richhl Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 I'd appreciate latest thinking and advice / recommendations for oil for the differential (also gearbox / overdrive). Many thanks - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 EP90 for both. You need GL4 spec - NOT GL5 and I'd be wary of anything that claims it's both GL4 and GL5 combined. You'll probably have limited choice in your local Autosupplies these days, unless you buy via mail order. I ran a gearbox day in my garage last year (next one is coming up!) and had a devil of a time finding GL4 locally, eventually having to order about a gallon of the stuff from a central supplier. I'll use more of it this year again, given that some of the club cars had almost empty diffs and gearboxes and so a litre wouldn't have lasted very long. As with engine oil, go by price - a suspiciously low price will give you some idea of what the oil will be like. The two branded versions I have in the cupboard are Granville and Motaquip, all that I could find locally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 club shop !!!!! pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlubikey Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 Yes, GL4 spec, unless the manufacturer specifically states in writing his GL5 is compatible with yellow metals. A few do. This one says "Yellow Material" in the data sheet. Cheers, Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 Halfords stock GL4 oil in 80, 90 and 80/90. I have used 80/90 for more years than I care to remember... always performs well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 Why do they call it 80/90? Surely it can't be both... so why don't they call it 85? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 think its like engine oils (eg 20/50) as its got the viscosity of an 80 when cold and a 90 when hot rather than having the temperature/viscosity curve of a monograde..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 As I was fill my gearbox with halford GL 4 80/90 thought after reading the start of the thread,oh well it will be a good flush. Now the lAter replies makes me think that's OK. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 The factory spec was actually EP75 for a fill from dry, with EP90 being the top-up spec. So 80 or 80/90 should both be OK. Some people recommend 140 for diffs because of the higher average road speeds and thus higher diff temperatures these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 11 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said: Why do they call it 80/90? Surely it can't be both... so why don't they call it 85? 11 hours ago, johny said: think its like engine oils (eg 20/50) as its got the viscosity of an 80 when cold and a 90 when hot rather than having the temperature/viscosity curve of a monograde..... Johny has it spot on. We use multigrades for a very good reason in engines, and really should in gearboxes and diffs. They are often forgotten, and just because better stuff was not available at the time of manufacture does not mean we should ignore progress in oil manufacture. Gearbox stiff and notchy on a cold day until it warms up a bit? That is likely as not the oil is too thick. Use a thinner cold grade oil, so lower first number and use an original spec (or there abouts) second number and you have the best of both worlds. There is also available a gear oil that is an 85-140, so the correct sort of initial number, but maintains viscosity so in theory may work well. Moss sell it as a "noise reducer" for slightly worn components. I have some to try in my Toledo where the axle has a slight whine, but as it is the CWP it would be a massive expenditure to correct (needs new CWP) but hoping the new oil may help. Otherwise the axle is in fine fettle, doesn't even leak at all. Shame it is most noticeable at motorway cruising speed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 Many marques used 140 in the diff it dropped to 90 when hypoids with longer tooth became the normal. And it has a smell of its own , 90 smells of cats pee 140 was more skunk. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 Just to throw something extra in the ring. You could run the gearbox on 20/50 engine oil. Some people do, without issue, Andy it was standard spec in MGB ISTR. Fine for OD as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 It worked for Minis.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 all Rootes used engine oils in gearbox and OD , the laycock spec is engine oil but the Triumph gearboxes and tooth profile were not good enough and needed the ep90 so an exception was made to use 90 in the OD aswell ( well you cant seperate them ) as for using GL5 in harsh environments i can vouch that when renault changed our oil supplier and made GL5 in the bulk tanks without consulting our engineers the following year we had some reliable commer/ dodge diffs suddenly started to eat thrust washers we had used for donkeys years without problems it cost a fortune on warranty. pete death was quite quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 So much for modern 'liquid engineering'. I'll stick with the old, tried and tested stuff until someone with good engineering expeience on day to day cars, posts something different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 3 hours ago, Badwolf said: So much for modern 'liquid engineering'. That phrase should refer solely to beer, and only certain brands at that. (In fact beer is much the same as engine oil; some brands are excellent, others not so good, and some are indistinguishable from 20/50 in both taste and smell.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 Colin - Do you want me to post you some of my home brewed beer. A bit of a cross between 99 octane and hypoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlubikey Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 12 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: That phrase should refer solely to beer, and only certain brands at that. Colin, please - I think you're referring to liquid art. Liquid engineering is keg stuff, surely? Which, as (I hope) we all know, is monotonously mediocre and definitely isn't real beer! Cheers, Richard PS: Oh, and would you kindly stop using the "B" word. "Brands" are created by marketing people with their focus groups and budgets. Great beer is created by skilled artisans, and delivered to your glass by gifted publicans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 31 minutes ago, Badwolf said: Colin - Do you want me to post you some of my home brewed beer. A bit of a cross between 99 octane and hypoid. Wouldn't it soak through the envelope? 12 minutes ago, rlubikey said: Colin, please - I think you're referring to liquid art. Liquid engineering is keg stuff, surely? Which, as (I hope) we all know, is monotonously mediocre and definitely isn't real beer! Cheers, Richard PS: Oh, and would you kindly stop using the "B" word. "Brands" are created by marketing people with their focus groups and budgets. Great beer is created by skilled artisans, and delivered to your glass by gifted publicans. Oh Lord, please don't let them start on beer the same way they do with coffee. Baristas, cofficionados, they're all spotty teenagers with two hours training in how to fill a cup. I'll not offend the real ale enthusiasts other than to say: it's not to my taste. Yet. Currently: Mythos has my vote, with Hophouse13 and Mourne Mist a close second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave.vitesse Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 5 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: Wouldn't it soak through the envelope? Oh Lord, please don't let them start on beer the same way they do with coffee. Baristas, cofficionados, they're all spotty teenagers with two hours training in how to fill a cup. I'll not offend the real ale enthusiasts other than to say: it's not to my taste. Yet. Currently: Mythos has my vote, with Hophouse13 and Mourne Mist a close second. Shouldn't that be a blue colour? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted May 26, 2019 Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 Colin - What on earth makes you think that it actually moves, never mind soaks... hence the hypoid analogy! THREAD ON HIGH DRIFT ALERT.... AGAIN!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richhl Posted May 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2019 What happened to the fill tube that used to be supplied with gear oil - clipped on under the cap?? Last time I bought some (20years ago at least..) these were standard!! Does anyone sell bottles with this anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted May 27, 2019 Report Share Posted May 27, 2019 Used some comma gear oil recently, and the tube pulled out from the cap (so it goes inside the bottle) However, I have found them just too tricky for filling diffs, so resorted to the slow and thumb-aching process of using an oil squirt can (noxxle cut off, length of tube attached, so I can sit behind the car and fill. Also lets me know how much oil is lost as it only takes 250ml, so how many times does it need refilling...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted May 27, 2019 Report Share Posted May 27, 2019 I have an old weed killer sprayer with the nozzle handle missing. Put the oil in the tub, push the hose into the diff, pump the pressure up and wait while it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 27, 2019 Report Share Posted May 27, 2019 If you cant get under, whip the wheel off and access the diff level thro the gap in the chassis has the advantage of keeping the car level As not jacked up high. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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