Gearbox oil advice (R380)

[86mud]

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

[stig0000]

search is your friend,

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

just use syntrans:D 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,

[strangy]

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

[87County]

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)

[BigJon]

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

[stig0000]

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

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;):cool:

[86mud]

Thanks guys

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

Cheers
Andrew

[MacFamily]

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.

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

[86mud]

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

Cheers
Andrew

[strangy]

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

[rick130]

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

Syntrax is 75-90....

Cheers

There's about four different blends of Syntrans now ranging from a 75W80 Syntrans B (for the Falcon XR-6 ) Syntrans Max (for ZF light truck boxes) up to a 75W-90 Syntrans M (used in Road Rangers, Rockwell and Volvo truck 'boxes)

The old standby for the R380 is plain Syntrans 75W-85.

My absolute favourite R380 oil ATM is something else, but that'll just confuse things :D (and I haven't tried the B or Max Syntrans' either)

[INDIE2002UK]

Hi The best oil for the R380 is MTF94 which is factory spec and available through a dealer, we use to run syntrans the castrol eqivelant but had to many harsh and bulking gear changes complaints as soon as we reverted back sweet as. 5ltr is about $99

[rick130]

Hi The best oil for the R380 is MTF94 which is factory spec and available through a dealer, we use to run syntrans the castrol eqivelant but had to many harsh and bulking gear changes complaints as soon as we reverted back sweet as. 5ltr is about $99

AFAIK Caltex don't import MTF94 anymore and haven't for some time, (unless things have changed in the last year or so) and in my experience Syntrans delivered a better change and doesn't shear as quickly in use, although R380's can be very idiosyncratic.

A number of shops use Valvoline Duragear (?) 75W-85 with good success, some find Redline MTL delivers better performance and some older gearboxes shift better using a Dex III ATF but the majority seem to do really well on Syntrans.

There is a huge number of good manual trans fluids out there now that something suitable should be easily available Australia wide.

And speaking of alternatives, has anyone trialled Penrites SIN Manual Trans fluid ? They list it as meeting the MTF94 Land Rover 'performance requirement'.

[abaddonxi]

G'wan Rick, what devil's brew is it now?

[rick130]

G'wan Rick, what devil's brew is it now?

No :twisted: brew, just an exxy one :eek:

Minithemoocha beat me to using it, he PM'd me twelve-eighteen months or so back asking what I thought of using Motul Gear 300 which is one oil I really wanted to try.

Thinner than Syntrans at 0*C yet 15.2 cSt @100*C which makes it a sssh, 75W-90
It shifts really nicely in my 'box, probably the smoothest shifting fluid yet.

So, I've used Caltex MTF94, Syntrans 75W-85, Redline MTL, a Redline MTL/MT90 brew (60/40) Castrol VMX80, (yuk) Castrol VMX80 with a lanolin ester friction modifier (that worked bloody well :eek: ) Torco RTF and now Motul Gear 300, oh, and for a very short time some Fuchs 4000 ATF/Neo 7wt race oil. That was an unreal cold gearbox brew, but the shift deteriorated as the box warmed up.
I think it lasted 20km :angel:

[Gumnut]

Yeah, well, I have been using the Penrites MTF94 spec and havn't had any problems. Until last week when I let first day learner son have a lesson, and after a bit of mutual fright (different reasons!) and a bit of shouting and bad language about being gentle with the clutch and gearstick. Then the old girl was a bit notchy into second for a few days, but I think it's back to it's normal accomodating self again. And learner son has been in the wifes auto scoobydoo and daughters excell, and the fright has been shared around.

[MinniTheMoocha]

I think my box had ATF in it for a little too long as gear changes were getting really hard, especially between 1st and 2nd when I first got the truck (3yrs ago now!).

Syntrans was pretty good and I would certainly use that if I couldn't get Motul or needed to save some $

Motul just gave me the best all round gear changes. Although with the cold we are experiencing in Melbourne it has made it a little hard so have resorted to running the car with the gearbox engaged but the transfer case in neutral for a few minutes. This definitely helps on these really cold mornings.

