So here's my situation... - Transmission Forum

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So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 2:43 AM
1995 ohv with manual transmission, I've heard alot of wierd things about changing transmission fluid, some people say it will start slipping if you change it at high miles... my car is just about to turn over 100k miles, im almost positive the kid who owned the car before me never change it, should i both changing it? should i drain half and fill the rest up with new? is it ok to mix transmission fluids(whatevers in there now with new stuff which prob isnt the same brand or type)?
my car shifts and drives perfectly now, should i bother?
also what fluid do i use? some people say gear oil, some say syncromesh? is penzoil syncromesh alright?

sorry about my terrible grammer and spelling, half asleep asking this..




Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 6:43 AM
I would change your fluid, i did mine at 100,000 because that is what the service record suggested. It was an automatic but i dont think that would matter much, if anyting you should probably have changed yours sooner. Drain if from the plug and put stock the fluid back in the tranny and you will be all set!
Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 7:32 AM
5spd you don't have a maintenance on trans fluid. its just a GM thing there 5spd transmissions are built as a maintenance free unit 5spd oil doesn't get hot like the auto trans do so it doesn't break down as fast

i had 220 000km on my 97 sunfire GT never changed it i have new oil in my current trans but thats only because i swapped in the trans with the new motor and it all leaked out the drive shaft holes when putting it in.

if its low you have a leak and have to fix it if its not low its fine you don't have to touch it and get the fluid from GM if you really feel like doing it. i would leave it alone unless you have issues if your grinding gears then (like most isuzus) do when there old its from bent shift forks not oil

95s i'm almost 100% sure our sincromesh fluid



JBO since July 30, 2001
Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 8:33 AM
NOTa2_4 wrote:...if its low you have a leak and have to fix it if its not low its fine you don't have to touch it and get the fluid from GM if you really feel like doing it. i would leave it alone unless you have issues if your grinding gears then (like most isuzus) do when there old its from bent shift forks not oil

gonna go with this idea, i dont have the grinding problem, i have the no go into gear when cold problem.....not all the time but ONLY 3rd gear when cold sometimes takes a little wiggling to get in, got that feeling like if you were putting it in 1st when doing 30mph or so....but i ease it in and everything works out, hasnt been much of a problem at all its rare but it happens, also i know manuals do not have a dip stick, is there a way to tell if it's low? should i just throw a little bit in incase some has burn up over the 100k miles it's been driven



Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 12:20 PM
I would change it. Neing as ti is a manual you do not have to worry about the tranny slipping. That is auto's. It really can make a hugh difference in shifting smoothness if you change it.



FU Tuning



Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 1:57 PM
cause you know if its not broke and it has a no maintenance hell lets look for work

i would leave it alone put that money to something useful like another repair or debt or something the cold weather thing happens to to almost ebery izusu thats nothing to do with the trans its the shift linkage

pretty sure you have a dipstick there should be a white handle on the trans at the back of it below the ABS mast might be covered in grease and road dirt but on the izusus thats how you will them and i believe theres a dipstick attached

its the same with the eaton superchargers there a service free unit aswett there only 2 ways to drain the fluid from them remove the charger or suck it out (M90) so for them unless the coupler is worn out that gets left alone too and its a gear oil in there. if its has a maintenance schedule then change it but if its a service freem itme don't go looking for repairs thats stupid.



JBO since July 30, 2001
Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 2:40 PM
I have 150k plus on mine that came with my donar car. yet the yard i got from had drained all the fluids. so i needed to change and she running great.



Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 3:05 PM
changing fluid in a manual doesn't cause it to slip.

manuals are not automatics.
The fluid inside a manual has nothing to do with engagement (ie. torque converter), it just lubricates the gears and the differential.




Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 5:03 PM
NOTa2_4 wrote:cause you know if its not broke and it has a no maintenance hell lets look for work

i would leave it alone put that money to something useful like another repair or debt or something the cold weather thing happens to to almost ebery izusu thats nothing to do with the trans its the shift linkage

pretty sure you have a dipstick there should be a white handle on the trans at the back of it below the ABS mast might be covered in grease and road dirt but on the izusus thats how you will them and i believe theres a dipstick attached

its the same with the eaton superchargers there a service free unit aswett there only 2 ways to drain the fluid from them remove the charger or suck it out (M90) so for them unless the coupler is worn out that gets left alone too and its a gear oil in there. if its has a maintenance schedule then change it but if its a service freem itme don't go looking for repairs thats stupid.

