That's it. It's a one piece casing with a steel bottom plate. My car had this originally but it broke in normal use - not really strong enough for the 956 cc Sierra engine.
EP80 transaxle oil
- Thread starter 4cvg
- Start date
I have been using this oil in 5 different vehicles, from a Dauphine Gordini to a GTA Turbo Alpine with no ill effects so far. I have also been happy with it in old BMW and Triumph bike gearboxes and BMW final drives although these have no synchros. The oil definitely clings well rather than fully draining away from the gears. I know of a few other race car owners that use this oil. There are other Redline oils that look like “normal” oils in their range that I expect would be recommended by Redline for your purposes.
Wow great thread. Since throwing in the 395 box, which I'm using the Castrol EPX80-90, it has been a bit clunky changing from 1st to 2nd and maybe 3rd. Think I might try this Redline gear oil.
How many litres do I need?
How many litres do I need?
Certainly the 80w90 I have seen cause synchros to not work well in Renault boxes, particularly in Fuegos. I used Castrol VMX80 for many years, often with a dose of the Nulon gearbox additive. I have seen Fuego gearboxes improve their synchros once the 80w90 is removed and replaced with VMX80, but I do believe the damage is often done. Suggest you change yours out.
Its interesting to see that on the Castrol website they recommend CASTROL SYNTRAX UNIVERSAL PLUS 75W-90 for the Renault Feugo, not sure what Renault changed in the NG series transaxles to its previous versions.
Castrol also recommend CASTROL SYNTRAX UNIVERSAL PLUS 75W-90 for the R18GTS that has the 395 transaxle
CASTROL SYNTRAX UNIVERSAL PLUS 75W-90
Fully synthetic automotive gear oil, recommended for vehicles with manual transaxles that combine gearbox and hypoid differentials; eg. Toyota Celica 4WD, Subaru, Porsche and Alfa Romeo. Recommended for use in manual transmission where 75W-90 GL-4 or 5 lubricants are recommended. Suitable for rear exles of light cars and secondary drive axles of 4WD vehicles for reduced viscous drag and enhanced fuel efficiency, especially for around town service.
Penrite also recommend their 75 - 80 or similar and I can tell you it doesn't work in my R17TS. Eventually the syncros will stop working. been there done that. Bought a Fugeo cheaply because the syncro was not working. Took it to a well known Brisbane Renault garage and was told. Drain oil and put in Castrol VMX 80 and within 150 kilometres syncro will be fine. Or I will take the gearbox out, wash out the wrong oil and replace it with Castrol VMX and charge $800. Please yourself. I changed it and after 150 kilometres it was changing just fine.
An update & an expansion of a comment in the initial post; the latter first:
A few years ago I used a Penrite multigrade (as recommended by the local distributor - who's not a fool & not a crook & primarily runs a mechanical engineering works). Seemed ok but come oil change time (usually every 10k Km but 5k when trying new oil), it had "gold" dust in the oil. Obviously the synchro rings were being attacked. Went back to my Penrite guy & was told that the oil was replaced by another one.
I read the bottle & it said in 3 separate places that it wouldn't attack brass. It sounded awfully like Penrite had realised that it had stuffed up & was trying to reassure irritated but not yet litigious customers. Anyway, I got it & was happy with it. Then it, too, got replaced & the new one was much less emphatic about brass safety. I decided that I didn't trust Penrite on its vague assurances & decided not to buy.
So, I switched to Castrol VMX 80. I now consider this to be a major error. Two vehicles (4CVG - 330 transaxle & Djet - Estafette transaxle with bespoke diff.) became noisy &, upon draining, had "silver" dust in the oil.
Each has now had that oil replaced by Castrol Classic EP 8OW. The 4CVG noise is dramatically reduced & the Djet less so but improved. Hopefully in each case the case hardening is not too eroded.
I'll drain again next service & examine oil state but my current appraisal is that VMX80 is rubbish which is unsuited to the high pressure loads of the diff.
The R8 is the most practical & thus most used of the 4 toys & has shown no symptoms. I can't recall what's in it but, anyway, it'll also switch to EP80W tomorrow.
My current plan is to further investigate the EP merits of the Redline oil mentioned by Alan & consider it for the Djet. I'll also discuss options with my Fuchs guy when I see him tomorrow. It might be that I switch to one or other of these instead of staying with the EP80W. It I stay with the latter, I'll get a 20 litre drum.
More later.
cheers! Peter
A few years ago I used a Penrite multigrade (as recommended by the local distributor - who's not a fool & not a crook & primarily runs a mechanical engineering works). Seemed ok but come oil change time (usually every 10k Km but 5k when trying new oil), it had "gold" dust in the oil. Obviously the synchro rings were being attacked. Went back to my Penrite guy & was told that the oil was replaced by another one.
I read the bottle & it said in 3 separate places that it wouldn't attack brass. It sounded awfully like Penrite had realised that it had stuffed up & was trying to reassure irritated but not yet litigious customers. Anyway, I got it & was happy with it. Then it, too, got replaced & the new one was much less emphatic about brass safety. I decided that I didn't trust Penrite on its vague assurances & decided not to buy.
So, I switched to Castrol VMX 80. I now consider this to be a major error. Two vehicles (4CVG - 330 transaxle & Djet - Estafette transaxle with bespoke diff.) became noisy &, upon draining, had "silver" dust in the oil.
