Transmission/overdrive/diff oil Recommendations????

[knac1234]

Hello all,

This weekend, even though it was checked about a month ago, I want to drain and refill the transmission oil (and OD and diffs maybe).

I know this has been answered elsewhere, but it was hard to find a post with specifics.

I have a 72 SIII with a Fairy OD. It WILL be running in the Colorado cold and snow (hopefully daily) as I bought it to run, not restore

So, with that in mind, several questions:

-What recommendations are out there? I see a lot of Redline recommendations, but what weight or type specifically? Perhaps something non-Redline (a synthetic gear oil maybe), as I'm in a small town, and none of the chains carry it??
-Same oil for the gearbox and the OD and the diffs?
-How much should I get to swap out all of the above?
-Will it help with gearbox/OD whining?
-No instruction manual for the Fairy OD.....I haven't looked....is it obvious where to drain and refill it as I read somewhere on here it was a separate "sump" from the tranny itself?

Lots of questions, but I'd like to start my ownership (well, 6 weeks into it), with the fluids right! Great BBS board by the way

Regards,
Julian

72 SIII 88/03 Disco/04 Freelander/73 MGBGT/65 MGB/71 Hillman Super Imp

[artpeck]

My post on "finding" gears is below. 73 s3. Newly acquired. Put in some cheap gl 1 just to change the fluids and flush it out as it had sat for 16 years. Got progressively harder to find the gears on shifts so did some research and decided to put in redline Mt-90. It was an immediate and profound improvement. I simply followed the green book suggestion on diffs, transfer case and swivel balls and used a good quality 90wt gl-4 oil. Can't answer the overdrive question as I don't have one.

[stomper]

The Overdrive is very straight forward to address. I would use whatever you decide to use everywhere else to fill it with. I am currently running lucas gear oil in mine, and have run other synthetic and non synthetics with no real noticable change in sound so far.

The drain is on the bottom, and the fill plug is at the top. There is a dipstick mounted on the fill plug, MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT OVERFILL THE OVERDRIVE! easy to do, and it blows everywhere! only advice I could give.

[TedW]

Faireys can run hot, so use synthetic if possible - Mobil 1 or Amsoil.

I use it everywhere, and with minimal leakage / creep. Much better cold-weather performance, IMO.

[knac1234]

Thanks for the tips.....especially the OD overfilling one!!!

I do know the PO was using 85-140 W in everything.

I would like to do the Red Line, but no one has it near me. So, I am thinking synthetic like Ted said. Looking up the Red Line MT90, it is a synthetic 75W90 Gl-4 (not sure what Gl-4 is).

Diffs, etc.... are a straight 90W.....should I do synthetic too?

Thanks again.....want the right stuff in there, but also something I can source from at least one of the chains in my small town (Autozone, Napa, Carquest).

Regards,
Julian

[stomper]

My guess is that you may want to consider Lucas oils. They make both synthetic and petroleum based lubricants, and they have some decent durability. Lucas can be purchased at Napa, as well as many of the other chain stores, while redline products cannot (around Maine atleast).

Remember though, your Land Rover is essentially a tractor. It was designed to work hard, and work with the basic lubrications available in the 1960's and 70's. No need to put some high performance racing lube into a truck that won't do more than 65MPH.

Many here have said that synthetic oils will leak more out of your vehicle, as the viscosity is lower. Keep that in mind if you decide to go fully synthetic, especially if you haven't got a fully refurbished transmission, axel, swivel housing, etc.

People will always argue about synthetic vs. petroleum, just like whether or not to run free wheel hubs. Do what will make you sleep better at night.

[artpeck]

I bought my redline yesterday at the local napa store so you might check and if they don't have it they could I suspect order it in. As to the "gl" designation simply put 1-6 define different additives with 1 being straight gear oil on up.

One last thing to note is that there is debate about using a gl-5 in the transmission as it is rumored to be harsh on yellow metal (bronze) components given the suite of additives in a gl-5. For what it is worth I stick with a gl-4 or equivalent.

[KevinNY]

The cheapest 5 gallon bucket of 90 weight and changed often is the best oil in a LR. If you really offroad it, then I'd go with Redline Heavy Shock gear oil in the transmission.

[knac1234]

Thanks Kevin & Art,

Will see if Napa has the stuff. Sounds like any 90W will work in the diff, etc.... Don't plan on offroading it much, if at all. But will drive it daily, and in the winter through some degree of snow!

Julian

[amcordo]

The cheapest 5 gallon bucket of 90 weight and changed often is the best oil in a LR. If you really offroad it, then I'd go with Redline Heavy Shock gear oil in the transmission.

I'm going to bump this answer. I think my 90w was so cheap it didn't even have a generic name. I drove the rover very hard over summer in the near 100 temps, even going on a 500 mile trip. All with a V8 and driving at 65+mph with the stock transmission. No problem at all. Drained the oil and replaced it after about two months and it was still clean.

Don't waste cash where you don't have to (because you'll need it to fix all the other crap that will break later).

[73series88]

yeh
i get the 90 wt from wallmart and it s been fine.
i dont really have the money for the fancy stuff but
20-50 in the motor and 90 wt gearoil in everything else
im hopefully getting my hands on an overdrive in a couple of weeks
i might put some fancy stuff in that just to keep it as safe and quiet as possable.
aaron

[yorker]

GL4 vs GL5 reading:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=729255

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1137238#Post1137238

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1157073

[knac1234]

This is becoming an interesting thread.

So looking at Yorker's chart, and a few other's posts, it seems straight 90W should go in everything practically!

So that Red Line stuff, listed as 75W 90.....is that a type of 90 weight then? Excuse my ignorance.....I've always used in my cars what was recommended by the manufacturer. So the 75 in the 75W 90 refers to????

Regards,
Julian

[TedW]

So the 75 in the 75W 90 refers to????

This is a multigrade gear lube. It acts like a 75w when cold and 90w when hot.

[yorker]

I think that chart predates the common usage of multigrade gear oils.

Everything will work fine on a GL4 or a multiuse GL5, I think all GL5s are now buffered so they don't eat yellow metal synchros. That isn't to say the multi use GL5s are the best thing for a standard transmission though, a dedicated manual transmission oil would probably be better.

Take your pick:

http://www.royalpurple.com/manual-transmission-fluid.html

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtf.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-50304-Manual-Transmission/dp/B000CPCBEQ

FWIW I think I am using Sta Lube 85W90 GL4 in my transmission right now. I used run of them mill Shell GL5 oil everywhere else.