Old gear boxes new question
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Old gear boxes new question
Hi all
I’ve been hearing lots of talk lately about using ATF in manual transmissions. A very reputable engine and race car builder told me that they use it in T56 race gear boxes. This was during a discussion about what oil to run in the Richmond Super T10 I have in the racing Corvette. This was the guy that built that car and engine back in the 90s and his memory was a bit dim but he thought it was using ATF. Obviously I can drain it and see but I’d like to have the right oil at the ready to refill it. My road going 84 has Penrite mineral heavy duty gear oil 80W-90 in the BW Super T10 side of it. it is quite and changes gears nicely. I’ve also talked to people who run ATF in BMW Getrag 260 5 speed manual transmissions for racing.
I’m interested in hearing from anyone who has experience with using ATF in manual racing transmissions.
I’ve been hearing lots of talk lately about using ATF in manual transmissions. A very reputable engine and race car builder told me that they use it in T56 race gear boxes. This was during a discussion about what oil to run in the Richmond Super T10 I have in the racing Corvette. This was the guy that built that car and engine back in the 90s and his memory was a bit dim but he thought it was using ATF. Obviously I can drain it and see but I’d like to have the right oil at the ready to refill it. My road going 84 has Penrite mineral heavy duty gear oil 80W-90 in the BW Super T10 side of it. it is quite and changes gears nicely. I’ve also talked to people who run ATF in BMW Getrag 260 5 speed manual transmissions for racing.
I’m interested in hearing from anyone who has experience with using ATF in manual racing transmissions.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 6,930
Likes: 1,487
From: New Jersey
There are a lot of manual gearboxes that spec atf ive seen.
Iirc t56 does spec dex 3 but could be remembering wrong.
I have stalube 80 90 in mine at the moment and it helped the notchiness when cold quite a bit.
Iirc t56 does spec dex 3 but could be remembering wrong.
I have stalube 80 90 in mine at the moment and it helped the notchiness when cold quite a bit.
Last edited by 84 4+3; Jun 18, 2020 at 10:59 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
My road car has he Penrite 80w-90 and it improved the gear box remarkably. Penrite is an Australian oil brand and very trusted here. I guess it’s the way you guys think of Royal Purple. But I am interested in how I can use Dex III.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 6,930
Likes: 1,487
From: New Jersey
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Yeah and maybe different synchro material but what’s interesting is the old guy that built the car said he thought the gear box should use ATF. He is old now but still building engines and cars. It’s well known that he won’t let a SBC leave his workshop unless it will rev to 8000 so he is no dummy. He might be confused about the Super T10 but it would be silly to discount what he said.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 287
From: Brisbane Australia
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Well I’ve done some reading and it looks like quite a few gearboxes use ATF including a number of Getrag and ZF transformations (BMW etc). As far as the Richmond Super T10 it looks like they recommend a GL6 class of oil in the newer versions of the user manual.(my version of the manual just says use a quality racing oil).