Change your manual transmission fluid!

[Johan1]

Just changed the manual transmission fluid on my 13 Golf tdi which has never been changed. I got the car just over 6 months ago and now it has 140000km at the moment, I put in some liqui moly top tec 5100 mtf which is GL4 rated, and I can say the shifts are a bit smoother, but that wasn't necessarily the aim... Well, glad I did, old stuff looked like used engine oil

As far as I know, the manual transmission fluid doesn't have a stated interval and is supposed be "lifetime"... Yea right 🙄

 

[RooflessVW]

Just changed mine with some fresh 5W-30

 

[xspeedy]

I have Redline for mine that I bought, and plan to do it soon.

 

[Johan1]

Just changed mine with some fresh 5W-30

The transmission fluid?

 

[RooflessVW]

The transmission fluid?

Yip

 

[Johan1]

Yip

on what car? never heard of any transmission using 5w-30, i'm curious

 

[RooflessVW]

on what car? never heard of any transmission using 5w-30, i'm curious

My '89 Trooper

 

[pbm]

on what car? never heard of any transmission using 5w-30, i'm curious

Honda spec'd motor oil (5w30 IIRC but it may have been 10w30) in their MTs back in the 80s.

 

[ammolab]

The Tremec 6sp manual in my Chevy calls for 45,000 mile changes of the tranny fluid. Required lube is pretty much Dextron IV. Tremec sell their own fluid now but I’m happy with Redline ATF Equivalent.

 

[eljefino]

The New Venture stick in my 91 Dakota called for 10w30.

 

[Dave Hess]

on what car? never heard of any transmission using 5w-30, i'm curious

Before Honda MTF, their manual trans could take 10w30.

 

[Oillover]

0w20 or 5w20 is recommended on newer Hondas with manual as well
https://www.hondacarindia.com/ownersmanual/webom/eng/jazz/2016/details/106278046-13239

 

[Marcozi]

"Lifetime fluids" was a marketing ploy, and not a maintenance philosophy.

 

[2005jettatdi]

I have been replacing the manual transmission fluid in my Jetta TDI every 100k miles. I only use the VW fluid. Currently at 318k miles.

 

[edyvw]

I have Redline D4 in my BMW stick shift, and it is excellent fluid, on the street and on track.

 

[Torrid]

"Lifetime fluids" was a marketing ploy, and not a maintenance philosophy.

I'm always amazed by VW service intervals on some of the newer cars. Many complain that service costs are high on German cars, but it seems they are some of the only ones that still use traditional intervals on some items. The GTI calls for 40k mile transmission service on the DSG and spark plugs.

 

[edyvw]

I'm always amazed by VW service intervals on some of the newer cars. Many complain that service costs are high on German cars, but it seems they are some of the only ones that still use traditional intervals on some items. The GTI calls for 40k mile transmission service on the DSG and spark plugs.

DSG is specific. All Dual Clutch Transmissions have more stringent intervals.
One thing VW did is increase capacity on 3rd Gen EA888 engine to help with 10k OCI. So that EA888 in my Atlas takes 6qt compared to 1st Gen in my Tiguan which takes 5qt.

 

[Torrid]

DSG is specific. All Dual Clutch Transmissions have more stringent intervals.
One thing VW did is increase capacity on 3rd Gen EA888 engine to help with 10k OCI. So that EA888 in my Atlas takes 6qt compared to 1st Gen in my Tiguan which takes 5qt.

I like the idea of the 10k mile oil change on the EA888 more than actually doing it. It sounds like a bad idea with direct injection to go that far.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

It's almost impossible to find the right fluid for most Japanese cars on the shelf of a US store. Other than Honda, Japanese cars usually take a 75W90 GL4 gear oil, which is all but extinct in the US.

Hondas take motor oil, and most American manual transmissions use ATF. Both can use the Pennzoil and Valvoline Synchromesh you actually find in stores, but it's too thin to use where 75w90 is called for.

The only 75w90 GL4 that's reasonably available is Ultra1plus, which I did a VOA on and didn't turn out too good. The only other choice is an expensive Castrol-made Motorcraft from the Ford dealer, at $30/qt. At that price, it's actually cheaper to order Castrol online from Europe, even with international shipping

Rock Auto no longer carries Valvoline's Professional Series MTF (part # 508216), that was a 75w90. It's primarily sold to shops and may still be available from VIOC, so you might be able to get some if you know people that work at VIOC and/or can bribe them

The above VPS is NOT the same as Synchromesh!

 

[xspeedy]

)

It's almost impossible to find the right fluid for most Japanese cars on the shelf of a US store. Other than Honda, Japanese cars usually take a 75W90 GL4 gear oil, which is all but extinct in the US.

Hondas take motor oil, and most American manual transmissions use ATF. Both can use the Pennzoil and Valvoline Synchromesh you actually find in stores, but it's too thin to use where 75w90 is called for.

The only 75w90 GL4 that's reasonably available is Ultra1plus, which I did a VOA on and didn't turn out too good. The only other choice is an expensive Castrol-made Motorcraft from the Ford dealer, at $30/qt. At that price, it's actually cheaper to order Castrol online from Europe, even with international shipping

Rock Auto no longer carries Valvoline's Professional Series MTF (part # 508216), that was a 75w90. It's primarily sold to shops and may still be available from VIOC, so you might be able to get some if you know people that work at VIOC and/or can bribe them

The above VPS is NOT the same as Synchromesh!

I’m using this for my 2009 Mazda 5.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/red-line-synthetic-oil/red-line-gear-oil-gl-4-75w-90-1-quart/rl00/50304?q=Redline+gl4&pos=0