Almost positive manuals do not have dipsticks...I will give it a look tomorow or next time I'm under the hood, it's been way too cold around here to even bother looking. Maybe this is a myth or something but here's what I've heard, as the gears get worn out, there is more space between them and all the worn out gear particles mix with the fluid and cause the fluid to become thicker and making up for the extra space, when drained and filled with cleaner(thinner) fluid, it starts slipping. Although my transmission knowledge is terrible...for now I'll leave it alone since it's way too cold to bother working on the car and it's working fine (even though the way that sounds, that could apply to oil changes too like why oil change, the engine runs fine lol I do change it every 3k don't get wrong impression). If you guys believe it's maintenance free, then I'll leave it for now and figure something out next spring/summer....thanks all



Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 8:08 PM
96-99 manual tranny's in J's do have a dip stick.

You know GM also says don't change your plugs for 100k, but that can be a bad idea also.

Some tranny fluid even syncromesh is not very costly so I do not see this keeping someone from a repair. It is not much difference than changing gear oil in a rear end.



FU Tuning



Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 05, 2010 11:52 PM
95LsCoupe wrote:
NOTa2_4 wrote:cause you know if its not broke and it has a no maintenance hell lets look for work

i would leave it alone put that money to something useful like another repair or debt or something the cold weather thing happens to to almost ebery izusu thats nothing to do with the trans its the shift linkage

pretty sure you have a dipstick there should be a white handle on the trans at the back of it below the ABS mast might be covered in grease and road dirt but on the izusus thats how you will them and i believe theres a dipstick attached

its the same with the eaton superchargers there a service free unit aswett there only 2 ways to drain the fluid from them remove the charger or suck it out (M90) so for them unless the coupler is worn out that gets left alone too and its a gear oil in there. if its has a maintenance schedule then change it but if its a service freem itme don't go looking for repairs thats stupid.

Almost positive manuals do not have dipsticks...


You won't see it from the engine bay unless you know EXACTLY where to look. If you go under the car and look at the top rear part of the trans you will find it. I had manual 95 ohv, so I know there definetely is a dipstick there.

Re: So here's my situation...
Monday, December 06, 2010 5:38 AM
You guy's poor tranny's. Put some nice Mobile 1 atf in (if your tranny calls for atf, I know the getrag does but no idea on those older trannys) and just feel the difference in how well your syncros work. I know I need to change mine now at 85k because its getting grumpy going into 2nd and 1st during aggressive down shifting. Almost all types of atf should be changed at 50k mile intervals because it just breaks down (viscosity and lubricating properties go to @!#$) in that time, not just from heat but from shearing as well.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer
Re: So here's my situation...
Monday, December 06, 2010 11:08 AM
Just change it, syncromesh is cheap.

If its never been done probably a good idea to do it, flushs out all the little metal shavings and what not before they get into the bearings and cause premature wear.

I change the fluid in my trans every spring....cost me like $15 bucks and thats for Mobil 1 ATF (since its a Getrag). Mind you I do put a couple of hundred drag passes on my car every summer...but still.

The fluid goes in Red in the spring, and comes out Redish-Black the following spring......so its removing some debris from the trans that you probabaly don't want in there.


An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!






Re: So here's my situation...
Monday, December 06, 2010 7:35 PM
Screaming for Mercy!! wrote:96-99 manual tranny's in J's do have a dip stick.

You know GM also says don't change your plugs for 100k, but that can be a bad idea also.

Some tranny fluid even syncromesh is not very costly so I do not see this keeping someone from a repair. It is not much difference than changing gear oil in a rear end.

newer platinum plugs are meant to last 100k miles, i personally wouldnt do that since its pocket change to buy them lol

D.Simoes wrote:
95LsCoupe wrote:
NOTa2_4 wrote:cause you know if its not broke and it has a no maintenance hell lets look for work

i would leave it alone put that money to something useful like another repair or debt or something the cold weather thing happens to to almost ebery izusu thats nothing to do with the trans its the shift linkage

pretty sure you have a dipstick there should be a white handle on the trans at the back of it below the ABS mast might be covered in grease and road dirt but on the izusus thats how you will them and i believe theres a dipstick attached

its the same with the eaton superchargers there a service free unit aswett there only 2 ways to drain the fluid from them remove the charger or suck it out (M90) so for them unless the coupler is worn out that gets left alone too and its a gear oil in there. if its has a maintenance schedule then change it but if its a service freem itme don't go looking for repairs thats stupid.

