What do people recommend for a GL4 trans oil?

[stephen9666]

To the OP-

I don't know who made your transmission, but I would highly recommend the OE fluid. My Nissan Frontier made me an OE fluid believer. It has a finicky transmission that shifts very poorly with anything but the OE fluid. I tried Amsoil, Royal Purple and plain old gear oil. All caused very poor shifting. I switched back to fluid from the dealer and it's been great. I think I paid around $9 - $12 a quart.

I also have done the fluid in my Hyundai and my GF's VW with factory fluid. The Hyundai was expensive ($15/quart), but it's full synthetic. The VW fluid was $11 or $12/quart the several times I've changed it.

 

[UNC004]

Yeah, i stick to OE fluid for Honda gearboxes, they make some nice stuff. No idea on Nissans.


So the AMSOil didn't help with yours? Interesting to hear the OE stuff did, is it fully synth? Did you get poor cold shifting. I mean i really can't select 1st after i've rolled unless i'm stationary, not even a slight roll will allow it in.

 

[UNC004]

So based on this and Nissan TSB stating specific use of their 75w85, not 75w90, i'd say putting in the correct weight is probably a good start.

As a result i think i'm limited to Redline MT85 and to Nissans OE spec.

I cannot see anything on either oil saying it's synthetic.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
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.


^^Big 2nd! Especially on the "crispness" of the shifting feel. Superior when cold,superior when hot. I`ve used MT90 and MTG in the same transmission,and MTG wins hands down.

 

[UNC004]

I'm wondering if anyone has tried the MT-85.

Right now it's actually slightly more expensive to buy Nissan 75w85, but it's available locally.

 

[m37charlie]

Castrol Syntrans is 75W85 and GL4:
http://www.tx4x4.com/pipermail/mog_tx4x4.com/attachments/20061109/746aec28/attachment-0001.pdf

It should be much easier to find in the UK than Redline 75W85.

Charlie

 

[UNC004]

Yeah, it probably is, but i'm in Oregon

I think it's going to be Nissan OE right now, i found mention of it needing to be the same as the OE, about 11.5cs at 100c, Redline is closer to this but AMSOil is not.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Didn`t Nissan back-spec the 350z`s transmission fluid weight for easier cold shifting only? I was thinking that it was originally spec`d for 75W90 (I think I read that on my350z.com). If that`s the case,go with 75W90.

 

[UNC004]

Not sure it was, either way, i have a cold shift problem, so why would i not want to use the weight stated?

 

[aquariuscsm]

Here`s some info from Amsoil`s site on their MTG:

*Recommended for synchronized manual transmissions and transaxles that require 75W-85, 75W-90 or 80W-90 viscosities*

I`d use this over the Nissan MTF

 

[Wheel366]

I haven't used the MTG in either of my cars transmissions but I did use the Redline MT-90. In my A4, I feel it is a little notchy but I just got the car used so I am not positive what it should feel like new. I put the fluid in at 125k and it is now 131k. I also had my 95 Pathfinder fluid changed around 184k. I drove it with MT-90 until 236. The sifting felt fine but I can tell you that on the 0 degree days it was like shifting through mud. Not sure if this was the trans being so cold or the fluid. Next time I change my fluid in the A4, which won't be for a while I am going to try the MTG. I have used it in the front and rear diff of my S4. (not in the trans since it's an auto).

 

[UNC004]

Ok you're not the only person to state about the redline giving clunky shifting.

I'm still not buying the AMSOil reasoning, oil weights are there for a reason, you can't just say one size fits all. I'm concerned about it's cst flow rates when cold, just not low enough.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: MaDMaXX
I'm still not buying the AMSOil reasoning, oil weights are there for a reason, you can't just say one size fits all. I'm concerned about it's cst flow rates when cold, just not low enough.


The winter rating has more impact on the cold flow than the viscosity grade, and they both have the same winter rating. It's possible that certain 75W-90 oils could be thinner than some 75W-85 oils during warm-up, depending on ambient temperature. The operating viscosity will vary dramatically depending on ambient temperatures and operating conditions; far more than the difference between SAE 90 and SAE 85 gear oils at 100C. HUGE difference in viscosity between someone driving hard in 100F weather compared to someone driving gently in -40F. My car shifts okay in either situation. If the 75W-85 viscosity is perfect for normal driving at 80F, then it would be too thin at 100F, and way too thin during hard driving at any warm temperature. There is nothing to regulate the fluid temperature in a manual transmission.

I'm really not trying to convince you to go one way or the other. I'm just saying not to rule out a good option because of such a minor technicality. The additives used to get the proper friction are far more important for shift quality than slight differences in viscosity, and I'd trust that Amsoil knows their additives. If Nissan is specifically recommending that 75W-85 be used in place of a previous 75W-90 recommendation, it's probably because they've had issues when people use hypoid gear oils in their transmission, since that's the only thing available in 75W-90 at most part stores. If they've been recommending 75W-85 and simply stressed that 75W-85 should be used, then it's likely for the purpose of consistency with their EPA fuel economy certification.

 

[UNC004]

As for the 75w85 oil, there is a specific TSB to make sure it's used in the transmission, it would suggest they might of been an issue discovered.

At least for now, if it makes no difference, the AMSOil is next on my list.
For the rear diff, some Redline Shockproof stuff sounds interesting.