dougdye

Does anyone have a recommendation for trans fluid for a six speed Boxster S, year 2000? My car is hard to shift into second gear when cold. Since it now has 44,000 miles on it, I thought changing the fluid might help.

blinkwatt

Do not use Redline MT-90 on the 6-spd tranny,seems like it doesn't mix well with it. Swepco offers a tranny fluid that is supposed to match up well with the 6-spd from what others have said.

dennisafrompa

Since you only need 3 quarts, spend the money and buy the Porsche fluid. i think it's about 20 bucks a quart.

judd944

how often should this be changed?

arenared

Its not a cost issue. IMHO, the factory fill is junk. Mine is a 2000 S 6-speed, and the shifting was intolerable despite dealer "adjustments". Ive used a couple different Redline synthetics including the MT-90 and had no problem and the shifting is vastly better. Note the MT90 is GL4, but I dont care. You can read on about the debate between GL4 and GL5. If not for Redline, I would probably not have the car. I come from shifting Japanese cars, and the shifting on the Boxster 6-speeds is garbage. Thats my opinion--take it for whatever its worth--not here to debate it. BTW, you need 4 quarts (almost).

dennisafrompa

OK,OK !

gfl

I think the spec is 90k miles. I will do it by 60k. But I doubt it has anything to do with your 2nd gear grinding. Sounds like a worn synchro - sorry to say.

be gentle until it is warm.

Grant

schwank

I asked my local about changing fluid and they said they only change manual tranny fluid if there is a problem. I personally feel the 6 speed is a bit notchy, and the car has 53K. It doesn't grind but when cold it does not fall into 3rd gear very well.

I am thinking of just doing it myself. Have done it many times in the 944 but something tells me the 986S box is a tad harder to get to.

Doug Hillary

Hi,
dougdye - It is unwise to use a GL4 transmission lubricant where a GL5 is specified. This is due to the shock loading and Extreme Pressure (EP) requirements of the GL5 specification amongst others.
It can also be a metallurgy issue with some specific lubricants

Castrol make arguably the best gear lubricants and they specify their SAF-XO which may not be available in the US - it may be in Canada

What area do you live in and what is the minimum overnight temp?

Mobil's synthetic LS 75w-90 may be a suitable replacement

Regards

AlpharettaRK

As I mentioned in the earlier thread Mobil1 75-90 reduced my hard cold shifting a lot, to the point where it is almost not noticeable. I guess I should add that "cold" is relative, I'm not sure where you are. Here in Atlanta 30 degrees is "cold".
It's not really a hard job but you really need to be able to get both ends of the car in the air, perhaps ramps in front and jackstands in the rear. Removing the undertray is not hard, but you do need a special ($40 worth of special)12 pt security socket to drain the fluid and a large, I think 17mm hex key wrench for the fill plug. (make sure you can get the fill plug out before you drain the fluid!) Samstag is probaly your best bet for both. I know you need these for a 5 speed, I assume you need them for a 6 spd as well.
Cheers
Randy

arenared

Only on the 5-speed.

blinkwatt

What is different from the 6-spd compared to a 5-spd?

dm_n_stuff

The plugs for the six speed do not require special wrenches and you fill the gearbox until it runs out the fill hole, which is different than the 5 speed, IIRC from the book.

Why isn't there more noise being made about Swepco? I've used it in other cars with great success. I have not done the gearbox in the Boxster S yet, but was planning on it this winter, and was thinking Swepco 201 80-90 which is GL5.

I do have to say I have not put it in a newer gearbox, only ones on cars from the 60's and 70's. But, I thought the folklore was that Porsche guys swore by Swepco.

schwank

Dunno... I used MT90 in the non LSD 944 tranny's with success to date. But it's not up to snuff for the 986.

Swepco does have a good reputation though. I don't know specifically about Boxster applications however.

dougdye

Hello everyone who replied:
Thanks for the great information! My car doesn't grind going into second gear, it is just difficult to engage when the temperature is around freezing, especially if I haven't driven the car during the week. After reading the Bentley manual on performing the fluid change, I am going to leave it to the experts as you must remove quite a few components and as someone mentioned, raise the car at both ends. I was quoted $140.00 by Weissach in Vancouver, BC. That doesn't seem to be a bad price given to fluid will be about $60.00. Any further recommendations would be appreciated.