Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 16:37:42 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Tim
Subject: Transaxle Oil ?
A question to all.
What different types of Transale Oil's are you all using ?
As it's time to change mine and it's been a while since I changed an Imps oil I just wanted to know what everyone is using.
Best wishes
Tim
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 16:48:30 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Simon Trickett
Subject: RE: Transaxle Oil ?
I Use Morris Oils EP80/90, Morris Oils are famous in motorbike racing.
They have been making oil for years!! top quality
bye
Simon Trickett
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 23:42:41 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Nickcleak@aol.com
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
Castrol Syntrax 75 / 90 synthetic gear oil
I have been using this for a few years now with excellent results.
It has less resistance to rolling especially in the winter and increases fuel economy, also it doesn't deteriorate.
It helps first gear engagement on the move too !
Nick ...
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 18:50:16 -0400 (EDT)
From: Gary Henderson
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
Hi Tim
I was wondering if anybody had info re use of Castrol VMX. It's touted as "for gearboxes of Japanese cars" and certainly gives improved synchro performance & smoother action to middle-aged Mitsi boxes. However, it occurs to me that most of the target market has east-west engines and therefore no hypoid final drive. So how do Subarus like the stuff? And if it's OK for them, what's fundamentally different with an Imp unit? Any ideas?
Cheers
GaryH
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 18:50:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: Gary Henderson
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
Hi again
While on the subject of filling transaxles...
I made a simple contraption to greatly ease this task. Take the cap of an empty container of your favourite brew of transmission oil, drill it to take a tyre-valve and about 0.5 m of clear tubing, say 8 mm bore. Hotmelt glue the lot together with the tube positioned to reach the bottom of the oil container, then you only need to fit it to a full container, add one bike pump, and you are about one minute away from a full transaxle.
It's worthwhile heating the ends of the tube slightly, to form a flair and a slight lip - the flare helps the treacle to flow and the lip stops the tube flicking out of the filler-hole at inconvenient moments...
Parking the oil container in warm water for a few minutes also helps.
Cheers
GaryH
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 02:10:02 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Mike & Tich Marsh
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
You should market those things...
Mike
At 08:50 AM 18/06/1998 +1000, you wrote:
>I made a simple contraption to greatly ease this task.
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 20:15:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: Paul Greville
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
Hi Tim,
I use Shell EP80/90.
Regards,
Paul Greville
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 06:44:30 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Gary Henderson
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
Hi Mike
Seeing how many different preferred flavours there are, each with its own design of plastic can, you'd need "57 Varieties"!
The ancestral one (my father made it) was in a metal can, but then you had to transfer the treacle to the can first. The cap version saves heaps of spills!
Cheers
GaryH
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:49:23 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Allan Duncan
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
> Castrol Syntrax 75 / 90 synthetic gear oil
> It helps first gear engagement on the move too ! Is this a Hypoy class of oil? It isn't just a gearbox, there is a diff. as well, and that dictates the performance needed.
I've used a Castrol hypoy for years, and the first gear synchro is more a matter of baulk ring health than anything else. Can't say what the oil flavour is - the names have all changed to things starting with V's, any way it wasn't the limited slip grade, I did try that, but it was a little too thick in winter.
My current 1st gear lockout is more a function of a clutch plate that wants to stick to the flywheel - I need to remember to select 3rd or 4th for a moment when first starting to break it free, then it is fine.
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 12:25:24 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Paul Waites
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
Hi All,
Personally speaking I use el-cheapo 20/50 oil for the engine and ep80-90 for the transaxle, bought in bulk from my local motor factors, (I think that the brand is Planet oils). My thinking behind this is that it is more frequent changes are more benefit than using modern oils, plus the engine was designed at a time when what is now cheap old syle 20/50 oils where probably the cutting edge.
I Liked the idea of the transaxle filler. About a month ago I changed my transaxle because the input shaft was whining (this was just when the coolist was at its most temermental and all my posts dissapeared and were never seen on the list. Just at a time when I needed advise, sympathy & bandages for the grazed knuckes). The technique I used to fill the transaxle (Before I realised it was the input shaft and I'd need to change it anyway), was to raise the car evenly all the way round so that I could crawl underneath. Have one assistant filling the small gearoil bottle from my large container and I would grunt and squirm and contort my way into the space to squeeze its contents into the transaxle. The indication that it was full was when I could feel it running back along my arm down up my sleeve!