Almost positive manuals do not have dipsticks...


You won't see it from the engine bay unless you know EXACTLY where to look. If you go under the car and look at the top rear part of the trans you will find it. I had manual 95 ohv, so I know there definetely is a dipstick there.

i googled it and yea, i was just thinking about how automatics have the dipstick right upfront in red



Re: So here's my situation...
Monday, December 06, 2010 7:38 PM
as if they last 100k. I pulled my stockers at 80 and they were junk.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer
Re: So here's my situation...
Monday, December 06, 2010 7:38 PM
Quote:


newer platinum plugs are meant to last 100k miles, i personally wouldnt do that since its pocket change to buy them lol


And so is tranny fluid.



FU Tuning



Re: So here's my situation...
Monday, December 06, 2010 8:46 PM
Leafy wrote:as if they last 100k. I pulled my stockers at 80 and they were junk.

Well Idk lol and also im sure it's how you drive and mods done to it, not arguing about it but i do know most the new platnimin plugs say they last around 100k

quote=Screaming for Mercy!!]
Quote:


newer platinum plugs are meant to last 100k miles, i personally wouldnt do that since its pocket change to buy them lol


And so is tranny fluid.
this is true, i was just asking if it was a good ideal to do high mileage fluid change on it cause i heard they slip and get messed up but i didnt know that was just autos



Re: So here's my situation...
Tuesday, December 07, 2010 8:11 AM
95LsCoupe wrote:this is true, i was just asking if it was a good ideal to do high mileage fluid change on it cause i heard they slip and get messed up but i didnt know that was just autos


I have always been told as a rule of thumb to NEVER do a flush on anything, just drain the fluid and refill it. flushing it causes debris and such that is built up internally to be removed, but apparently the majority of the time simply loosens it and at a later date it will fail to keep adhered and circulate it's way into the worst spots. If I were you, i'd replace the fluid but not flush it.


I change mine every 50,000. I have an automatic though (for a bit longer anyway) and replaced the fluid and the filter a while back. My transmission pan had a reusable gasket, so I stuck with that rather than one of those cork ones. off topic, but my gasket came with the filter and filter "plug" attachment as I call it. this plastic circular attachment sits deep in the transmission, and it attaches to the arm of the filter that extends upward into the trans. I have been told to leave that alone at all costs. There is a special tool required to pull the old plastic piece out, and the majority of people use a screwdriver and end up damaging the internals slightly (scratches, gouges, etc)
Re: So here's my situation...
Saturday, December 18, 2010 11:54 AM
bringing this back since i just got outside to check it out.....it's low on fluid is it ok to just throw some Penzoil Syncromesh in to keep it full till i get around to doing a whole change? or is that bad to mix fluids? again this is 95 Isuzu manual transmission with 100k on it



Re: So here's my situation...
Sunday, December 19, 2010 4:39 PM
It would be fine to just top it off for now,as long as you dont mix weights of oils your fine.....I have a 98 manual and I changed the trans oil when I got the car since it had the 2nd gear grind.....I put Lucas synthetic 85-90w in it.... not a big fan of syncromesh or ATF in a manual..always seemed too light weight.

Heavier oils help absorb gear shock and reduced load on each gear...also it helps to stick to the gears and bearing allowing for smoother operation. My trans seems to shift smoother and have less gear grind with the Lucas oil in it...on the flip side the Lucas oil is kinda pricey......Its weird because when I drained the original fluid out(I am 2nd owner and they never had the trans fluid changed) it was 85-140w GL5 gear oil and it smelled horrible and was rather gummy..even for gear oil.

Just my 2 cents




Re: So here's my situation...
Monday, December 20, 2010 7:47 PM
Slowzee wrote:It would be fine to just top it off for now,as long as you dont mix weights of oils your fine.....I have a 98 manual and I changed the trans oil when I got the car since it had the 2nd gear grind.....I put Lucas synthetic 85-90w in it.... not a big fan of syncromesh or ATF in a manual..always seemed too light weight.
here's what you just said:
Slowzee wrote:i know what is better to go in my transmission better than all the people who were in the engineering departement and lubrication department at gm at the time. i have, of course, multiple certifications to prove this.



