Thread: ZF tranny oil?

Originally Posted by BigJon

Last two destroyed ZF autos we had in here had been so hot the plastic breather tubes had melted!

Big Jon, give me one guess what the idiots did, here goes, towed something like a heavy camper through the desert at highway pressures. Am I close to being right.

I do not know if its any formal thing or not but I always go low range in dry sand , manually select a gear and keep the revs over 2000 or so to minimize slip by the TC and thus reduce heat.
Although if I am climbing a big sandhill I go D as it will change down under power so momentum is retained.
Regard s Philip A

Originally Posted by BigJon

Last two destroyed ZF autos we had in here had been so hot the plastic breather tubes had melted!

If BigJon has recently seen two overheated and destroyed ZFs in Alice, not counting mine that gave up (overheated) near Glendambo, then just how fragile are these units?
No, I was not towing through the desert using highway tyre pressures, I was towing on the highway using highway tyre pressures. The symptom was the cloud of smoke following me as the fluid spewed out through the melted breathers onto the exhaust.

Russell

the guts of the ZF is as tough as nails, (and thats coming from someone who's dead set against autos) the big let downs are the Lockup clutch, poor maintenance routines and the piddly little cooler that landrover use on it. that little cooler isnt helped by guys who dont clean it or mechanics that dont flush the cooler properly as part of the Alt major service.

Originally Posted by ak

Big Jon, give me one guess what the idiots did, here goes, towed something like a heavy camper through the desert at highway pressures. Am I close to being right.

Usually towing big (dual axle) caravans at high speed in overdrive (fourth) gear.

I suspect that the engines (either Tdi or TD5) have plenty of grunt to pull those speeds with those loads, but running in overdrive is not a good idea.

A little bit of slippage will cause a lot of heat. A lot of heat will lead to more slippage. More slippage, more heat, etc etc.

Sooner or later it all ends in (expensive) tears.

Originally Posted by BigJon

Usually towing big (dual axle) caravans at high speed in overdrive (fourth) gear.

I suspect that the engines (either Tdi or TD5) have plenty of grunt to pull those speeds with those loads, but running in overdrive is not a good idea.

A little bit of slippage will cause a lot of heat. A lot of heat will lead to more slippage. More slippage, more heat, etc etc.

Sooner or later it all ends in (expensive) tears.

Interesting, who ever said you can learn something everyday sure was correct. My guess was wrong.

So what is the answer if pulling a heavy caravan for long periods of time, knock it back to 3rd and go a bit slower?

Would this avoid cooking a Auto box?

Originally Posted by ak

Interesting, who ever said you can learn something everyday sure was correct. My guess was wrong.

So what is the answer if pulling a heavy caravan for long periods of time, knock it back to 3rd and go a bit slower?

Would this avoid cooking a Auto box?

or would you fit a bigger cooler ?

Originally Posted by ak

Interesting, who ever said you can learn something everyday sure was correct. My guess was wrong.

So what is the answer if pulling a heavy caravan for long periods of time, knock it back to 3rd and go a bit slower?

Would this avoid cooking a Auto box?

It certainly helps.