

| Subject: | Trans fluid: GL-5 vs. GL-4 vs. synthetic |
| From: | Derek Drew |
| Date: | Tue, 30 Apr 1996 16:11:02 -0400 (EDT) |
Some of us have decided not to put Synthetic GL-5 transmission oil in our transmissions as a result of information in the manual specifying GL-4 and admonitions from tech heads at certain dealers urging that synthetic transmission oil is too slippery and can hasten failure of our units. There were some scarey posts on this topic about six months ago as I recall. Thinking the dealer might have non-synthetic GL-4, I dropped over there. The parts people said they had no GL-4. They said they had transmission fluid in cans and that this transmission fluid is what they would normally use on my car. They said the fluid costs $40 per quart but that the label on the can does not specify whether the fluid is synthetic or what its GL rating is so they don't know. They said it seemed like the fluid was really good stuff. But added that since they didn't know what it was, they suggested I go to Trak Auto (FLAPs) where the cans have labels. I did so and bought GL-5 house brand oil for $1.79 a quart. I could not find any GL-4 fluid. I made the reluctant assumption that it is OK to put GL-5 in the gearboxes and that it is the "synthetic" part that could cause problems with being to slippery (if such problem exists in the first place). Note that Dennis Haynes puts GL-5 synthetic into his gearbox and sees no ill from this (also, the front diff in the syncro can take GL-5 synthetic). ___________________________________ Derek Drew New York, NY drew@interport.net (main address for e-mail) derekdrew@aol.com (alternate/backup, checked infrequently)
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