Non Synthetic GL4 Gear Oils

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SR77

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Aug 21, 2003
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210
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Central, NJ
Hello, I am looking for a GL4 gear oil for my Muncie transmission and am wondering what are all the non synthetic (Dino) GL4 gear oils that are out there in the market? The only 2 that I found searching the internet is Pennzoil GearPlus (which I was just told by Pennzoil is discontinued and they only have GL4 synthetic now) and Sta-Lube at Napa which i have never heard of and don't know much about its quality. Are there other non synthetic gear oils our there that I am not aware of and aren't difficult to track down. Is the Lucas HD 80w-90 gear oil synthetic? I know there are a few synthetic GL4s on the market like Redline, Royal Purple, Amsoil, but other then RP they are all a thinner viscosity and am worried that they will start to leak in my Muncie trans. All I am finding from most of the manufacturers are GL5s, but from what i read i am not the only one looking for dino GL4 gear oil, not sure why no one seems to make it anymore if there are still lots of transmissions out there that need it. thanks for the help
 
I guess no one knows of any dino GL4s left. Guess Sta-Lube is the only one readily available if Pennzoil can get their story straight. Anyone know if the Lucas stuff is sythetic or not? I know from reading other forums that dino GL4 is wanted by many others with older trans, Sta-Lube should be marketing this stuff alittle better!
 
Hello all the majors make a GL-4 normally sold for use in industrial gear boxes post who is in your area and i will help with interchnage I know of at least, Chevron, texaco, Shell, exxon and mobil all have one.
bruce
 
Hey Bruce, I am in Central NJ, not sure who is in my area, I think Castrol is in NJ and there used to be Mobil refineries up North alittle, but I am not sure who it is now. I believe Chevron, Mobil, Exxon etc. are all in Texas but I could wronf, we do have some refineries here in NJ.
 
Just look for distributors in your yellow pages. They probably have it all in your neck of the woods.

Chevron

PRIME LUBE, INC. * CARTERET, NJ
REIT LUBRICANTS CO. - NJ * WARMINSTER, PA
ASISCO COMPANY INC. ELIZABETH, N.J. 07201, NJ

Tex=Havoline

Tractor Supply Company - East of the Rockies
Taylor Oil Company, Inc. Somerville, NJ

Shell

Neslo Petroleum Products, Inc.
950 King George Road
Fords, NJ 08863
Phone: 732-738-0700
Fax: 732-738-3831
E-mail: [email protected]

D R S Enterprises, Inc.
575 Prospect St. Suite 264
Lakewood, NJ 08701
Phone: 732-367-2116
Fax: 732-367-2067
E-mail: [email protected]

Bolkema Fuel Co., Inc.
75 Mollie Ct.
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-891-1000
Fax: 201-891-8908
E-mail: [email protected]

Neslo Petroleum Products, Inc.
Bogden & Driskell Sts
Millville, NJ 08332
Phone: 732-738-0700
Fax: 732-738-3831
E-mail: [email protected]

Hough Petroleum Corp.
340 4th. Street
Trenton, NJ 08638
Phone: 800-400-7154
Fax: 609-771-1776
E-mail: [email protected]

Exxon (and surely Mobil)

Almo Corp.
102 Midland Avenue
Bayonne, NJ 07032
201-997-0505 201-998-0491
Prime Lube
800 Roosevelt Avenue
Carteret, NJ 07008
732-969-9200 732-541-7999
Prime Lubricants
Marine Only Roosevelt Ave.
Carteret, NJ 7008
USA 732-969-9200
Total Lubrication Services & Supply, LLC
185 Oberlin Ave.
Lakewood, NJ 08701
732-363-5158
800-872-5797
800-872-5797 732-363-6239
Total Lubrication Services & Supply, LLC
1001 Lower Landing Road Suite 207
Blackwood, NJ 08012

800-591-7911 856-374-0929
 
Yes, and the other thing I notice is that NAPA has Sta-Lube gear oils, but nobody else does. Interesting, there should be a nearby NAPA where you live.
 
the gal bottle pic i looked at showed GL-4, GL-5, the website says GL5. have someone in the miata group wanted to try this in the 85w-140, but as it is a GL5, it will not only be like shifting concrete, it will not help the synchros either...
 
Sta-Lube is an old brand of reliable middle-quality products. There are worse products and there are better. If Sta-Lube meets the specs you need, it'll be OK.

Most modern GL-5 gear oils do no damage in gearboxes that were originally rated for GL-4. Older GL-5 formulations, and a few current ones, have a high proportion of certain additives that do damage to copper/brass/bronze yellow metals. Modern Gl-5 additives do not have this problem. Use any GL-5 gear oil that states that it is also good for GL-4. GL-4 was a 1943 spec, and now rarely needed.
 
