Thread: Very confused, oils ain't oils

Oil in the gearbox and Transfer wont mix as they are seperated by 2 seals.... Orrr Orrr

i used to use Penrite auto fluid in my LT77, but others might not recommend it....

Ring Fred Smith in Bayswater 03 97204999

He will know

i've got an lt77 5spd too. i use Redline MTL which comes in US quart bottles (946ml) so i buy 3 and end up with a drop left over for topping up if needed. i've found it very good and enjoy smooth changes.
my supplier is harold at performance lube- haroldtw@bigpond.net.au ,a very helpful chap.

i'm 6'5" so i know where you are coming from re seat height, particularly if a sunroof is fitted. i removed the seat spacers and just put a fat washer in their place. i did have to trim the plastic seat base shrouds a little to allow forward/aft movement. works for me but i still suffer the blue haze problem. next time a windscreen is needed i will be patient and order a clear one.

I think the engine oil which you say is the no brainer is probably the most critical thing. In my opinion, because it says Gas oil it doesn't automatically make it suitable for any motor that runs on gas. 20-60 seems thick to me, but then again it is an old motor. From what I understand the Rover V8 needs to have good oil due to the lubrication sheering that happens at the flat tappet lifters. Check the pack to see if the oil is ACEA A3/B3 or A3/B4 rated. Check this out for a really interesting read. In my opinion (again) it is more important to have the correct lubrication for the mechanical parts of the motor rather than for the fuel mix that sees so very little of it. I'm not really sure but I would also expect LPG oil to be a more basic oil than a petrol/diesel oil as the fuel is clean.

Have a read of this post on Discoweb for some interesting oil commentry as it relates to the Rover V8
DiscoWeb Message Boards - View Single Post - Dealer says my engine is leaking oil because it is synthetic.. BS?


Diffs and Transfer are 75/90 but I also look for gear oil that is suitable for Hypoid diffs to ensure the sheer strength in the oil. The oils are rated and GL5 is a higher rating than GL4 and there is no problem in using it. GL4 is suitable for Spiral bevel diffs (Rover type) and unstressed Hypoids (Salisbury), though GL5 is more suitable for stressed Hypoid diffs.

Gearbox..... dunno. I use ATF, but then again it is an auto.

You will be very happy with Castrol Syntrans.

Originally Posted by Slunnie

<snip>
Diffs and Transfer are 75/90 but I also look for gear oil that is suitable for Hypoid diffs to ensure the sheer strength in the oil. The oils are rated and GL5 is a higher rating than GL4 and there is no problem in using it. GL4 is suitable for Spiral bevel diffs (Rover type) and unstressed Hypoids (Salisbury), though GL5 is more suitable for stressed Hypoid diffs.

Gearbox..... dunno. I use ATF, but then again it is an auto.

I wouldn't use a solely GL4 rated gear lube in a Rover style diff either, and definitely not in Sals.
Straight GL4 gear lubes have roughly 1/3 the EP/AW additive levels of a GL5, and you really need the GL5 add levels in any hypoid diff, thanks to the shearing involved.
IMO you need at least the same add levels in any spiral bevel cut diff too, just for shock loads and heat.

Most all race car transaxles are spiral bevel diffs,(Xtrac, Hewland, etc) and when NEO started to dominate openwheel and sportscar racing in Europe with their 75W-90RHD gear oil in the late eighties, they extended CWP life from one meeting to entire seasons, just by having a superior base and add package to the competition.

If anyone is concerned that a GL5 oil they are considering (eg. for the t/case) may be yellow metal corrosive (a lot of the older ones were) look for it's copper corrosion rating on a TDS.
Most MT1, MT3, GL4's are 1a or 1b, and dual rated GL4/5's are generally 1b. Both are entirely acceptable for any bronze used in a gearbox/diff.

FWIW, 99% of the time, a GL5 diff oil that is also rated for LSD's won't be suitable for gearbox synchros either. The friction modification for for clutches, cones and pawls competes aginst synchronizers.

For an LT77 either a good (synthetic) ATF like Transmax Z, or a dedicated manual trans fluid like Redline MTL, Castrol Syntrans, etc would be fine, but like an R380 they can be a little idiosyncratic towards individual brews.

Originally Posted by Slunnie

<snip>
Have a read of this post on Discoweb for some interesting oil commentry as it relates to the Rover V8
DiscoWeb Message Boards - View Single Post - Dealer says my engine is leaking oil because it is synthetic.. BS?


<snip>

I've had a quick skim and I'll post up a review when I get a chance tonight.
Some of what's presented isn't correct IMO.

Had a re-read and he writes like me so I had to re-read it a few times to make sense of it ... the Boags tonight probably don't help either......

Basically what he's saying re HTHS numbers and the ACEA and API ratings is correct and very good info to remember.
.....yet interestingly the cam scuff limits and cam wear limits are the same for all ACEA A and B ratings....
IMO the AW/EP adds are just as important too and it becomes a balancing act of SAE viscosity range/HTHS viscosity and additive package to give adequate protection.
These days this is most easily achieved by a diesel/mixed fleet oil, or a dedicated/advertised V8 style oil that will usually indicate it's ZDDP content (the most common and well known AW additive for anti-scuff protection) on the container.

Just for a bit of light reading, here's a thread to really confuse you on oils for a Rover V8 on lr4x4 form a while back.

Page 1 Oil Type You Guys Use? - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum
Page 2 Oil Type You Guys Use? - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

and here's a very good PDF by Widman who has been a contributor on Bob is The Oil Guy forums for years http://www.widman.biz/uploads/Corvair_oil.pdf