Each has now had that oil replaced by Castrol Classic EP 8OW. The 4CVG noise is dramatically reduced & the Djet less so but improved. Hopefully in each case the case hardening is not too eroded.
I'll drain again next service & examine oil state but my current appraisal is that VMX80 is rubbish which is unsuited to the high pressure loads of the diff.
The R8 is the most practical & thus most used of the 4 toys & has shown no symptoms. I can't recall what's in it but, anyway, it'll also switch to EP80W tomorrow.
My current plan is to further investigate the EP merits of the Redline oil mentioned by Alan & consider it for the Djet. I'll also discuss options with my Fuchs guy when I see him tomorrow. It might be that I switch to one or other of these instead of staying with the EP80W. It I stay with the latter, I'll get a 20 litre drum.
More later.
cheers! Peter
Hi,
In 1990 I had a petrol garage and workshop and I was invited to a lube seminar by an independent laboratory. The speaker wrote an article in some International Car Magazine and the results of the tests were published by name brands. These test were done in controlled conditions and I think tops in the comparison was Royal Purple (not sure). However, 2nd last from a list of about 10 or 12 oils that were tested, Castrol came in 2nd last.
An explanation at the time was that Castrol did not have their own oil wells or refineries and that they bought bulk from the cheapest supplier at the time. Additives and colouring might have been added but their marketing was by far the best of all the oil companies and therefor they were so well known as a good oil. Because of this story I have never bought Castrol or will never buy it.
I am not sure if the same is still valid 30 years on but typical human, I was convinced about that story and it made a lot of sense at the time, so Castrol is a no-no for me.
Regards, Frans
In 1990 I had a petrol garage and workshop and I was invited to a lube seminar by an independent laboratory. The speaker wrote an article in some International Car Magazine and the results of the tests were published by name brands. These test were done in controlled conditions and I think tops in the comparison was Royal Purple (not sure). However, 2nd last from a list of about 10 or 12 oils that were tested, Castrol came in 2nd last.
An explanation at the time was that Castrol did not have their own oil wells or refineries and that they bought bulk from the cheapest supplier at the time. Additives and colouring might have been added but their marketing was by far the best of all the oil companies and therefor they were so well known as a good oil. Because of this story I have never bought Castrol or will never buy it.
I am not sure if the same is still valid 30 years on but typical human, I was convinced about that story and it made a lot of sense at the time, so Castrol is a no-no for me.
Regards, Frans
It's between intrigue and horror Peter! Lucky you took the precaution of an early gearbox oil change, especially for the Djet with the unique bits. Good luck and I'm sure quite a few of us will follow the "more later" with interest. Frans' comment adds a new and quite unexpected perspective too!
Regards
When I lived in Durban, South Africa, my house was in an elevated position from there I could see the MOBIL trucks delivering oil to the CASTROL facility on a daily basis, where they added their "liquid tungsten' and other additives, and then re-packaged the oil in CASTROL cans/drums for distribution.
I have used only Castrol engine oil since 1969, and despite thrashing my early R10s, I have never run a bearing. I still use their GTX today. This does not mean that it is better, and I personally believe that any make of the same specification would have probably performed just as well.
Henry
I have used only Castrol engine oil since 1969, and despite thrashing my early R10s, I have never run a bearing. I still use their GTX today. This does not mean that it is better, and I personally believe that any make of the same specification would have probably performed just as well.
Henry
Any comment on the "GL5 means brass death" point in relation to the Redline oil (I don't know if it's GL4 or 5 or what)?
I've NO idea but am interested in the answer....
Can't find any information regarding API GL ratings on this oil. So maybe it does not have one.
My local dealer also sell the Redline MTL75w80 oil. There you have all the normal recommendations regarding GL4 oil and synchrorings.
My local dealer also sell the Redline MTL75w80 oil. There you have all the normal recommendations regarding GL4 oil and synchrorings.
yep; mind you, the mtl range doesn't suit diffs
It might be that an alternative route to knowledge on the key issue (brass-friendliness) is simple empirical experience. If you or Alan (or anyone) has used the Redline oil in, say, a 330 box & has had the wit to examine the drained oil for "gold dust", then 'none detected' would count as adequate assurance.
I have Redline in my R17TS and am due to drop the box out in a month. They have exactly the same problems as 330 boxes. It didn't make any difference to the diff whine. I'll go back to VMX 80 I have never had issues with it.
Thank you for noticing
Thought I saw something about transaxles, but was very wrong there. I am very tempted to try the Shockproof oil.
Hi Rob,
Do you mean the Redline oil has given synchro problems? I've had it in my 330 for years now and if anything the gear change improved.
There's something inconsistent in the collective reports but I can't quite put my finger on it. I'd better read the whole thread again....
Cheers
No Redline never gave syncro problems that I have yet to discover, but neither does VMX 80 and why pay such a high price for oil when the much cheaper Castrol does the same job? The diff whine is there regardless of the oil used. So I will pull out the gear box, change all the oil seals, that are leaking expensive Redline everywhere, and adjust the diff to hopefully get rid of the whine. The only problem with Redline for every day use is the cost for what I see as no gain. Perhaps the expensive is justified for competition use as Alan has explained.