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WestyBob
Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2004
Posts: 2346
Location: Portland, Oregon
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 Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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| insyncro wrote: |
| So other than Swepco, what products are offering equal protection...for Vanagon trans/diffs??? |
I opted to use Lubrication Engineers tranny fluid in one of my syncros due to strong recommendations from a well known local syncroist who had been using it for years in his syncro fleet running with subie 2.5L's and SVX's, and he's a expert syncro off-roader (meaning challenging to his trannies).
I know it's been mentioned before in past tranny lube discussions but don't recall where nor do I really have any info on specs and suitable application other than the tranny (mine) with that seems to be doing well. Perhaps one of you tranny gearheads can comment on it's merits or demerits as I'm not up on the latest trends. |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 3:24 am Post subject: |
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| WestyBob wrote: |
| insyncro wrote: |
| So other than Swepco, what products are offering equal protection...for Vanagon trans/diffs??? |
I opted to use Lubrication Engineers tranny fluid in one of my syncros due to strong recommendations from a well known local syncroist who had been using it for years in his syncro fleet running with subie 2.5L's and SVX's, and he's a expert syncro off-roader (meaning challenging to his trannies).
I know it's been mentioned before in past tranny lube discussions but don't recall where nor do I really have any info on specs and suitable application other than the tranny (mine) with that seems to be doing well. Perhaps one of you tranny gearheads can comment on it's merits or demerits as I'm not up on the latest trends. |
Thanks, I'll look into it. |
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gears
Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2002
Posts: 4391
Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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Lubrication Engineers 9919 is one of the few synthetics I've recommended in the past. A fair number of Porsche shops now use 9919 for street and 9920 for track. Some of my high performance VW friends use LE's dino trans lubes, which are probably on par with Swepco.
Lubrication Engineers website also has some great articles about synthetic vs dino oils, explaining how the public was sold on using anything labeled "synthetic" .. worthwhile reading.
_________________
aka Pablo, Geary
9.36 @ 146 in '86 Hot & Sticky
'90 Syncro Westy SVX
'87 Syncro GL 2.5
https://guardtransaxle.com |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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And thank you Gears, didn't know they had dinos.
Sweet, gotta check it out. |
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Merian
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014
Posts: 5212
Location: Orygun
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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| gears wrote: |
Concept #1 .. There is no “perfect” oil.
VW technical bulletin from 1973:
“The composition of a transmission oil has a varying effect on the service life of different parts of the transmission. For example, oils which increase the life of synchromesh units have the opposite effect on the ring and pinion. The selection of the correct transmission oil is, therefore, always a compromise between requirements which are often in complete opposition.”
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This is interesting for those of use with only a diff. (A/T Vans).
Thoughts on the best product for the diff.? |
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Vanagon Nut
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008
Posts: 10379
Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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| Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:05 pm Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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Just to report back in.
Ran Lucas synthetic and mineral. Shifting got so bad, especially when colder or when bus sat a while, I could barely get it in 2nd. After driving a while tranny typically shifted ok but not really smooth.
Just swapped in Redline MT90. Right after it went in, engine off not run, noticed an immediate improvement in shifting. Before, it was hard to run through the gears engine off. It also now shifts MUCH better. Hopefully it will shift well tomorrow. It's been colder here lately.
I may try Brad Penn "Classic" GL4 next change. This has been discussed ad nauseam but GL4, not GL5 "ok for GL4" seems to make the big difference.
_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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zak99B5
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2014
Posts: 471
Location: Albany, NY
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| Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:23 pm Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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Vanagon Nut, I had used the Lucas GL-5 (before I knew better) in my MkIV GTi and also experienced poor shifting. Going back to GL-4 fixed it right away.
_________________
1991 Tintop GL Manual tranny, EJ22 |
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atomatom
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2012
Posts: 1867
Location: in an 84 Westy or Bowen Island, BC
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| Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 9:43 am Post subject: BG Ultraguard PN750 |
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hmm. well, i just bought some on this https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/drive-line/bg-ultra-guard-full-synthetic-gear-lubricant/ from a local service centre. $40 per quart! so, $160 for an transaxle oil change!?!
wtf!
i was going to buy 8 bottles to have an extra change on hand, but i walked out with 4 still feeling stung.
_________________
84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada. |
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Surfy Murphy
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2013
Posts: 139
Location: Brooklyn, New York
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| Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 9:50 am Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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I've been having a hard time shifting into 2nd from first, mostly when the van is cold ever since replacing my shifter and redoing the linkage bushings. Ive since then replaced the shifter with a bigshot but 2nd is still a little grindy and stiff going in. This is with a 2.5 subie.