Paul.
p.s I now have the offending transaxle in the garage and want to fix the input shaft, I hope it is just the roller bearings as they look as though they can be replaced, but as for the ball bearing it looks as though the whole of the gearbox needs dismantling to replace it... Has anyone tried this, or is it a chequebook repair.
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 00:52:11 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Gary Henderson
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
Hi again
While on the subject of filling transaxles...
I made a simple contraption to greatly ease this task. Take the cap of an empty container of your favourite brew of transmission oil, drill it to take a tyre-valve and about 0.5 m of clear tubing, say 8 mm bore. Hotmelt glue the lot together with the tube positioned to reach the bottom of the oil container, then you only need to fit it to a full container, add one bike pump, and you are about one minute away from a full transaxle.
It's worthwhile heating the ends of the tube slightly, to form a flair and a slight lip - the flare helps the treacle to flow and the lip stops the tube flicking out of the filler-hole at inconvenient moments...
Parking the oil container in warm water for a few minutes also helps.
Cheers
GaryH
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 05:44:38 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Allan Duncan
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
> I Liked the idea of the transaxle filler. About a month ago I changed my
> transaxle because the input shaft was whining.
> The technique I used to fill the
> transaxle (Before I realised it was the input shaft and I'd need to change
> it anyway), was to raise the car evenly all the way round so that I could
> crawl underneath. Have one assistant filling the small gearoil bottle from
> my large container and I would grunt and squirm and contort my way into
> the space to squeeze its contents into the transaxle. The indication that
> it was full was when I could feel it running back along my arm down up my
> sleeve!
It is a whole lot easier to do when the transaxle isn't in the car, as it obviously was just before you filled it!. Since I normally start this filling exercise just after I have had it apart (and is therefore empty) I leave the 3" cover off, invert the t.a. and just pour in the specified 2 1/2 litres. If it leaks to the point of needing topping up, then you need to pull it out anyway.
On the topic of leaking - over the years I have tried various methods, including the Hylomar in the manual, but the best by far is Loctite 555 with a type N primer. It is an easy cleanup when you next pull it apart. If people are interested say so and I'll explain my technique for using it.
> p.s I now have the offending transaxle in the garage and want to fix the
> input shaft, I hope it is just the roller bearings as they look as though
> they can be replaced, but as for the ball bearing it looks as though the
> whole of the gearbox needs dismantling to replace it... Has anyone tried
> this, or is it a chequebook repair.
It will be the rear ball race that is whining. To replace it you may need to heat up the housing to 100C or more, and knock it out from the inside.
You can do this without a full dismantle - you just need to split the gear box part of the housing from the rest, but having got it all out on the bench I would normally do a full strip and rebuild. For a beginner it is a lot harder, particularly if you have to fudge a few things as you don't have the special tools and jigs, or the 'selected' washers to set the clearances.
Oh, btw, to heat up the casing, clean very thorougly then place in an oven at 150C for at least 30min (sit on a tray so nothing drips where mother/wife/girlfriend won't like it) with the bearings uppermost. Have the new bearing, leather gloves, drifts to knock out bearing etc. ready. Knock out old one, drop in and seat new one, AND MAKE SURE that the diff. tail cup is still firmly seated (use brass drift with square end to catch the narrow edge).
Hypoy oil stinks when hot so take all necessary precautions for deflecting derisory comments.
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 07:20:51 +0100 (WET DST)
From: kenneth barlow
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
Another very easy way to raise the car, or give more room, is to park the car with two wheels on the curb (only if the road is quite banked) either side, or rear wheels do the trick.
Kenneth
P.s It is really only feasible if you can find a quiet street. (busy ones can be dangerous) :)
Oh, my page got updated on 16th (approx) again
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~kbarlow
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 19:23:57 +0100 (WET DST)
From: Paul Waites
Subject: Re: Transaxle Oil ?
Thanks for the advice, I'd rather dreaded that it would be the ball race.
I've not dismantled a transaxle before, so reckon that after whatr you've written this box will be put amongst the 'jobs still to do', pile and won't get done for some time. I'll try to pluck up courage after the National. I've other bits to mend on the Stiletto just to get it in a fit state for the journey. (Trivial things like king pins, wheel bearings, MOT's and the likes). Thanks for the advice anyhow.
Paul