yikes! 10k miles on redline diff oil

[JHZR2]

This is a small case BMW LSD. The kind that came on the M42 equipped 318i caes (late E30 models). They are known to devellop whine after a while. This is a rebuilt unit, it doesnt whine.

But yikes!!! UOA to follow...

In the pan:

And in the bottle:

Im not loking forward to this UOA... Specialty Formulations HDS-5 went in (old stock I had in the house), after that is exausted, Amsoil 75w-110 likely is what will be used.

JMH

 

[tackleberry625]

wow

 

[Bror Jace]

Eeep! That's enough to make you want to

After UOAs, other personal experience and things I've read, I think I'm done with Red Line Oil for a while. I haven't used anything they make in a while (oh, except their excellent SI-1 fuel injector cleaner) and will pursue other brands for most applications.

I really liked MolaKule's Speciality Formulations gear oils. If I had to buy now I'd go with Schaeffer (can always trust Schaeffer to do a decent - if not superb - job), Lubrication Engineers or Amsoil.

 

[deven]

Yikes is right.....can you say Amsoil!!!

 

[Pablo]

Was this the first change with the new/rebuilt unit?

 

[JHZR2]

yes.

So some of the junk may be because of that... but still, its 10k miles, has turned from a barely reddish amber to a greenish murky, dirty grey, and I can get a better deal with Amsoil

JMH

 

[bruce381]

murky could be water ingress, grey could have been moly paste on gear set to help with break in.

see what UOA says
bruce

 

[RogerKlugerAus05]

The Redline 75W-90 GL5 gear oil I use in my Toyota Kluger/Highlander tfr box and diff comes out hardly discolored at 10k miles oci. It has 48k miles at the moment.
I also use Redline 75W-90 MT90 GL-4 gear oil in the manual transmission of my Toyota Corolla (18k miles) and this is also hardly discolored at 8k change.
Roger

 

[Bluestream]

This has nothing to do with the type of oil you used...

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
This has nothing to do with the type of oil you used...


Exactly, I change out all my diffs at 1000-3000 to remove break-in debris. All come out dirty like that. If it comes out that dirty on the second change you have to be concerned.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Roger, wouldn't MTL be better for your Corolla's transaxle?

TO me it seems Redline will deteriorate faster than a normal fluid. But it's cool, because by the time the Redline does degrade it is similar to a normal fluid.


I can explain it like this. When you put in Redline, you get alot from it (aka smoother and quicker shifting) and this will slowly go back to normal as the fluid ages. So a tranny with 20k old MTL will feel similar to one with brand new conventional oil.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
Roger, wouldn't MTL be better for your Corolla's transaxle?

TO me it seems Redline will deteriorate faster than a normal fluid. But it's cool, because by the time the Redline does degrade it is similar to a normal fluid.


I can explain it like this. When you put in Redline, you get alot from it (aka smoother and quicker shifting) and this will slowly go back to normal as the fluid ages. So a tranny with 20k old MTL will feel similar to one with brand new conventional oil.

Corolla's transaxle requires a 75W90.

 

[unDummy]

Bum rebuild.

If the diff is known to have issues, step up the weight for more protection.

The UOA on this is going to be interesting.

The RL fluids that I've serviced with 30-50k intervals looked pretty close to what comes out of the bottle.

Did the drainplug have a magnet? Any pcks of that?

 

[Bror Jace]

Think the rear-end was not set-up properly ... maybe improperly shimmed?

 

[edhackett]

That looks pretty typical of what I've drained out of my last two new Subarus at 2000 miles. They stay clean after the first change.

Ed

 

[Scuderia]

I saw a similar thing when I took out the redline MT-90 from my tranny (Scion tC) after about 5000 miles. I stuck a powerful magnet in the oil container to see if anything would accumulate, but nothing. I'm using Motul Gear 300 now, just to be safe.

 

[KenO]

Also, since it's a small case diff - what car are you running it in?? I run a small case 4.10 in my stock 325i. Keep in mind, that diff wasn't designed for high hp/torque applications, and if you aren't somewhere near stock, then there's a good chance it won't last all that long either.

And I agree with the above, thats from break in, not from any kind of oil problem. The Redline works great in these cars.

 

[gtx510]

Our E39 (non-LS) diff had some "swarf" in the oil at 70-80k but nothing that bad. My sister's Range Rover was another story...

Did you use 75W140 like BMW recommends for their LSD's? Hopefully it's just the clutch plates breaking in, but I'd still use 110wt or 140wt next time.
http://www.ge39.com/files/SAF_XO_SAF_XJ_B1174_96.pdf

 

[gonesurfing]

I agree with everyone above, I change diff oil at 500-1000 miles after a rebuild. I don't worry about it too much with a new vehicle, but aftermarket gears should be broken in carefully. First drive, 10 miles. Second drive, 30 miles. Let cool completely in between. Keep it below 55 for the first 100 miles and no shock loads or fast starts for a few hundred. Dump the oil soon after.

 

[JohnBrowning]

10,000 is about perfect for break-in for diff's and transmissions. Now the metal flakes do seem like a lot but on that same not with break in it is hard to tell. Now as to the color I would not worry about it most shop's coat everything with moly paste when they put a diff. together so that could easily explain the color. I have never had any problem with Redline gear oils in anything I have run them I usualy change my every 30,000 miles and it comes out looking just like it did when I put it in!

If I was not going to use Redline any a really hard diff that was a problem I would go with Schaffers I do not recall the number but it is loaded with moly!