TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue May 21, 2024 5:29 pm

Hey everyone,

I’ll preface Im aware of the controversy on gear oil for these transaxles. Have spent hours looking on samba and other forums for a solid answer. Too much clutter. I’ve called German transaxles of America and was recommended to use a traditional GL4 oil since I believe the trans has never been opened up before. I’ve been recommended the valvoline 80w-90 full synthetic from another transaxle shop in California, but after looking closer at that bottle, it says not for synchro manual transmissions. I have recently put the Sta-Lube 85-90 GL4 in my 002 transaxle. I honestly did not like it, I had rough shifting when cold, even notchy when warmed up. Weird, intermittent noises.

I’m looking for advice on gear oil I should put in my 6 Rib? I just swapped the bell housing and input shaft for my setup. Transaxle has not been rebuilt to my knowledge or ever opened up until now. A simple answer of what others have used and found success, would be great. I’m aware of the BG ultra guard, redline, swepco. But it sounds like those are only used for transaxle that have been freshly rebuilt. (Correct me if I’m wrong)

Tue May 21, 2024 6:07 pm

r atwell is your friend.

https://www.ratwell.com/technical/GearOil.html

Tue May 21, 2024 6:14 pm

That was lasted up 10 plus years ago. I’ve used his recommendation with trying stalube in my 002 and I was not a bigfan of it.

I’m hoping to get a few personal experiences of what some people are running in this current year.

Tue May 21, 2024 6:41 pm

I would start with Valvoline 75-90 for GL-4 & 5. And Hypoid gear w/ open or limited slip differentials. >>> Cheap enough to dump if you don't like the shift quality.<<< ($12/quart)

Tue May 21, 2024 7:18 pm

I have been using VW/Audi G 005 000 gear oil for my 091 transaxle for years. At some point I changed it to some off the shelf (I forget) gear oil one weekend. The shift quality, especially cold was poor.

Went back to the G 005 000 and all is well.

Tue May 21, 2024 10:07 pm

For the finest in old tech compatible dino goo,
Swepco 203 (or 201 - the fetish of all early Porsche 911 owners)

alternatively,
John @ Aircooled.net was really into Amsoil Severe Duty Gear Oil 75W-90

or if you want to maximize your "GL-4" fancy, MOTUL 300

I have heard it's a great idea to NEVER use Redline
a bunch of Vanagon guys were really bitching about it

also If you're feeling sporty, throw some synthetic sperm whale oil in whatever you use --
with some Lubegard "yellow" .. their gear fluid supplement ..
can loosen up the dino oil on a cold morning

there are a LOT of opinions on this subject

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=276529

Tue May 21, 2024 11:44 pm

Swepco 201 all day any day.

I do my own gearboxes and will never use anything else.

No, it’s not cheap.

Wed May 22, 2024 5:33 am

I got STP from Autozone in both of my gear boxes. It works just fine.

https://www.autozone.com/greases-and-gear-oil/lubr...0+gear+oil

Thu May 23, 2024 3:51 pm

Clatter wrote: Swepco 201 all day any day.

I do my own gearboxes and will never use anything else.

No, it’s not cheap.

Would you recommend swepco 201, for a stock transaxle that hasn’t been rebuilt?

Thu May 23, 2024 8:48 pm

timvw7476 wrote: I would start with Valvoline 75-90 for GL-4 & 5. And Hypoid gear w/ open or limited slip differentials. >>> Cheap enough to dump if you don't like the shift quality.<<< ($12/quart)

Can you link? The valvoline 75-90 I’m looking at states something along the lines of recommended use for non- synchronized transmissions….

Also if my transaxle has never been opened up, does my 091 from a 76 bay, have moly coated synchros? I’ve heard if I use a GL5 and they’re moly coated, I will instantly ruin the transaxle.

Thu May 23, 2024 9:06 pm

You’re thinking way too hard on this. Put some 80/90 in it, Valvoline, STP, Super Tech all work just fine.

Thu May 23, 2024 9:22 pm

The transaxle on my 78 Bay was rebuilt by German Transaxle in Bend. The put in a Peloquin LSD at the time.

Their recommendation and supplied transaxle oil was Syncro Shift II, which I have been running with no issues for the last 6 years.
https://www.amazon.com/Syncro-Shift%C2%AE-792-Pock...1&th=1

Fri May 24, 2024 5:59 am

richparker wrote: You’re thinking way too hard on this. Put some 80/90 in it, Valvoline, STP, Super Tech all work just fine.

This.
IMO you are asking too much from your oil in something that has never been rebuilt. When you get down to it you really do not know the overall condition of your transaxle let alone total mileage of the unit.

As for myself I run the Sta-lube 85-90 GL4 in both of my 002 transaxles with no issues. Also both have been rebuilt.

Fri May 24, 2024 11:05 am

Ethandomantay wrote: Clatter wrote: Swepco 201 all day any day.

I do my own gearboxes and will never use anything else.

No, it’s not cheap.

Would you recommend swepco 201, for a stock transaxle that hasn’t been rebuilt?

Yes.

Fri May 24, 2024 11:12 am

richparker wrote: You’re thinking way too hard on this. Put some 80/90 in it, Valvoline, STP, Super Tech all work just fine.

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Take apart enough gearboxes and it becomes -real- obvious which ones ran cheap oil.

I had a gear go in that was an experiment. (0.77 4th - got talked into it)
Since i wasn't sure I'd keep it, i just used some cheap gear oil from the FLAPS.
The gear was indeed a bad choice, motor wouldn't pull it, and it came back out in less than a couple hundred miles tops.
Gear galled in only that short time.

Eric Ballard gave me a tongue-lashing when i tried to turn it in for a swap.
"You used cheap oil!!"
He was pissed at me because it -was- a nice gear.

I've since done enough of these to know that it does matter.
Especially in a Bus that sees highway use.

Fri May 24, 2024 11:14 am

And... Yeah...
No oil will repair a box that needs rebuilt.
:roll:

Fri May 24, 2024 1:17 pm

“It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little.

When you pay too much, you lose a little money - that's all.

When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you
bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do."

- John Ruskin

i have a bus friend that would always buy the cheapest gear box oil... i used to find it offensive and reckless, because he had some really special buses...
not surprisingly, he was also the friend who would tell me stories about how great Rancho's warranties were.. LOL

Fri May 24, 2024 1:42 pm

It’s wild to me that Rancho offers warranties and says basically any hypoid 80ish-90 weight would be fine.

Also wild that there isn’t a single picture of a damaged synchro/cone from GL5 on the internet. Just some rumors that have made people worry for the better part of two decades….

Robbie

Sat May 25, 2024 10:20 am

airschooled wrote: It’s wild to me that Rancho offers warranties and says basically any hypoid 80ish-90 weight would be fine.

Also wild that there isn’t a single picture of a damaged synchro/cone from GL5 on the internet. Just some rumors that have made people worry for the better part of two decades….

Robbie

Yeah,
I asked Eric at Transworks about gl4 vrs gl5. He said either are fine. I told him about the 091 synchro problem using GL4 and said that was BS

Sat May 25, 2024 11:42 am

Adding to that, after picking up my freshly rebuilt trans, I asked Eric what to run for oil, given the fact that the bus is condemned to spend it's life on the freeway turning 4K. He recommended full synthetic 75/140. I'm using Valvoline's version (NOT cheap), and it seems to be working great. FWIW