What do people recommend for a GL4 trans oil?

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MaDMaXX

MaDMaXX

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May 7, 2007
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So i need to use a GL-4 transmission oil, but i'm torn as to the best available. The car is used in a moderate climate year round with 67,000 miles. What do people use/recommend, especially considering ease of selecting first when cold. Thanks.
 
Motul Gear 300. Good basestock, very high viscosity index, and priced reasonably (<$20/L). It's dual GL4 and GL5 rated. I use it in my manual tranny and rear diff. Lubro-Moly has a good GL4 75w90 (VI of 210) called Hochleistungs-Getriebeöl and is half the price of the Motul, but it's harder to find so you have to pay shipping.
 
Sta-Lube. (from NAPA) The Redline is good on paper, at least, and many people love it, but in my old, old tranny, Sta-Lube is smoothest. I have Redline GL 4 in there, but am going back to Sta-Lube GL4.
 
Depends on the viscosity: Delvac Synthetic Transmission Fluid 50 Redline MT90 Redline MT85 or Castrol Syntrans, both 75W85 Redline MTL Redline D6, D4 etc going down in viscosity. Charlie
 
Yes, it depends on the viscosity, not just the GL-4 rating. I take it this is for your Z's tranny? What does it call for ... a 75W-90?? I'd recommend Amsoil MTG. I use their thinner MTF in my Civic and aftre a few thousand miles, the shift feel became superb. I will switch my S2000 over to Amsoil MTF in another year or so.
 
Yes, Redline MT85 would be the correct stuff. I'm looking for anyone with any bad news on certain fluids, anything like Redline i should avoid. Redline should be good, but i've heard people say it does nothing for shifting, or that another oil is better etc etc
 
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Have used: Redline MT-90, Amsoil MTG. Amsoil MTG is a better shifting gear oil overall.
+1 Amsoil worked better than the Redline in my RAV4
 
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Have used: Redline MT-90, Amsoil MTG. Amsoil MTG is a better shifting gear oil overall. It was in a Nissan Maxima 6 speed.
^^2nd. I`ve used both and Amsoil is better by leaps and bounds! MT90 made the shifts feel really heavy and clunky,while the MTG makes the shifts feel light and cushioned. Amsoil hands down imo for your Nissan tranny.
 
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If you race the car (track days or whatever), you may want to opt for the 75w90. Otherwise I think the OEM fluid or Redline's 75w85 is sufficient.
 
I've used Redline MT-90 in a Nissan Pathfinder and a Mazda3, and my buddies have used it in a Toyota Corolla, a Toyota Camry, a Nissan Frontier, and a Nissan Stanza. We have no complaints about MT-90, but it's sounding like Amsoil MTG is a better choice for Nissan transmissions. Don't worry about putting a slightly thicker oil in. It will offer a little better protection at the expense of a little fuel economy. Neither would be noticeable.
 
Yeah, i was wondering about the AMSOil; 1) It doesn't come in the 75w85 specified. 2) It's not specific, it's just for trans and diffs. 3) Something i've completely forgotten. As for the Redline, you can now get the MT-85, the correct weight oil. But it seems a few people now are saying it's not the same as the AMSOil, but then no one seems to have tried the MT-85 specifically. I don't track the car, so that's not a consideration. Those of you who've tried both, or even those who have just tried the AMSOil, did anyone have problems with cold shifting? did it improve at all? Thanks.
 
Trannyscan love one and tolerate the other fine modern GL4 manual trans lubes. It is not a slam on any, the protection factor is still outstanding. And even 2 of the same type off car may like different ones! Trial and error is our best shot for absolute shifting heaven. the Redline and Amsoil are superb fluids. Even Pennzoil Synchromesh [a dino] is very good, but a bit light.
 
Originally Posted By: MaDMaXX
Yeah, i was wondering about the AMSOil . . .
The MTG is primarily for manual transmission applications, but it is a GL-4 oil and can also be used anywhere else that a GL-4 oil is specified, such as the transfer case of the Pathfinder I owned. Most modern differentials will specify a GL-5 fluid, so it doesn't apply to those. Amsoil makes no mention of using that fluid in a hypoid gear application, and they do list it under "Transmission Fluid" rather than "Gear Lubes". Nissan decided to go with a 75W-85 in this transmission. It doesn't mean that it's the perfect choice though. MT-90 might even shift better than MT-85 in that transmission. As long as you know you have the right specification and enough viscosity for adequate protection, there isn't any danger in going with something a little different. I'd be willing to try thicker oils but not thinner oils in any gear or manual transmission applications. You'd probably have to check a more vehicle-specific forum to find people that have tried multiple brands or types in the same transmission you own. In lieu of that information, I'd try whatever 75W-85 or 75W-90 GL-4 manual transmission oil from a reputable manufacturer that I can most easily obtain for a reasonable price. Redline and Amsoil are just the ones I'm most familiar with. Redline is the easiest for me to get and I've had no problems with their oils, so I'd probably go with the MT-85. But I'd have no problem going with MT-90 or Amsoil MTG if I couldn't get MT-85 or if I had some indication that one of them might offer improved shift quality.
 
Well i can easily get the MT85 for a good price, about the same as the good price i can get the AMSOil for, but not as easily. But based on comments in here, people are saying AMSOil is better than the MT90, albeit a slightly "heavier" oil.
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Amsoil better? I feel a myth starting!
Oh its no myth. The MTG is superior at least in the Maxima's 6 speed. The MT-90 just never had the shift crispness that the MTG had. Infact, I was reluctant to even try Redline because I've never been disappointed in Amsoil in a manual trans of any kind. Once draining the MT-90 and putting in the MTG, it felt like the difference between old, stock fluid, and new synthetic fluid. MTG > MT-90 no doubt about it.
 
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