Thread: Gearbox oil advice (R380)

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

Originally Posted by 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

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'.

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

Originally Posted by abaddonxi

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

No brew, just an exxy one

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 ) 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

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.

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.

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,

depends on your driving technique and servicing.

500K Km isnt unheard of.