I just switched from redline to royal purple 75w90. It made a small difference in shifting, but not much so I'm back to double clutching 2nd. My next guess is to bleed the clutch and see if that helps.
One thing worth noting... The trans had about 15k miles and the old fluid came out full of metal. Im pretty gentle with my shifting, and I'm wondering if royal purple was a good idea or if I should be switching out to swepco 210. Thoughts?
I already have a trans sitting at AA for an eventual rebuild but I want to see if I can make this one last as long as possible.
_________________
1987 Orly Blue Sunroof Syncro, EJ25 |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50348
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| Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: BG Ultraguard PN750 |
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That is the soup that German Transaxle is requiring these days. Paid a lot of bucks for some and when I filled the box with it the shifting went to $hit. Only left it in there for a couple of thousand miles before going back to a dino GL-4 oil. The tranny shifts better now with the GL-4, but not as well as it did before I tried the Ultra Guard.
That was an awful lot of moola for something that just got recycled in short order, hope you have better luck with it. |
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Brunswicken
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2011
Posts: 32
Location: QC, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 5:25 am Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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Anyone use this Valvoline synchromesh compatible oil?
not sure what the viscosity rating is yet, but is recommended for use in GL4 transmissions.
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atomatom
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2012
Posts: 1867
Location: in an 84 Westy or Bowen Island, BC
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 6:59 am Post subject: Re: BG Ultraguard PN750 |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
That is the soup that German Transaxle is requiring these days. Paid a lot of bucks for some and when I filled the box with it the shifting went to $hit. Only left it in there for a couple of thousand miles before going back to a dino GL-4 oil. The tranny shifts better now with the GL-4, but not as well as it did before I tried the Ultra Guard.
That was an awful lot of moola for something that just got recycled in short order, hope you have better luck with it. |
yeah, it is still going and my shifting is ok but not particularly smooth. smooth like cold butter, perhaps?...
_________________
84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada. |
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atomatom
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2012
Posts: 1867
Location: in an 84 Westy or Bowen Island, BC
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:10 am Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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| Brunswicken wrote: |
Anyone use this Valvoline synchromesh compatible oil?
not sure what the viscosity rating is yet, but is recommended for use in GL4 transmissions.
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read through the oil nerd thread over here, and it sounds inconclusive, but maybe ok, but maybe too thin. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3066666
_________________
84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada. |
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davevickery
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2005
Posts: 2887
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:51 am Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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| I switched Redline to Mobil Delvac 75-90 synthetic and I am very happy with it. Nice smooth shifting, behaves the same hot or cold. I never had any issues with Redline, but with all this speculation, I thought I would try something else. I initially tried the Amsoil GL4 synthetic and it felt terrible (didn't seem to handle heat well). |
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westiedriver
Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2012
Posts: 29
Location: canada
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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| Got my oil changed at the dealer, they put in 3 liters of 070 something can't remember all the numbers. They were 1 liter VW bottles and grey in color with no API or oil weigh looked like water. Anybody know if this is good stuff . Gears are working good with my 2.5 subaru |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50348
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 5:31 pm Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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| westiedriver wrote: |
| Got my oil changed at the dealer, they put in 3 liters of 070 something can't remember all the numbers. They were 1 liter VW bottles and grey in color with no API or oil weigh looked like water. Anybody know if this is good stuff . Gears are working good with my 2.5 subaru |
Sorry the adage "garbage in, garbage out" applies here. If you want a useful answer you need to find out exactly what oil was used. |
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westiedriver
Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2012
Posts: 29
Location: canada
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 6:06 pm Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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| The dealer doesn't know, they looked in their computer and they had 3 bottles of it in stock for standard 4 speed. No I.D. on bottle, mostly German instruction. Will try to find out more info. |
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westiedriver
Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2012
Posts: 29
Location: canada
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:47 am Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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Got more info, I got VW G 070 726 A2 put 3 liters in and the gears shift like butter.
Mike |
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Franklinstower
Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2006
Posts: 1896
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 9:23 am Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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| westiedriver wrote: |
Got more info, I got VW G 070 726 A2 put 3 liters in and the gears shift like butter.
Mike |
That's A3 / A4 gear oil I run in my jetta TDI. I think it is a 5/30 weight. I don't know if it has EP properties or hypoid rating....And most likely a GL5 oil. Typical Dealer, they just put in whats on the shelf....
_________________
'89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug |
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westiedriver
Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2012
Posts: 29
Location: canada
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 10:09 am Post subject: Re: Red Line MT90 Getting a Bad Rap? Conflicting Opinions |
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| Hope not, this is A2 anybody know what weigh it is? |
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