Thicker Transmission oil?

[70Crew]

I have an stock 002 transmission in a 1970 crew cab. Over time it has developed a noticeable whine in 3rd and 4th gears, on and off power, and louder in certain RPM ranges. I suspect it also is happening in 1st and 2nd but in those gears the engine is louder than the transmission. The transmission shifts fine otherwise - I can shift with 1 finger, and no popping out of gears.

I just researched replacing the box. To do it right, I figure $2,500 with shipping and installation. I can’t afford that this year and I don’t want to go with a cheaper solution. After speaking to several knowledgeable folks I am thinking that the noise is the pinion bearing, maybe other bearings. I just read a thread on bearing noise that suggests it can be improved by using thicker oil.

Until now I have used Sta-Lube API-GL-4 85W90 gear oil. I see that Sta-Lube also makes a API/GL-4 SAE 140 gear oil. Any thoughts on either using the 140 weight directly or mixing it ½ and ½?
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The thicker oil will only lessen the noise. The longer it is driven in its current condition, regardless of what weight oil, the more damage is being done. You may already have past the point of no return where you would have had something to rebuild, or use as a core exchange. I would start saving, and significantly reduce your driving until you can get it fixed.

[Ohio Tom]

if it is really loud as you let off, then it is very likely the ring/pinon about to fail.
They will start getting loud as you let off the throttle and coast.

[jeffrey8164]

I just bought a rebuilt transmission from a reputable company out in California. It had a noise just as you were describing with the noise happening on deceleration. I sent it back to them for a warranty repair. If it is the ring and pinion, hopefully they will have a replacement as I’m not sure there are any places that sell new 3.88s
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[mcmscott]

[70Crew]

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The most important things of a core are the ring & pinion, and the case. In instances of Bus transaxles, this includes anything specifically unique to them, such as an .82 4th gear.

Whining, or howling in multiple gears are usually mainshaft, or pinion bearings being worn. If it’s the mainshaft, that’s closest to 4th, it’s abnormally wearing 4th gear anytime it is being driven. If it’s the pinion bearing, the r&p are no longer meshing as they should, and are being abnormally worn anytime it’s being driven. If the pinion bearing is worn badly, allowing the pinion shaft to slam back-n-forth within the bearing, it’s working the pinion bearing’s securing nut loose to allow the race to move within the case. This, for the most part, ruins the case.

If your rebuilder that doesn’t seem too concerned is going to give you another .82 4th gear, ring & pinion, and case for free if yours are trashed, keep running it. Keep in mind if something does fail, it usually takes out the rest of neighborhood. If you could still get Bus transaxles out of the junkyard for $50, I’d say run it till it dies. The off-roaders local to me get $400+ out of used take outs that look like they dug them out of the back yard.

Adding thicker oil to quiet a transaxle isn’t much different than adding thicker oil to a severely worn engine to keep the oil light from always coming on. It’s a band aid at best.

[jeffrey8164]

[mcmscott]

[jpaull]

Scott, will the Redline heavy Shockproof work in the 002 as good as it does in the older type 1 swingaxle?

[Alstrup]

Hello.
While additives can´t repair a worn gearbox, it can prolong the life of a gearbox some. In the US you have Liqui Moly products. They have something called Ceratec, which is a manual gear treatment. This additive helps smoothing out worn surfaces in bearings and on gears which reduces wear, noise and ultimately friction. Lindemann also has a very good additive, but I am not sure that they are represented in the US. Nulon may be.
Drain the gear oil when warm, just after a drive, and let it drain for some hours so that you are sure that most possible old oil is out. Use a good 80w90 oil that is relatively "fat" along with the Ceratec and follow the instructions. Then you will notice that the transmission noise will reduce over the next 150-300 miles.
I am not sure whether "the same" gear oil is actually the same all over the World. But I can recommend Pennzoil 80w90 for the purpose. Also Castrol Classic EP90 can work well.

Bear in mind, this is for older transmissions with some miles on them. A new or newer transmission is a totally different ballgame.

[vwracerdave]

Using thicker oil in the transaxle will make it harder to shift when cold outside.
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[slalombuggy]

The thicker oil is not offering more protection, all it is doing is muffling the noise a bit......for a while. Once the bearings start to come apart, they keep coming apart, whether it's the races flaking off or the balls pitting, no thickness of oil is going to prevent further damage.

If it were mine and I was the one footing the bill, I would park the truck and save my sheckles for a rebuilt and hope the core is still good. Just remember it's not just that the bearings are shedding material, all that crap if going into the rest of the transaxle and getting ground into other parts too.

brad

[Glenn]

I remember guys putting saw dust and banana peels inside loud differentials.

Makes it quiet... until it fails.
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[jpaull]

The Heavy Shockproof is not really thick like 75-140 is. It flows like 75-90 but has the film thickness of 75-250.

[mcmscott]

[slalombuggy]

[Glenn]

[txoval]

Especially Ford’s skunk oil, run that in my Nova’s 9” rearend. The smell comes thru the damn sealed bottle.

[madmike]

My dad had a transmission shop , some idiot customer put caned 'Pet' milk in an automatic 'too soften the seals?" dad said take that thing out back and throw it away way I grabbed another core and built that,lol , had a gal with a 'Pinto ' pull on the hoist and the car 'locked -up' I pulled the cover off the rear end and 'Metal DUST' Shavings !,, not one drop of oil I asked her if she 'Heard' anything like growling
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