2nd Gen Transmission Oil

[pigeon]

Does anyone have a service manual or FSM on hand, that could tell me the recommended oil and quantity for a 2nd gen Protege with an F tranny pleaseee? (is it the same as the G tranny requirements?)

Im pretty sure its a GL4 75W90 (Redline MT-90) but just want to make sure before I buy it. I gotta have a shop to do it for me, its -27 here with the windchill and my shifter feels like a spoon in molasses. Thick... crunchy.. grinding molasses :(

[beetle_orange]

Chris.

thats the right one, i changed mine not too long ago and those are what i used.

[pigeon]

Chris.

thats the right one, i changed mine not too long ago and those are what i used.
Perfect, thank you sir :)

[Shaken]

From my 98 FSM:

MANUAL TRANSAXLE
Transaxle Oil Replacement
....
Specified Oil
Grade: API service GL-4 or GL-5
Viscosity: SAE 75W-90 (All season) or SAE 80W-90 (Above 10 *C {50 *F})
Capacity
2.68L {2.83 US qt, 2.36 Imp qt}
....


Edit: This would be for an f-series tranny 'cause it is a 98 FSM. Don't know about the G-series...
Tell me about the rediculous cold all of a sudden! My shifter is the same way. It's so crappy to move around I can't tell if it's in gear or what. Let me know how the change to Redline turns out Chris. I'm due also.

[midnightblue97]

I changed to redline a couple summers ago, and didn't really notice much of a difference.
I wonder if there would be any way to actually lubricate the shifter itself?
Not that I'm saying don't change the oil, but thats likely only part of the problem.

[mannydingo]

Isn't there anything up there for you guys that can be put in the oil to keep it from doing that? You know, kind of like the way antifreeze keeps the radiator coolant(as we call it here)from getting icy. You guys might want to inquire about that.

[midnightblue97]

I think that would defeat the purpose of the higher viscosity oil needed for manual transmissions.

[wheresthericego]

I used synthetic 75w90 when I did my swap and it feels like normal

[pigeon]

Here's what I just wrote about it in my worklog (http://www.imazda.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2444).

Already, the car has a whole new feel. No more squealing from the belts, the car idles super quietly, runs a lot smoother, and the MT-90 seems to have restored the performance of my transmission. Cold driving is just as smooth as warm driving, the 5th gear no longer pops out underload on the highway, and there is no crunching or grinding during any time.

Combined with the Mobil1 synthetic oil change, the car runs suprisingly smooth for -20*C temperatures. I should have done this at the beginning of winter, it feels as if I was hurting the car all the time it operated with the old tranny oil.

[mannydingo]

Would the MT90 or MTL be better for me? We basically don't get cold weather here anymore. It's a couple of days here and there in the winter and that's it. I have a non-Mazda Ford that has a bit of trouble getting into 1st gear(my Proty shifts perfectly!) I've learned when and how to shift to avoid this difficulty but if anyone else drives the car, they're going to end up going into first gear with difficulty and maybe damaging the tranny. Would either one of these products help and if so, which one?

[pigeon]

Goldstar will be able to give you the best level of advice, as I do not consider myself extremely knowledgable in the transmission area.

I chose the MT-90 because it is the top of the line synthetic equivalent of what the manufactuer recommends. After using it this time, I will never not use it again.

All I can advice is see what the manufacturer recommends for your transmission, and use the redline equivalent. For my transmission, Mazda recommended a GL4 or GL5 75W90 for areas with hot summers and cold winters.

[Goldstar]

Would the MT90 or MTL be better for me? We basically don't get cold weather here anymore. It's a couple of days here and there in the winter and that's it. I have a non-Mazda Ford that has a bit of trouble getting into 1st gear(my Proty shifts perfectly!) I've learned when and how to shift to avoid this difficulty but if anyone else drives the car, they're going to end up going into first gear with difficulty and maybe damaging the tranny. Would either one of these products help and if so, which one?

MTL is an SAE 70W-80, GL-4 oil. We already know that it's not optimal for Proteges since they require SAE 75W-90 oil (all season). Unless your Ford specifies a M/T oil that falls within MTL's ratings, don't use it. When it comes to M/T oil, always go with the OEM recommendations for viscosity and API rating as pigeon has stated.

[mannydingo]

Thanks for the information. I'm a long time automatic tranny driver. My Proty and this recent Ford ZX2 are the first manuals I drive since I was in high school. -- Been a while now and I didn't care about working on my cars back then.

[Intruder]

I have an issue with my driver side axle inching out of the transmission (faulty C-clip? :() and part of my gear oil has leaked out. I currently have Redline MT-90 in the transmission.

Mike, is it OK to mix different brands of synthetic gear oil? I have immediate access to Valvoline 75W90 fully synthetic and I'd like to use that to fill the transmission.

[Goldstar]

Martin, yes it's completely permissable to mix different brands of synthetic M/T oils together or even to mix synth and mineral oils together if necessary (although in the latter case some of the beneficial properties of synth will be lost), assuming the correct SAE grade, without causing any problems whatsoever.

Happy Motoring!

[pigeon]

I have an issue with my driver side axle inching out of the transmission (faulty C-clip? :() and part of my gear oil has leaked out. I currently have Redline MT-90 in the transmission.

Mike, is it OK to mix different brands of synthetic gear oil? I have immediate access to Valvoline 75W90 fully synthetic and I'd like to use that to fill the transmission.
If you wait for the tracking number to arrive, it has 3 quarts of MT90 in it. :D

[Intruder]

:angel:

Oh, wow! I'm going to keep it then. I'll use it when I reassemble the transmission after the LSD install.