Gear box oil
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Gear box oil
Hi everybody i am new to the forums , i own a 1996 fd and don't know a lot about these cars.
Please could somebody explain where on the car you top this up as i have been told that it is worth checking every once in a while.
Also which is the best type of gear box oil to use many thanks
Gaz
Please could somebody explain where on the car you top this up as i have been told that it is worth checking every once in a while.
Also which is the best type of gear box oil to use many thanks
Gaz
Last edited by GAZA1725; 10-21-07 at 07:01 AM.
#2
Run a search for "gear oil". You may have different brands available to you in the UK. I suggest a synthetic 75w-90 GL-4 or GL-5 that's designed for synchromesh transmissions.
There are instructions in the FSM for changing the oil. You can download the FSM from the sticky thread.
Dave
There are instructions in the FSM for changing the oil. You can download the FSM from the sticky thread.
Dave
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A GL-5 oil can only be used if it does not contain sulphur. It is best to telephone the manufacturer of the oil using the number on the reverse of the bottle. The use of a gearbox oil which does contain sulphur will halve the life of the synchros & bearings as they are of a bronze/brass construction. The reason is that sulphur (eg, manganese sulphonate) becomes acidic. Hence, Mobil1 75w90 GL-5 is NOT suitable for Mazda gearboxes as Mobil will confirm.
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Look for neo synthetic. Hope they can ship it to your location http://www.neosyntheticoil.com/
#11
A GL-5 oil can only be used if it does not contain sulphur. It is best to telephone the manufacturer of the oil using the number on the reverse of the bottle. The use of a gearbox oil which does contain sulphur will halve the life of the synchros & bearings as they are of a bronze/brass construction. The reason is that sulphur (eg, manganese sulphonate) becomes acidic. Hence, Mobil1 75w90 GL-5 is NOT suitable for Mazda gearboxes as Mobil will confirm.
#12
It's not a myth - sulfur based compounds are very effective EP additives, but they do attack some brass synchro materials. They are used frequently in non-synchro boxes because they chemically bond with the surface of steel gears, such that under extreme pressure (think shock loading of ring & pinion mesh) the sulphur-affected layer shears off with much less damage than untreated steel surfaces. The downside is that this same effect on synchro cones is detrimental.
But sulfur is not the only such EP element - other chemicals, possibly more expensive ones, are also available. That's why some GL-5s are "yellow metal friendly" and others aren't.
I'm not sure how newer boxes handle these more aggressive GL additive packages, it could be different brass alloys or simply a different design of the friction cones that tolerates the polishing that sulphur causes. It might be worth asking David Canitz and about that one.
Dave
But sulfur is not the only such EP element - other chemicals, possibly more expensive ones, are also available. That's why some GL-5s are "yellow metal friendly" and others aren't.
I'm not sure how newer boxes handle these more aggressive GL additive packages, it could be different brass alloys or simply a different design of the friction cones that tolerates the polishing that sulphur causes. It might be worth asking David Canitz and about that one.
Dave
#14
It's not a myth - sulfur based compounds are very effective EP additives, but they do attack some brass synchro materials. They are used frequently in non-synchro boxes because they chemically bond with the surface of steel gears, such that under extreme pressure (think shock loading of ring & pinion mesh) the sulphur-affected layer shears off with much less damage than untreated steel surfaces. The downside is that this same effect on synchro cones is detrimental.
But sulfur is not the only such EP element - other chemicals, possibly more expensive ones, are also available. That's why some GL-5s are "yellow metal friendly" and others aren't.
I'm not sure how newer boxes handle these more aggressive GL additive packages, it could be different brass alloys or simply a different design of the friction cones that tolerates the polishing that sulphur causes. It might be worth asking David Canitz and about that one.
Dave
But sulfur is not the only such EP element - other chemicals, possibly more expensive ones, are also available. That's why some GL-5s are "yellow metal friendly" and others aren't.
I'm not sure how newer boxes handle these more aggressive GL additive packages, it could be different brass alloys or simply a different design of the friction cones that tolerates the polishing that sulphur causes. It might be worth asking David Canitz and about that one.
Dave
Is it true that if you can smell sulfur, then it's not safe for synchros? I've heard that too, but I've drained dozens of manual transmissions and differentials on a range of brands of cars and they alyays smell like sulfur. It's just the way gear oil smells...
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Its the yellow bolt in the linked picture or the one to the right of it. I can't remember exactly which. Its been a while since I flushed by unit.
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...ltedTo4G64.jpg
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...ltedTo4G64.jpg
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#20
you are "supposed" to take out 3 bolts during drainage/refill according to the FSM, i think you can get by with just taking out the bottom big drain and the top square looking one that i believe is in yellow in the picture, just don't touch the recessed hex/allen wrench bolt, just the square one
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[QUOTE=GAZA1725;7440956]Hi everybody i am new to the forums , i own a 1996 fd and don't know a lot about these cars.
Please could somebody explain where on the car you top this up as i have been told that it is worth checking every once in a while.
Also which is the best type of gear box oil to use many thanks
Gaz[/QUOT
no offense man...but you should really learn more about your fd. you will run into alot of problems and a basic knowlege can save you lots of money.
Please could somebody explain where on the car you top this up as i have been told that it is worth checking every once in a while.
Also which is the best type of gear box oil to use many thanks
Gaz[/QUOT
no offense man...but you should really learn more about your fd. you will run into alot of problems and a basic knowlege can save you lots of money.
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My advice is get a copy of the FD service manual. It can help with a lot of these basic maintenance items as well as some of the more complex stuff. You should be able to download it from this forum or one like it (eg. nopistons.com). If you have a very slow internet connection, you can pick one up from a Mazda dealer, but that will not be cheap.
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