Hi all

Changed the gearbox oil (1998 300TDI - R3380) on the weekend. Now the gears are very hard to change when the oil temp is cold.

The box is a fully reconditioned box which was installed about October last year. I have changed the oil since. The oil that came out of it looked and smelt odd...so I suspected a synthetic. The box was changing gears smoothly prior to changing the oil.

I used Valvoline 80/90 gear oil. This is obviously the wrong oil.

What should I be using?

Cheers
Andrew

search is your friend,

basically the r380s love the syntrans oil, witch is 75-90 i think

just use syntrans theres heaps about r380 oil on here,

in the real freezing cold weather mine is slightly hard shifting, but few Kms and its all good,

This oil is too heavy.
I have heard that too heavy an oil in some cold weather can even damage an oil pump in an R380.

Castrol SYNTRANS 75-85 is recommended. There are a few oils which will do the job with similar/ same weight, but my R380 has never been better since using the Syntrans. Rick130 on this forum has given some excellent info here on the subject found in the Good Oil.

there will be many alternatives -

FWIW I think you would find that Castrol Syntrans 75/85 meets the requirements and gives much smoother synchro engagement

I do know that others are happy with ATF (Dexron III)

FWIW I think ATF will give decent shift quality, while Syntrans will give decent shift quality and better protection.

__________________
(88 Hiline - Now with Limited Slip rear diff)

i had d3 in my box as i had to at the time,, all i had it was in there for maby 700km, and it made the box feel notchy and i personally dident like the feel, i put syntrans back in asap, box felt good and smooth again,??? im sure d3 in it is ok, but my thorts are if theres oil made to go in that box, use it

Thanks guys

I'll pick up some syntrans this afternoon and change it over tonight.

Cheers
Andrew

x2 Mines running smooth since putting in Syntrans on the weekend and Rick has great info on oils.

__________________
Aaron & Jacinta
1994 300Tdi Defender

oil draining as we speak...picked up a container of Syntrans 75/90 and will pump that in shortly.

Cheers
Andrew

Just checking its not a typo, but...... Syntrans should be 75-85

Syntrax is 75-90....

Cheers