Ken2,
thanks. You said older GL-5 and few current ones have a high proportion of certain additives that do damage to copper/brass/bronze yellow metals. Can you tell me then which of the current non-sythetic GL-5 oils to stay away from and which ones are safe for transmissions? Also do you happen to know which modern dino gears oils that are our there that state both GL-5 & GL-4 compatible. Like previously mentioned, I saw Coastal at Autozone that mentioned both GL5 & GL4 on the bottle but was wondering if there are others out there. Coastals website makes no mention of GL-4 though, just GL-5. thanks for the help
 
This debate has been going on for quite a while over at an air cooled VW site, TheSamba.com thateven has a sticky thread for GL4 vs GL5. The way overpriced ($75/gal) Swepco 201 seems to be the favorite because the Porsche crowd uses it. They do not understand the significant difference between Porsche and VW transaxles. VW used spiral-bevel, not hypoid, final drive gears and conventional yellow metal sychros, not balk ring type. Due to old (1969) seals, I wont risk RL MT-90, otherwise I would use it.

So, its narrowed down to StaLube at NAPA? Has anyone determined for sure if Delo Gear Lubricant ESI has LS additive or not?

edit: I just found this one.

Shell Getriebeoel

Getriebeoel is specified by Thielert for the gearboxes of their engine. Getriebeoel is a GL-4, 75W90 gear oil designed for this requirement.
http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?site.../home_page.html

I'm attempting to get a data sheet and MSDS, as they are not on the website.
 
Last edited:
I just put 3.5 quarts (fluid change) of Mobil1 75W-90 GL5 in my 86 Ford F-150's NP435 4-speed. Hope it doesn't fall apart in the driveway :p
 
SR77,

Check out Chevron Delo ESI 80W-90. It is rated both GL-4 and GL-5. It is available in quart bottles, although you may have to buy a case of it from a distributor. I use it in the transmission (no problem with synchros) and differential (no problem with the LSD) of my old Alfa Romeo.

Good luck!
 
The GL-5 rating in theory covers GL-4. But that is in wear protection. It is not good for many synchronizers. Most synchronizers are bronze/brass and will heat up and resist synchronizing with the extra protection of GL-5. The bronze will also wear more as this chemical coating peels away.
This is why most brands are going away from recommending sulfur/phos products towards zinc/phos products like the different manual transmission fluids, most of which also cover GL-4.
 
Hi, widman,

I'm a fan of yours and have downloaded your Corvair oil paper.

I have the Chevron fact sheet for their Delo ESI 80W-90 gear lube in front of me. The blurb says their "extreme pressure additive (utilizes) an inorganic borate compound" providing a "wear protection film 3 to 5 times thicker than the conventional sulfur-phosphorus antiwear film. The inorganic borate film is composed of compounds that do not react with metal."

I take this to mean you won't have to worry about yellow metal parts being degraded by the gear oil. By the way, no association with Chevron other than as a customer. . . .

Cheers,
Mark
 
I found a bunch of QuakerState 80W-90 GL4 "for manual transmissions" at Big Lots about a year ago. I bought it all up at 1.50/qt since I know it is so hard to find. I sold/used all but 10 of them so far out of about 40 quarts. I remember getting some weird looks from people when checking out that day. But hey, a deal is a deal and you gotta strike while the iron is hot, so to speak, although it did not appear to be a big mover...
 
Shell finally sent me the PDS and MSDS for Getriebeol EP by snail mail. It is a GL-4 formulated specifically to meet VW 501.50.

Base oil is Shell's XHVI slack wax and the EP additive is olefin sulphide.
 
Well since I do not like the slow notchy shift performance that Walmarts Semi-Synthetic gear lube is giveing in my Camry I am going to go back to Redline. I am going to try 100% MTL where in years past I would mix MTL and MT-90 50/50. I considered trying RP Syncromax but it was $2 more then Redline MTL at the parts store. I also looked at Amsoils MTL but all the 5W30 junk on the front of it made me leary. I like the detailed explanationon the backof the of Redlines MTL wich also lists all the things it will work in includeing vechiles calling for 5W30 motor oil etc....Maybe next time I will try the Amsoil I just wanted something I knew was going to work and work well especialy this winter since I am thinking it is going to be bitter cold!SInce this GL-5 Walmart Semi-Synthetic gear lube only has about 10,000 miles on it as long as itis free of shaveing I am going to use it in a rear end or transfer case on something else no point wasteing it since I am sure it is still good!

I almost consider Penzoil syncromesh since it is so cheap but since others have voiced concerns of premature wear with it I decided not to try it!My transmission can use GL-4 or GL-5 but it seems to best with GL-4 MTL type fluids. I like to shift quickly and I hate that I have to slow my shifting style down so much with the current fill.
 
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