[Spridgets] Motor Oil in the Gear Box

Bill Masquelier billmasq at hotmail.com
Mon Mar 22 15:30:48 MST 2010


I have run across this problem with Datsun trannys in both Spridgets and
Datsuns (crunching into various gears) and the only solution that I ever found
that worked was to put common 30 wgt (or better yet non-detergent 30 wgt) in
instead of the honey syrup.
The Datsun engineers probably spent years determining that 90 wgt was better I
have never found this to be the case.
Your results may vary but mine have always been the same.
BillM

> Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:38:15 -0700
> From: rrengineer at dslextreme.com
> To: dlh2001 at comcast.net
> CC: spridgets at autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Motor Oil in the Gear Box
>
> Rivergate probably used the same after market synchros that Paul did on my
> rebuilt transmission.  When I told him it would crunch going into 3rd gear,
> he said the synchros had the wrong angle machined into them.  He sent me a
> set of the best used Datsun synchros he could pick out.  He offered to
> rebuild it with the used synchros, but I did not want to go through the
> hassle of shipping it from Southern California back up to him.  I decided
to
> have a trans shop or some knowledgeable Spridget list member help me swap
> them out.  Interesting though, I had Castrol synthetic GL-5 85w-90 oil in
it
> when it was crunching in 3rd (hot or cold).  I recently bought regular
> Sta-Lube Hypoid GL-4 85W-90 gear oil and drained out all the old oil and
> replaced it.  Now it crunches in 2nd sometimes!?!  WTF?  Now I am wondering
> what Redline MT-90 will do to the shifting?  In any case I have to baby it
> when shifting and cross my fingers when I downshift in ANY gear.  There is
> some improvement when it warms up as you are experiencing Dean, but I don't
> think that is good enough.  I am quite sure it never crunched in any gear
> when it was in a Datsun 210 and only had regular GL-4 gear oil in it.  I
> believe the synchros are yours and my problem.
> Mike MacLean
>
> On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 10:05 PM, Dean Hedin <dlh2001 at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > Interesting.  I was worried that I initialy put in 85w (I recently
switched
> > Mobil synthetic 75w)
> >
> > I have two issues with my 5-speed.
> >
> > The first issue is the tendency of the 1st to 2nd shift crunch.  This is
> > worse when the tranny is cold and goes away as it warms up.
> > I can avoid it when the tranny is cold by gently performing the shift,
> > which I do religously now.
> >
> > Putting in the 75w made the situation a little better.  I would also say
> > that over time this tendency to crunch appears to be on the
> > decline.  Maybe as a result of the synchos breaking in?   All other gears
> > shift wonderfully.
> >
> > The second item is that the tranny is a little noisy when idling and in
> > neutral.   It's a clattering noise. kinda like the tank tread noise
> > you hear in old WWII movies.  It's not very loud but it's louder than I
> > expect.
> >
> > If  I depress the clutch the noise goes away.
> >
> > I should mention that this tranny was rebuilt by Rivergate when I bought
> > the kit a little over a year ago.
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: rrengineer @dslextreme.com
> > Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Motor Oil in the Gear Box
> >
> >
> > Dean,
> >    I just happen to have a 1980 Datsun 210 service manual.  The type of
> > gear oil required in the manual is API GL-4.  The viscosity according to
the
> > viscosity chart for temp range of 100 degrees F down to -20 and beyond is
> > 80W-90.  If you are going to operate in temps above 100 degrees F
straight
> > 140 wt.
> > Mike MacLean
> > 60 Sprite
> > 56 BN2
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