Manual transmission fluid??
06-02-2011, 12:03 AM
#1
2nd Gear
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Manual transmission fluid??
Hi, I just bought a 1981 vette and we are in the process of changing all the fluids because it had been sitting for awhile. What kind of fluid do I use for a 4 speed manual transmission? What we drained what red and thin. Any help would be great.
Thanks
Thanks
06-02-2011, 12:23 AM
#2
Team Owner
Gm atf
06-02-2011, 05:28 PM
#4
qkull:
Why GM atf in a manual transmission?
Why GM atf in a manual transmission?
06-02-2011, 06:12 PM
#5
Instructor
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Dunno... I never heard of using ATF in a manual. I've always used straight 90 weight gear oil or the newer 80-90. I'm currently running the 80-90 in my '72 M20 4-speed.
06-02-2011, 08:10 PM
#6
Racer
I've always used ATF even in manual transmissions. Chances are the previous owner of the OP's car did also according to their description of the drained fluid...
06-02-2011, 08:33 PM
#7
Racer
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I've been around car restorations for 45 years. Never heard of ATF in a manual transmission. 
ATF = automatic transmission fluid
The proper fluid is 85W-90 weight (or the like)...
My .02
ATF = automatic transmission fluid
The proper fluid is 85W-90 weight (or the like)...
My .02
Last edited by udornf4; 06-02-2011 at 08:36 PM.
06-02-2011, 08:52 PM
#8
Never heard of ATF in a manual transmission either.
Look, my local vette/muscle/collector car expert puts this stuff in all the high dollar vehicles that he works on. It is made by Lubrication Engineers, called Duolec 1604. It is 90W, red and quite pricey...if I remember correctly. After my M-21 was rebuilt, he sold me however many quarts required (2.5-3.0?) out of his bulk drum. The gears are quiet and smooth as silk.
http://www.le-inc.com/products.jsp?productID=307
I'll probably never add or change it again, so who cares what it costs. I paid around $750 to have my tranny rebuilt and re-sealed. Ouch.
Look, my local vette/muscle/collector car expert puts this stuff in all the high dollar vehicles that he works on. It is made by Lubrication Engineers, called Duolec 1604. It is 90W, red and quite pricey...if I remember correctly. After my M-21 was rebuilt, he sold me however many quarts required (2.5-3.0?) out of his bulk drum. The gears are quiet and smooth as silk.
http://www.le-inc.com/products.jsp?productID=307
I'll probably never add or change it again, so who cares what it costs. I paid around $750 to have my tranny rebuilt and re-sealed. Ouch.
06-02-2011, 09:08 PM
#9
Instructor
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ATF in a manual trans
Using ATF in a manual trans is not uncommon. Honda, Toyota, and BMW do. I used ATF in the manual trans in my race cars for years. 40 years of racing, and never a transmission failure. Not one.
06-02-2011, 09:08 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
I changed my 4 speed fluid in the early 90's and used Amsoil gear oil. Recently changed it again with Mobil 1 75W-90 full synthetic as well-it is perfect-quiet, and the shift handle never gets hot as it used to with the OEM GM gear oil. I would not use automatic transmission fluid in a 4 speed manual!
06-02-2011, 10:48 PM
#12
Burning Brakes
Borg Warner manual transmissions require ATF Note, base stock oil in ATF if 10wt oil. Many transfercases also use ATF. Muncie transmissions require gear oil of 85/90 wt. The main diffeance are the bearing cleances. Al
06-02-2011, 11:19 PM
#13
Le Mans Master
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My brother's '97 'vette uses atf in the manual transmission, had a couple dealerships tell us the same thing, we scratched our heads over it for awhile, couldn't figure out why.
Scott
Scott
06-03-2011, 12:09 AM
#14
Safety Car
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Rick B.
06-03-2011, 08:59 AM
#15
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06-03-2011, 09:06 AM
#16
Le Mans Master
I was aware that some newer manual transmissions used automatic fluid like the 4+3 in the C4's as well as my 1988 Mustang 5.0 manual but have never seen it specified for older 4 speeds like the M22/M21/Borg Warner Super T-10's or in any C3. So are you saying that there are C3 manual transmission cars that had automatic fluid filled from the Factory?
06-03-2011, 09:48 AM
#17
I would love to see what it says in the back of an 81 owners manual concerning fluids, anybody have one?
06-03-2011, 11:54 AM
#18
Melting Slicks
On newer manual transmissions, i.e. T5, TKO, T56's, you MUST use either ATF Dexron III or Pennzoil Syncromesh (GM Syncromesh is actually called out in the literature but the Pennzoil stuff is cheaper and readily available). Gear oil is way too thick to use in these gearboxes.
Like the Muncie's, the newer 5 and 6-speeds do not work as well with a full synthetic as it is too "slippery" and does not provide enough "bite" for the syncro's and blocker rings.
Everything I know about manuals, says 75/90 is the preferred fluid for the older 4-speeds.
Richard
Technical Sales Support
American Powertrain
Like the Muncie's, the newer 5 and 6-speeds do not work as well with a full synthetic as it is too "slippery" and does not provide enough "bite" for the syncro's and blocker rings.
Everything I know about manuals, says 75/90 is the preferred fluid for the older 4-speeds.
Richard
Technical Sales Support
American Powertrain
06-03-2011, 02:30 PM
#20
Team Owner
What we drained what red and thin. Any help would be great.
I went with what the poster originally said. That and the fact that my 1991 Ford 4X4 has used ATF from day one. I worked on a 80's Camero and it had ATF in it's 5 speed. So it has probably been at least 30 years ago that major manual tranny manufacturers started using ATF. I'll research it, but ZF transaxles like in GT-40's and Panteras might have been using ATF in the late 60's
If you know anything about manual trannys how could you not hear of them using ATF?
http://www.amsoil.com/products/trans...fluid_rec.aspx
I went with what the poster originally said. That and the fact that my 1991 Ford 4X4 has used ATF from day one. I worked on a 80's Camero and it had ATF in it's 5 speed. So it has probably been at least 30 years ago that major manual tranny manufacturers started using ATF. I'll research it, but ZF transaxles like in GT-40's and Panteras might have been using ATF in the late 60's
If you know anything about manual trannys how could you not hear of them using ATF?
http://www.amsoil.com/products/trans...fluid_rec.aspx