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Date:         Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:13:06 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: OK, Swepco gear oil..
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

one trick to make it easier to pump by hand ( or pour with a gravity method ) is heat the gear oil some, even just by letting the bottle of gear oil sit in a pan of hot water.

I'm gonna get me some Swepco., Haven't had luck finding the local distributor , but I will.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 8:37 AM Subject: OK, Swepco gear oil..

>I just changed-over from MT-90 Redline to Swepco 201 in the gearbox of my > 5sp manual tranny. Here are my impressions. > > The two are very different. The Redline has the consistency of light > motor oil or maybe even power steering fluid...very 'thin'. The Swepco is > more the consistency of molasses. Really "messy" stuff. When you lift > your > fingers out of a puddle of the Swepco you get these little "threads" > coming > off...they blow away like cobwebs. Very 'sticky-feeling'... I was working > in about 45f temps. I also have some Valvoline 80w-90w Gear Oil on hand. > That seems to be right between the two in viscosity. > I used one of those inexpensive gear oil pumps that you screw into the > container and pump by hand, stroke by stroke, right out of the jug. I > doubt > if you would be able to use the "gravity-feed" method unless you had all > day. Very tedious to pump it in by hand..took about an hour to transfer. > Thick, sticky, messy stuff. It comes only in gallon containers and my > tranny uses just over a gallon. I used a little of the Valvoline to make > up > the difference after researching that the two would be compatible, > Pumping > in the little Valvoline top-up of 'normal' gear oil (about one pint) was > easy compared to the Swepco.. > First impression is the Swepco makes my gearbox quieter. I don't notice > any shifting difference (again, ~40f operating temps) but I imagine in > cold > temps the thicker consistency would be felt. > The used (~25K mi) Redline I drained was quite clean and my magnetic > drain > plug had few shavings on it. Good stuff, that Redline..I guess, but my > gearbox was a little noisy using it...under hard acceleration from a stop, > usually when turning onto a highway to match into traffic, I had a > 'growling' noise from the rear that I didn't much fancy...That is almost > gone with the Swepco in there... > So I am going to keep using the Swepco because it "feels" more 'slippery' > and "sounds" like it makes things work better back there. But if I were > to > move to Alaska and drive in winter, I would probably go back to the > Redline..and if I find gear shavings on my next change...again..back to > the > Redline. > > Not very scientific, this report..but take it for what it's worth.. > > Don Hanson


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