Quote:

Heavier oils help absorb gear shock and reduced load on each gear...also it helps to stick to the gears and bearing allowing for smoother operation.

in an ideal situation, yes.
Quote:

My trans seems to shift smoother and have less gear grind with the Lucas oil in it...
you don't @!#$ say? you change the fluid and it shifts better? god damn copernicus, you're on to something there...
Quote:

on the flip side the Lucas oil is kinda pricey......Its weird because when I drained the original fluid out(I am 2nd owner and they never had the trans fluid changed) it was 85-140w GL5 gear oil and it smelled horrible and was rather gummy..even for gear oil.
ok. i have to ask, when else have you ever changed manual trans/differential oil? at the end of its' life, it smells like liquefied dead skunks that were buried in bay mud for 6 months and then drug through a sewage plant.



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Re: So here's my situation...
Monday, December 20, 2010 9:02 PM
Topped it off with Penzoil Snycromesh so it mixed with whatever was in there now which I'm almost sure it's factory fluid and everything works fine, shifts little better. Just so everyone knows, I only topped it off since I've got a fever and it's freezing out here...not a good mixture for working on cars.



Re: So here's my situation...
Tuesday, December 21, 2010 5:42 AM
Just because a manufacturer recommends a certain weight of oil does not mean you have you use that exact oil, and in regards to me ever changing different kinds of oils, I have changed gear oils and such in many different machines and cars.

Its kinds like a racing engine, lets say the manufacturer recommends 5w30 in an engine such as any of the engines in the newer jbodies, but wait!
how can racing teams run 20w50 in their race engines if they call for 5w30? OMG they must not know what they are doing since the manufacturer recommends 5w30. Does that mean they are hurting their engine? hell no...they simply choose to run a different oil to meet their needs.....no im not claiming for my cav to be a race car by any means...I just simply choose to run a heavier more expensive oil with a longer service life....now since my trans had gear oil in it from the factory does that make me wrong to put gear oil back in?

I never claimed to be smarter than the engineers at GM, and never will claim such. Its simply a choice I made on my own


Lucas 75-90w
http://www.lucasoil.com/images/medialibrary/25_Syn_75W_90_GearOil.pdf

Synchromesh
http://swepco.info/lubesite/lubesb/j11972_717SB.pdf

TDS for both fluids compare for yourself....not much difference really




Re: So here's my situation...
Tuesday, December 21, 2010 8:29 PM
I've got one problem though....randomly when i press the clutch, the stick does not come out of 1st for a few seconds...everything else works fine but just sometimes when i drive, i don't wanna come out of 1st. a nice little tug and it comes out....shift cable problem? theres a thread a little lower on the Transmission section that goes a little more into details the name is 5 speed stuck in first??



Re: So here's my situation...
Thursday, December 23, 2010 8:22 AM
Slowzee wrote:Just because a manufacturer recommends a certain weight of oil does not mean you have you use that exact oil, and in regards to me ever changing different kinds of oils, I have changed gear oils and such in many different machines and cars.

Its kinds like a racing engine, lets say the manufacturer recommends 5w30 in an engine such as any of the engines in the newer jbodies, but wait!
how can racing teams run 20w50 in their race engines if they call for 5w30? OMG they must not know what they are doing since the manufacturer recommends 5w30. Does that mean they are hurting their engine? hell no...they simply choose to run a different oil to meet their needs.....no im not claiming for my cav to be a race car by any means...I just simply choose to run a heavier more expensive oil with a longer service life....now since my trans had gear oil in it from the factory does that make me wrong to put gear oil back in?

I never claimed to be smarter than the engineers at GM, and never will claim such. Its simply a choice I made on my own


Lucas 75-90w
http://www.lucasoil.com/images/medialibrary/25_Syn_75W_90_GearOil.pdf

Synchromesh
http://swepco.info/lubesite/lubesb/j11972_717SB.pdf

TDS for both fluids compare for yourself....not much difference really


two things.

1. who said anythings about racing engines? we're dealing with bottom dollar economy car manual transmissions here, very simple things that take very specific fluids due to the wear surfaces they have and expected service intervals. apples and oranges mate.

2. how do you KNOW it was gear oil? did it have a label coming out with it? i changed my synchromesh in my 96 at 120000 miles, came out black and like rotting ass. i've taken down transmissions that had motor oil put in them (hondas) and it came out more like grease than liquid oil.



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