gearbox oil change

[JR]

plushuit said:

interesting stuff

Do you eat your dinner out of that engine bay?

[Oz2]

Barkychoc said:

I can recommend this

http://shop.difflock.com/difflock-evolution-fully-...

The difference was amazing.

I contacted these people and they sent me all the info, they are able to send it to Australia for me....It seems quite good, very tempting to give it a try

[carsy]

Well, i`ve changed mine. Rightly or wrongly i have replaced the Castrol SMX with the Mobil 1 0w40 and the moly as suggested. The main reason i tried this alternative was because i already had the Mobil 1. and secondly there is just something in the back of my mind telling me ATF is too thin.

I have given it a good run and first impressions are good, a definate improvement. The 1st to 2nd notch was still there from the start but disappeared quite early on, not like the SMX. The rest of the gear changes are definately easier and smoother.

I will probably run it like this for a while and see how it goes. I may well change it again, mainly for my own curiosity, and try a good synthetic ATF or the Difflock. I think these are probably both similar with a viscosity of about 5w20. I will have then tried most options and can use the best performing for me.

Oz2, let us know how you get on with the Difflock.

[plushuit]

JR said:

Do you eat your dinner out of that engine bay?

I tell people it is a huge expresso maker. Actually, it is hypnotizing in the flesh.

I spend much time in, around and under my engines. It is a relief to work on a clean one.

[honestjohntoo]

carsy said:

replaced the Castrol SMX with the Mobil 1 0w40 and the moly as suggested.

I have given it a good run and first impressions are good, a definate improvement. The 1st to 2nd notch was still there from the start but disappeared quite early on, not like the SMX. The rest of the gear changes are definately easier and smoother.

Glad you took the plunge! Same as mine! Some will argue its just another anecdotal experience, but I predict that your gearbox will continue to improve over the next few hundred miles and you'll be pleased forever. I've been running with this lube regime for 15 years and not had a problem all that time. Previously it was an unfriendly beast.

On the other hand may be I was just lucky!

[adam quantrill]

Wedg1e said:

I think they missed an opportunity, they should have made 5th gear an overdrive ratio, it's not as though the V8 is short of torque.

I think it is an overdrive as it's 0.8:1 in 5th. 4th being 1:1.

Let us know how you get on with the Mobil 1 regime, it would be nice to back up HJ2's claims in a wedge application.

[Wedg1e]

adam quantrill said:

I think it is an overdrive as it's 0.8:1 in 5th. 4th being 1:1.

I meant a proper overdrive ratio

[AlexC1981]

Any updates to this thread?

My TR7 V8 (still a wedge, but a different cheese ) has the LT77 box. I bought it recently, so I do not know what oil is in it. It's no problem at all when cold, but after a motorway run it feels a lot stiffer and sometimes crunches going from 1st to 2nd gear, but strangely only after a motorway run.

[stevoj]

AlexC1981 said:

Any updates to this thread?

My TR7 V8 (still a wedge, but a different cheese ) has the LT77 box. I bought it recently, so I do not know what oil is in it. It's no problem at all when cold, but after a motorway run it feels a lot stiffer and sometimes crunches going from 1st to 2nd gear, but strangely only after a motorway run.

There was a recent thread on this debating the choice, i eventually went for the Difflock Evolution 1 option, although it was a toss up between that and the Mobil 1 and Molly slip route. The Difflock is more expensive but very smooth, although i didn't really have any issues with my gear change and only changed it as part of a winter service.

[ElvisWedgely]

I'll be changing the gearbox oil on Thursday and will be fitting the all synthetic Silverhook MTF 94. This is supposed to be a superior gearbox oil that I already have in my garage. I'll post the result once its fitted.

Tony. TCB.

[adam quantrill]

I found the Mobil 1 cured the high-temperature crunching on long runs in the summer (e.g. coming back from BBWF).

[Mr Ted]

A friend of mine used to race Landys and found Redline Heavy Shockproof oil made the boxes last all season, we use it in both gearboxes and diffs on trials cars, I haven't had any problems with it affecting synchromesh despite it being very thick.

[GBinUSA]

I've used RedLine products in both my Lotus Esprit and TVR. Very happy with the results.

[AlexC1981]

Thanks for the replies. Honestjohntoo makes a convincing case for the Mobil 1 0W40 + Molyslip in the thread I have linked to below.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=111...

[ElvisWedgely]

I gave the Wedge in for a check up underneath, on a proper lift. The fully synthetic MTF 94 has now been installed at the same time. Although there were no problems with the gearbox, and hardly any crap came out, it seems to be running smoother. No real noticeable change in the actual gear change which were smooth anyway. Time will show it's true performance with the changing climate temperatures in time. Also, the cotton reel central exhaust mountings have been changed as the previous ones had perished. However, the mechanic has spotted a problem. One of the outer drive shaft UJ's are worn and need replacing, so I've ordered a new one and the car will be going back in next week to have it changed. Other than that all seems good.

Tony. TCB.

[Number 7]

ElvisWedgely said:

However, the mechanic has spotted a problem. One of the outer drive shaft UJ's are worn and need replacing, so I've ordered a new one and the car will be going back in next week to have it changed. Other than that all seems good.

Tony. TCB.

Could I suggest that unless he's going to change it without actually removing the driveshaft (possible but difficult), that both ujs on that shaft are changed, as they are relatively cheap.

[mrzigazaga]

Number 7 said:

Could I suggest that unless he's going to change it without actually removing the driveshaft (possible but difficult), that both ujs on that shaft are changed, as they are relatively cheap.

+1

[adam quantrill]

-1

The outer ones last half as long as the inners so it probably ain't worth it.

Now if it was vice-versa....

[ElvisWedgely]

I too was thinking about this as these things are often done better in pairs. I was a bit shocked when he said the outer UJ needs changing and so I came back and without thinking ordered one UJ. The outer ones do wear more often as they are exposed to water and moisture more than the inner, but it could be cost effective to change both, labour wise. I honestly don't know if he is going to remove the drive shaft or do it in situ. I shall have to have a word with the mechanic tomorrow. My other worry is that apparently there are two sizes of the UJ's and that the 400 uses the bigger. I hope he is sending me the right one, though I'm sure I did tell him it's a 400 and not a 350. Something else I'll have to check and confirm tomorrow. Wedges heh!

Tony. TCB.

[adam quantrill]

It could be, if the other one comes out easily. Or it might get stuck and who knows what might happen labour-wise. Plus you will need 4 new nuts for the inner flange. IIABDFI.

Squirt some grease in though (if you can spare some from your King Barnet!)