Thread: Oils Ain't Oils

You might need a side step for the Defender, to make it a bit easier. But it's all $

Originally Posted by perrygamsby

I am planning on doing a complete fluid change when I take delivery of the '95 300Tdi Defender next week. Having had clean fingernails for several years, I have forgotten a lot of stuff, so bear with me, please. I have searched the threads but feel justified in starting a new one.

1. Engine oil. Is anyone familiar with Chief Seneca 15W40? Seems good value from SupaCheap Auto for $55 x 10l.
2. Gearbox - I don't want to put ATF DexII or III in having read many comments in the threads. So I'm thinking Chief Tanoa 75W90, 4l @ $35. About $5 more than the ATF.
3. Diffs - Chief Tanoa Gear Oil 80W90 4l @ $27

No, this isn't a viral marketing plug for Chief oils. I am thinking if I use all the same stuff then there is only one mob to curse should something go wrong. Price and reviews so far support the hypothesis, but maybe someone here knows more? Are Nulon products worth the extra money? What about Penrite? For reasons of time and simplicity I prefer to buy all at once from the one place.

I also noted the Ryco oil, fuel and air filters are far more expensive than what I can order online, like double. I have a Cooper oil filter for a 3.9V8 Disco I '94 that I believe is the same part as for the 300Tdi. Yes?

Lastly, I will never forget draining the gearbox on Wally for the first time, then discovering the filler plug is a torque thingy. I didn't have any and managed to make it, on foot, to the now long gone local parts place just as they were closing. Why, Land Rover... why? What's wrong with a hex nut, or a square nut or a regular kind of thingy? No, you have to use a torque.

Anyway, any comments will be appreciated.

R380 oils have been an issue for me over the last few months. I went down the track of purchasing oil from Super C***p- ie- Nulon 75/90 'Smoothshi*t' and Castrol EP 80/90 for the diffs. Heavier stuff for the transfer.
Anyways, the 75/90 is an API spec GL-5 (for the gearbox)- and while this worked ok for about 10000km, eventually, the gearbox said 'too hot' after a 140km drive and gave up the ghost. You need a GL-4 spec for the R380- which is to say, your gearbox.
I then purchased a second hand later suffix gearbox from TR spares in SA- and promptly purchased full synthetic Nulon 75/85.
The gear changes were ok, but baulky at times.
I drained this after 5000km to inspect the day before the 3 month warranty on the gearbox ran out just to inspect. It came out clean enough I guess, some small metal shavings on the drain plug were a bit of a worry though.
Long story short, I ended up replacing the oil with Penrite pro-gear full synthetic 75/85 at $36 for 2.5 litres from Repco.
The change in gearbox behaviour is amazing. Lovely shifting at all speeds and temperatures, more quiet.
So the upshot is:
For that gearbox, go Penrite or Castrol Syntrans. Don't muck about with the box. Another product called VMX80 M is reputedly good too- I believe Superc***p sell this- or used to.
Diffs and transfer- any old EP 80/90 will do but as others have stated- the regularity of changes are the key to long life in diffs and transfer.
Engine wise- I use Shell Rimula. It's my preference and superc**p do sell that. About $110 for 20 litres.
HTH