Anyone know about gearbox oils?

Nonoperational

Quick question for someone with a bit of knowledge on gearbox oils.

I had my car in the garage today and as a treat for its 100k km birthday I asked them to change the gearbox oil. I know it's supposedly sealed for life but I thought it would be no harm. Looking up online I thought the oil to go in there was VW part number G 052 171 A2. This is that oil http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-981-fuchs-titan-sintofluid-sae-75w-80-synthetic-manual-transmission-fluid.aspx

However, on the invoice they have down that the oil used was 052 512 A2. This is said oil http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-976-fuchs-titan-sintofluid-fe-sae-75w-synthetic-manual-transmission-oil.aspx

It's basically thinner and it's GL4 as opposed to the other which is GL5. I phoned up the dealer and they phoned me back and assured me that they put in the correct oil. Now just to follow up a bit I phoned another VW dealer and they checked their system and the recommended oil is indeed the G052 171 A2 not the stuff they put in.

I don't know how to play this. They charged €110 for the change and I'd be slow to go off and change it myself after paying that.

My question is does it make a difference? Did they put in the incorrect oil or it is splitting hairs. I took it for a good drive and it shifts perfectly.

Thanks!

Edit car is a 2006 GTI 6 speed manual. Gearbox code GVT

Matt Simis

They are both 75W rated oils, so same thickness when cold. One is 80 when hot and the other is.. presumably 75 still as its single grade.

It wouldnt really be correct to say one is thinner though.. it really comes down to the difference between GL-4 and GL-5. What I could see is that GL-5 is not a replacement for GL-4, its the same thing for "high speed / high torque" applications and has much more additives in it. Additives can sometimes help and sometimes hinder:
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/unimog/1358944-gl4-vs-gl5-gear-oil-plot-2.html

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=159398


Actually quite a few people seem to prefer GL-4, its the safer choice.

They threw in Gl4 as that's what they had I would think. GL5 being recommended for a GTi is not surprising however I would think GL4 would also be on the application list for the GTi and certainly won't do any harm at all.

Nonoperational

It does sound like they threw in what was on the shelf. So if there is no difference in shifting then it's no harm? It actually seems to shift a bit better and there is noticably less whine in 1st.

The difference in gearchange and whine may well be your imagination If you put in 10w40 motor oil it would seem fine too believe it or not :eek: With no oil it might well shift fine too.

Matt Simis

RoverJames wrote: »

The difference in gearchange and whine may well be your imagination If you put in 10w40 motor oil it would seem fine too believe it or not :eek: With no oil it might well shift fine too.

In his defense Ive seen people saying this exactly about switching from GL-5 to 4, that it shifts nicer.

No doubt, after waxing a car I feel it shifts better too :pac:

Nonoperational

Ya could be in my head for sure! So ye think there's no need to go changing it again myself? Shouldn't cause premature wear or anything like that?

I honestly wouldn't imagine so but if it were mine I'd do some trawling on the VAG sites To be honest I was surprised that there was any whining to mention from a 2006 GTi, do they have an LSD or simialr torsen yoke in them?

Nonoperational

I've been bloody trawling all day when I'm supposed to be studying for an exam tomorrow! Apparently a bit of a whine in first is common enough. It's not loud.

Feck em couldn't they just have put the recommended spec oil in there...

-Chris-

I'd call someone in VWGI with a non-specific/non-identifying question and see what they say.

Nonoperational

That's actually a great idea.

From what I've learned by reading today the recommended oil is the G052 171 A2. That's pretty stone walled. That's a GL5 oil. This is backed up by by a call to another VW garage.

What they put in according to the invoice is not this oil its a GL4 spec oil but otherwise very similar.

I think VW manual transmissions of that eera do not have hypoid gears in the gearbox and the main need for GL5 oils is if there are hypoid gears.

Saying that... they obviously speced that oil for a reason. There's no doubt they put in the technically incorrect oil. I would think that it will make no difference but when I get a chance after my exams I'm going to pick up the correct stuff and throw it in.

I'll get onto VW there tomorrow and ask they're technical advice on the matter. The last thing I want is to have to replace a gearbox in a years time and have a major battle on my hands with the garage in question!

Nonoperational

Just an update to this. Took the car out to Noel Deasys today and they put in the correct oil. The service guy was genuinely surprised the original dealer used the wrong oil. Both are the same price and he was of the opinion that it would probably be OK but he wasn't guaranteeing it as he just didn't know the spec as VW don't release them.

Feel better anyway that the correct oil is in there. I emailed VW and got no reply as yet. I'm half tempted to just forget it and move on. Not in the mood for a battle with the original dealer but I might call in once more. I'll not be using them again anyway. Found Noel Deasys very good so I'll switch to them in future, saying that all main dealers are pretty good until something goes wrong.

You paid to have it done at another dealer?

Nonoperational

Ya. I know it's not on but they were adamant they were fine and I just wanted it done. I probably should have battled them more but I didn't really know how. I'd be weird like that, I would want the correct specced stuff in there.