Once up to operating temp its quite good but I suspect in the coming year(s) I might be rebuilding a box due to synchro wear. Without the Motul I reckon it would have already needed a rebuild.

[stig0000]

just putting it out there, and saves starting a new thread, whats the avg Kms till a rebuild on the r380,

and the about cost on parts alone,

is 300k realistic till the syncros give up,

[Blknight.aus]

depends on your driving technique and servicing.

500K Km isnt unheard of.

[INDIE2002UK]

MTF 94 IS AVAILABLE THROUGH L/R PARTS

[PAT303]

just putting it out there, and saves starting a new thread, whats the avg Kms till a rebuild on the r380,

and the about cost on parts alone,

is 300k realistic till the syncros give up,

My R380 has been trouble free after 430K,400K on Transmax M and 30K on MTL. Pat

[rick130]

MTF 94 IS AVAILABLE THROUGH L/R PARTS


Land Rover must be bringing it in themselves.

Caltex's contract with Land Rover expired so they deleted it from their local line, according to the local Caltex fella's.

[gromit]

Digging up an old thread....

My '95 Tanami is relatively low Km and running ATF without any issues.
I should get round to changing the gearbox oil and wondered what the latest recommendation is.

Colin

[rick130]

If ATF is working for you then stick with it.

My preference is still Motul Gear 300 for a hard working R380. It won't be quite as slickin the shift as ATF when cold, but it totally eliminates bearing rattle in high ambients, the shifting is consistent and it doesn't shear like Syntrans 75W-85 after 20,000km

[simmo]

I'm using Penrite gear Pro, 70-75 full synthetic, available at Supercheap.

I tried 75-85, but couldn't get from 1st to 2nd until the oil warmed up. The 70-75 has been working well for me, the tranny is smooth shifting. Typical operating temperature is about 75 degees when cruising. I check the oil today as part of the annual service and it looked bright & clean, but is only been in there for less than 20,000 kms.

cheers simmo

[4runnernomore]

I probably push my D2 harder than most up here in the Territory. I sit on the Territory speed limit of 130 or when Chaffy wants to sit up there so realistically 120-130 most of the time pending rises in the road for 3-3.5 hours twice a week driving to and from work. I am averaging 30000 a year at the moment and it is all high speed highway work. On the way down it is in the morning. On the way home it is late in the afternoon when the road and ambient temps are hottest.

Chaffy is is no light weight with steel bar work ARB front, solid sliders and steel rear bar with jerry can and spare wheel carrier, 155 llong range tank, 50mm Body and 50mm suspension lift, full length roof rack cage and running 265/75/R16’s.

With the the ambient heat especially during build up and wet season I see transmission temps regularly in the 90’s and the highest has been 107,but that was when I first had the box installed.

I have been running the same Penrite 70-75 in my Ashcroft rebuilt with HD options R380 since the replacement transmission was installed on advice from Leigh our resident Landy mechanic in Nightcliff in Darwin. At the same time I had the transfer case done with the Ashcroft ATB installed. Already had the extended sump installed. Rest of the drivetrain is full synthetic as well as supplied by Leigh at his workshop.

The box was initially a little bit notchy when first installed but is now quite smooth. I am sure I drove Leigh crazy about the checking the oil and any new perceived noise I could here or fluctuation on temps. It was a big investment and I want it to last. it was checked every 5000 intially for the first 20k.

I had the box drained after the first thousand and then checked regularly due to fear of oil breakdown because of the high operating temps. At 20000 the oil was good. Leigh decided to leave and check at next service as it was still good. At 30000km gearbox oil was done so I am going to stick with 20000 km from now on. I have done around 45000 on the new transmission now.

I did contact Rick as well about oils and he had suggested Motul 300 however it is just to hard to get up here in Darwin and the cost is massive.

time will tell but I hope I get a very long life out of my Ashcroft gearbox and transfer case package. It would be interesting to run the Motul 300 to see if there is any difference.

Cheers, Chris

[VEE ONE]

I have a heap of Spectro Gear Lube SAE 80, would this be ok in my Gearbox/TXFR Box or Diffs? (Disco 1 series)?
The car doesn't tow or any heavy driving. Thanks in advance.