syncro list the last few days.
> Getting a syncro trans rebuilt is an expensive deal - so naturally they
> are
> very concerned about what gear oil is best.
> They are even saying right now, that MT-90 is intended for limited slip
> differentials, and is not really the right oil to use, and that it doesn't
> protect as well as a gear oil intended for where they is not a limited
> slip,
> would be more appropriate for our manual trans vanagons.
>
> I'm going to get some Swepco 201 gear oil myself.  That's 'the stuff' in
> my
> opinion, currently. And I have used lots of it before , and nary a problem
> ever.
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 9:27 AM
> Subject: Manual transmission oil?
>
>
>> Changing mine.  Redline MT-90?  Right?  5sp manual, probably from a
>> diesel.
>> Currently running some Valvoline synthetic of some sort with no real
>> issues
>> of noise or shifting.