Dennis K

I've tried Swepco, Redline & Mobil 1 in my car, all 75w90. For cold shifting, I'd rank Mobil 1 best, Redline 2nd and Swepco 3rd. Mobil 1 is the smoothest on that first upshift in the morning.

For ultimate heat resistance, I don't have enough experience w/ Mobil 1 to judge, but Redline is definitely better than Swepco. During a 90 deg track day, at the end of the 30 minute session, Swepco would clash a little on upshifts. The next week I went back with Redline in the box but now it was 110 degrees ambient. No clashes at all even at the end of sessions.

SharkSkin

I've been pretty happy with the redline, 1 qt. NS & the rest regular RL 75-90. Really smoothed up the shifting, though I haven't compared it to anything else.

Shane

I bought my redline today...

Pulled the fill plug, and from the looks of things someone has definately been there before me, so I know it doesn't have original gear oil in it.

The gear oil that came out was clean and looked good, I just have no record what so ever on when it was last changed or with what?

Got what I guess is the standard Hairy Plug Syndrome on the drain magnet:



Once I get this on the road I'll give out my impressions over the mystery lube that was in my tranny.

Thanks and

SharkSkin

As long as none of those are large chunks, you should be fine...

Flott Leben

Thanks, Louie. Interesting info. I wish the Redline tech had told me that when I called them about the Shockproof two years ago. Although their website does say this for the Shockproof heavy: "Recommended for heavily-loaded racing differentials and transmissions..." So, there must be some transmissions for which it is recommended.

Mike Frye

I put Redline in mine over the weekend, sorry, no apparent change. Still a little tough getting into gear when it's cold (can't wait for winter, this ought to be interesting), still have trouble finding second every once in a while when I'm in a hurry. The rest seems about the same.

The old stuff couldn't possibly have been original after 200+k, (I hope) but it did smell pretty funky. Typical hairy drain plug too. No gear teeth came out though .

BC

I need to bring this back up for a quick question. For some reason, this has always confused me.

The "NS" label means "non-slippery"? So the 75/90 that does not have NS on it IS slippery?

Does anyone think its stupid to put the NON NS fluid into a "newly rebuilt" early box? I also bough the friction modifier. Why would I need this?

I have a rebuilt LSD in there as well

SharkSkin

Brendan, I don't have LSD but as you know I have a rebuilt transaxle. I put a mix of 3 qts RL 75/90 to just under 2 qts RL 75/90 NS in there. I had put 3RL/1RL-NS in the troublesome old trans and while it wasn't perfect, it was perfectly driveable, if you know what I mean. Made a big difference. My experience with the old trans gave me a lot of confidence to do the same with the fresh box. I had been told by Tom R. that the synchros would take longer - maybe forever - to break in properly on synthetic. The mix has worked out great, synchros are breaking in just fine.

Based on the warning about full synthetics, and my own experience that the NS appears to have had the desired effect of helping the synchros grip on both transaxles, I would think that you should avoid going 100% non-NS. Given that you have LSD, you DEFINITELY need the NS or friction modifier so the LSD will work properly.

BC

The NS DOESN'T have the friction modifiers and the non-NS does. You see why I am confused?

SharkSkin

OK, I went to the Redline site and brushed up. The friction modifier makes it MORE slippery. The verbiage on both the 75/90 NS page and the friction modifier page backs this up. So the misinterpretation is that you want "Non-Slippery" for an LSD.

It' a bit counter-intuitive that you want a more slippery lube for LSD, but there it is. They also specifically mention the benefit to synchros of using NS, though I don't remember seeing that info years ago when I started using it.

75/90 NS
75/90
Friction Modifier

SharkSkin

Shane, I'm sure that "cold morning shifts" means something different for you than it does for me. 55°F in the garage at 7:30 this morning...

Sounds like you're getting good results, I'll have to consider the Schaeffer lube when it's time to dump the break-in lube I'm using now. Do you know of anyone that can talk about their experiences with it in an early box?

BC

What break in lube are you using dave?

SharkSkin

Thanks Shane, I will if he doesn't check in to this thread himself.

Brendan, as I said above, 2 parts NS to 3 parts regular RL. To be clear, it's not a special "break-in lube" per se, it's just what I am using and it will be changed out once the trans is broken in.

BC

Why would you change it out?

Tom. M

Hey Shane,
What is the Schaeffer stuff? I have to change out the oil in my track car tranny (very notchy synchros) and if this stuff works in the old boxes (28/05 tranny) I might give it a go...

BTW my Redline heavyweight shockproof in the GT is doing great.except for having to drive a few miles before the notchiness goes away... Will switch that out to the lightweight shockproof next time....