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GL-5 gearbox oil in a GL-4 rated gearbox

  • 06-01-2015 3:03pm
    #1
    Pov06
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,487 ✭✭✭


    Hi everyone,

    I went out to buy gearbox oil for my car in the local motor factors. I asked for GL-4 oil but the seller gave me GL-5 oil and said it's backwards compatible with GL-4 boxes.

    I drained the gearbox and filled up with the new oil. Everything was fine until I noticed gears seemed a little harder to engage. I noticed that if I shift gears slowly I can hear some grinding so I'm assuming that's the synchros not working as well as I should.

    What do I do in this situation? I'm not really willing to fork out another 20 quid on oil, considering the lad at the motor factors said that oil will suit.

    Should I just leave it and eventually it will stop as the oil gets older or is this permanent?


Comments

  • #2
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,907 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    Pov06 wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    I went out to buy gearbox oil for my car in the local motor factors. I asked for GL-4 oil but the seller gave me GL-5 oil and said it's backwards compatible with GL-4 boxes.

    I drained the gearbox and filled up with the new oil. Everything was fine until I noticed gears seemed a little harder to engage. I noticed that if I shift gears slowly I can hear some grinding so I'm assuming that's the synchros not working as well as I should.

    What do I do in this situation? I'm not really willing to fork out another 20 quid on oil, considering the lad at the motor factors said that oil will suit.

    Should I just leave it and eventually it will stop as the oil gets older or is this permanent?
    Is the oil level correct? sometimes when you drain the old stuff out it takes a while to work its way back through the system.
    I'd check the level again to be sure, GL5 is very similar to GL4 except it can react with bronze in some 'boxes IIRC.


  • #3
    Ferris
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,290 ✭✭✭Ferris


    Depending on the car it may not be backwards compatible. My experience is with mazda gearboxes in mx5's and rx8's which have brass synchro's. The problem is that gl5 is too 'slippy' for some synchros which means that the speed of the gear is not matching that of the input shaft which results in the crunch or grinding you're hearing.

    In the short term you should double declutch which will help until you can figure out what to do. I would be in favour of a drain and refil with the correct grade oil.


  • #4
    Pov06
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,487 ✭✭✭Pov06


    Do you reckon I should approach the motor factors and tell them the story?

    I reckon I'll be told where to go... :pac:


  • #5
    Ferris
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,290 ✭✭✭Ferris


    Well you asked for GL4, thaey gave you GL5 and the gearbox is now crunching going into gear. I'd be talking to them.


  • #6
    Pov06
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,487 ✭✭✭Pov06


    Ferris wrote: »
    Well you asked for GL4, thaey gave you GL5 and the gearbox is now crunching going into gear. I'd be talking to them.

    I'll go down tomorrow and have a chat.

    Thanks for the help.


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  • #7
    Mycroft H
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,313 ✭✭✭Mycroft H


    GL5 is not backwards compatibile with GL4. GL4 is designed for sacrificial brass components .


  • #8
    101sean
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,884 ✭✭✭101sean


    GL5 used to eat the brass/bronze components in Series Land Rover gearboxes. Not sure whether this is still the case, I did read somewhere that the current formulation of GL5 doesn't do it.

    I still have a 20l drum of GL4 EP90 in the the shed though......


  • #9
    Pov06
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,487 ✭✭✭Pov06


    Well I'll have a chat with them tomorrow. If they're not willing to compensate (I'd be happy enough with the proper oil or a refund) then I will just forget about that motor factors and look for someone better.

    I shouldn't have trusted the lad telling me that GL-5 will be alright for GL-4...


  • #10
    Pov06
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,487 ✭✭✭Pov06


    Went in to have a chat to them, they asked for the registration number of my car so they could re-check what transmission oil is required.

    He ended up showing me the screen while he was on the oil manufacturer's website. He pretty much had to enter the car details manually because they don't even take registration numbers and he pulled up the required fluid for some other transmission which took 1.9 litres (mine takes 1.4 litres) and happens to use GL-4 or GL-5. So I think he just selected the 1.3 model instead of the 1.0 that I have.

    I pointed it out and he was like "tomatoh, tomatoe. This software has never let me down before but that's the oil you need." When I told him that my owner's manual says GL-4, 1.4 litres he just said "Toyota don't know themselves"....right.

    That was the end of that, they didn't offer to give me a refund and they didn't have any GL-4 oil.

    I ended up leaving and went to the motor factors across the street. They had some Castrol stuff that was marked GL-4. Filled up and it works great! The gears are shifting nicely.


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