Tranny oil too thick?

[Shaggy_357]

After I blew out the 5th gear in my old tranny a few weeks back I bought a used tranny that had been sitting in a junk yard for God know's how long, when we got it installed, I dumped some gear oil that was as close to the spec requirements as I could find (was 95 85w?) and now it grinds in 1st, 2nd, and sometimes 3rd. We left the clutch assembly alone cause it looked fine, past that everything works fine....Buddy o' mine says we used the wrong gear oil and that its not allowing the synchros to spin up fast enough?....Dunno how much sense that makes, just thought I'd ask before I plunked down to have it rebuilt. Thx in advance for anything U guys might know.


(May not have quick shifting, but DAMN its nice to use 5th gear again)

 

[headrec*]

Do you know the condition of the transmission before you put it in or were you just guessing it would shift good?

In my opinion I like a little bit thicker gear oil (80-90W) because it feels like it cushions the shifts a little bit better. The downside to running thicker gear oil is it causes more friction in the transmission therefore more wear on the transmission. I just bought some Pennzoil (sp?) syncromesh to put in. I tried it in my old transmission and it wasn't great but that is before I knew thick stuff caused all that friction (stupid I know) so the 90-145W felt a lot better to me.

Overall though, 80-90W would be my best bet. Hopefully the syncromesh is as good as defiant claims.

 

[Shaggy_357]

Sorry it took me so long to get on here...night shift kills the response time LoL. The car my buddy and I pulled the tranny from had snapped a timing belt, so we just assumed the tranny would be OK. According to the guy at our local parts store, the Synchromesh should help a bit if not cure it, so I'm gonna give that a shot and then go the other way if I see no change....I'd hate to hafta rebuild it, but it beats getting stuck in BFE with a broken trans LoL. I appreciate the help, I'll let ya know what happens with the Penzoil

 

[loreak]

your local guy is right, standard gear oil will make it shift like a pile of crap

 

[Shaggy_357]

Welp, I dumped the standard 2 quarts of Synchromesh in it, and DAMN if it doesnt shift like butter. So, in the end, I paid a measly 100 bucks for a tranny and as of yet, havent got any trouble from it minus the gear oil. I appreciate all the help guys, Im sure U'll be hearing from me soon with another mystery from inside the DSM LoL

L8r,
Eric

 

[dragonwinglaser]

when i bought my laser about a year and a half ago it didnt have 5th gear when i pulled off the side cover found out all it was a nut had come loose and broke the 5th gear shift fork, so $40 at the local dealer and a long wait and i had 5th again. all i had to replace was the nut and the fork

 

[Shaggy_357]

My nut had come loose, but before I got to tightening it back down, I blew the gear out of the tranny...when I break something, I go all-out LoL I wish it had been the nut, my wallet would've liked that alot better