Transmission oil top off

[Nickel_Nackel]

Hi,

Tomorrow morning i plan on installing a new axle seal.

the transmission is kind of new probably 15k miles ish.

I don't really want to do an oil change since the transmissions new.

but what kind of oil do i use?

i guess my real question is: would it be bad to mix oil (since I don't know whats in there now) just to top it off?

thank you.
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1985 1.9L Potato

[Gnarlodious]

You should probably put fresh oil in since the first thousands of miles a lot of particles comes off the moving parts. After mine was rebuilt I was surprised when I changed the oil how much smoother it shifted.

Also, I think the spillout level is considered too high. One pinkie segment below the hole should be about right.
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Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit

[kourt]

Please tell us: manual or automatic?

kourt

[cmayna]

Per a couple of his previous threads, it seems to be a manual.
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'90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.


Craig

[Nickel_Nackel]

Yeah its a manual. The threads about the drain bolt getting stuck looks like a headache but I guess if it needs to be done then it should be done.

What oil do I put in though? Just need something of an idea since I've never done a transmission flush before.
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1985 1.9L Potato

[dhaavers]

[Sodo]

[Nickel_Nackel]

welp, thank you so much for all that info.


all the comments makes me look at this project a lot differently.

I'll spend the time and do it correctly and drain the oil. and see what im workin with.

Thank you guys
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1985 1.9L Potato

[dobryan]

Yep. Drain that gear oil and fill with regular trans grade oil and you are good with a stock engine. As good as can be... Do not go down the slippery slope of high HP engines and day long after day slogs at full highway speeds like some of us. 🙀😜
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[Nickel_Nackel]

if i had the money I would convert it but since the van runs fine right now all i can do is save up and keep her running. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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1985 1.9L Potato

[Wildthings]

Most any GL-4 oil is okay, except for some Redline GL-4 products which will have a warning about using them in a transaxle.

A GL-4/Gl-5 oil is not necessarily a GL-4 oil regardless of what the label says and may cause shifting problems.

There are select GL-5 oils that are okay to use, but certainly not all of them. A lot of people swear by Swepco 201.

[Nickel_Nackel]

[shagginwagon83]

[dobryan]

[shagginwagon83]

Also, I have been recommended that is a good idea to run a 'cheap' flush fluid in your tranny for 200-500 miles to access the magnetic plug. I am doing that currently with some $20 gear oil that I bought from O'Reillys.
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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[Nickel_Nackel]

wow okay thank you guys. this is what i was looking for. So a quick flush and eventually put in some better quality oil.

thank you!
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1985 1.9L Potato

[dobryan]

[Nickel_Nackel]

lol okay. Is the stock drain plug magnetized or is that something i need to buy?

although its a newer tranny so maybe the drain plug isn't even stock.
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1985 1.9L Potato

[Sodo]

It most likely HAS a magnetized drain plug already. It's a good idea to buy a 2nd magnetized drainplug, and use it for the filler plug. Then you will have a 2nd magnet that is easier to monitor (for ferrous metal polluting your oil).

$86 oil is for those who have "over-engined" their vanagons, running (often) double the HP thru their poor little transmission. They need to spend $86 to get the few percent better lubricity at the higher temperatures caused by running too much power thru the trans. You don't have that problem; your 1.9 won't be overheating the oil; it doesn't merit a "racing oil". Swepco 201 is not a prudent choice 'cuz the "need" isn't there. Consequently you won't be happy with the harder, slower shifting of thick oil. The The synthetic swepcos are probably better for stock engined vans, if you still want to spend money.

The biggest problem about spending a lot of money on oil brands, is that you don't want to change it -- cuz it costs so much. Your old trans (called "rebuilt" cuz it has some new bearings & syncros) is making more metal dust (cuz it's old) polluting your fancy oil into expensive grinding paste - and you're letting the pollution build up cuz it costs too much $$ to dump out. The more abrasive dust you have in there, the more dust IT CREATES in your trans, fooking stuff up even faster. Its a vicious cycle that culminates in the result you were trying to avoid (= worn out transaxle).

You're MUCH better off running garden variety GL4 or GL5 oil that you can replace whenever you have the time - NOT - whenever you're OK with tossing $86 out the window. A gallon of GL5 at O'Reillys is $16. Lucas or Kendall oil could be better, at $32-$36. Kendall is popular with the Porsche crowd. But you don't need what the Porsche guys want. People love to get behind oil brands. They will discuss brands to the end of the earth, avoiding what really matters (actually caused the early demise); metal contamination. And there is also water, and stone contaminations, but for an old trans driven on the street, it's mostly metal that you gotta get outta there.

Longest transaxle life requires oil without metal circulating in it. The Porsche owners too.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Wildthings]