change tranny oil
 

hi, i am just wondering has anyone change their tranny oil yet?

Yup - Redline MT90, changed at ~5000mi. I did the diff at the same time, Redline 75W90.

Regards,
Gordon

I'm going /w redline aswell when I do the next oil change.

Something wrong w the tranny oil? Why change with 5k mi? Unless you really want synthetic tranny oil, I would say change it according to your maint schedule.

can you tell me how to change it? thanks

Redline MT-90 and 75w90 at 1500 miles for me.

Vince

I still believe in break-in of mechanical items - the initial wear and micro-finishing that occurs during the initial period of use (say, 5K miles ;) ) is significant, and will generate more filings than the next 100K miles. The trans oil that drained out looked incredibly cruddy, I was very happy I decided to change it! 5K was convenient, because that was when I finished a 4000 mile road trip that started 2 weeks after I bought the car.

I am a believer in the better protection provided by synthetic gear oils, both temperature breakdown resistance and shear resistance. Also, I like the better viscosity characteristics when cold, especially when cold!

Regards,
Gordon

mmmmmmm Yet another thing I dont think I would have done without the idea from you guys... Thanks!!

I also changed my tranny oil last month after reading Gord96BRG posts with Redline MT90.

I am glad that I did because the old oil was so cloudy as Gordon had described and my had a lot of deposit of metal particles. I seldomly grind the gears but the amount of metal particles worry me. I am planning to change it again in the summer to see if there will be the same amount of build up.

FWIW, last November I posted a write-up with pictures on my tranny/diff oil change here.
Cheers,
-jd.

jdl, how did you put new fluid in? Turkey baster? Also if you have the rear end jacked up, wouldn't some of the old diff fluid remain? Or did you have the entire car level before draining various fluids?
________
Ticketmaster Gift Cards

I was about to ask how ya get the fluid in myself :D

This looks like a quick sunday project though.

Easy to change - I have a funnel with about 4 feet of clear tubing (1/2" or 3/4" dia?), bought at Canadian Tire (NAPA kind of auto parts store), made for this purpose - it has a shut-off valve and a lid, and the end of the tubing has a cap, all for eliminating drips and spills.

First - put the car up on 4 jack stands so it's level. From the engine compartment, snake the tubing down past the oil filler tube. Remove the fill plug on the transmission, then remove the drain plug and let drain into a catch pan. Then remove the fill plug on the diff, then the drain plug and drain into a separate catch pan. ALWAYS remove the fill plug before the drain plug - you do not want to remove the drain plug, and then find that the fill plug is siezed and you have no way to add fluid back in!

After the trans has drained, install the drain plug. Then take the tubing hanging down beside the back of the engine, and insert the end of it into the fill hole. Go stand beside the engine compartment, and pour the trans fluid into the funnel and watch it slowly drain. NO messing about with pumps and squeeze bottles required! With the clear tubing, you can watch the progress of the fluid. After you've added the required volume, check the fill hole for the correct level, then remove the tubing (put the cap on it to prevent drips), then insert and tighten the fill plug.

Let any leftover trans fluid in the funnel drain completely into the catch pan, then take the funnel and tubing back to the drivers side rear wheel. Snake the tubing over the wheel, along the driveshaft. Crawl under the car, and feed the tubing into the differential fill hole. Go back out to beside the rear wheel, and pour the required volume of differential fluid into the funnel and watch it drain! NO messing about with pumps or squeeze bottles required! After you've added the required volume, check the fill hole for the correct level, then remove the tubing (put the cap on it to prevent drips), then insert and tighten the fill plug.


Regards,
Gordon

Nice info, thanks. You mentioned using 2 qts of tranny fluid. What about diff fluid? And do you know the PN for various crush washers?
________
Mary Jane

I should update my pictorial ;)
I used one of those really cheap-o gear oil pumps from pep boys -- about $3, I think. These little pumps want to be partially inserted into the bottle so the pump handle sticks straight up out of the bottle. For stability I cut a few inches off the top of the oil bottles so the pump would properly fit. Nice.

RE: level -- well, in fact, I actually used a mason's level to ensure the car was level before refilling the diff.

Cheers,
-jd.

I'll have to look it up, but I'm pretty sure the diff only takes one quart. I recall it took just what the specification in the owner's manual said, though.

The transmission drain plug crush washer is the same as for the miata (mine was a '99) which I had a handful of for some reason, so I don't have the PN. It's aluminum, like the drain plug crush washer for the diff. I've seen a large variety of these (and copper ones) at pep boys, but I don't have the sizes...maybe somebody with a maint. manual can provide those specs? (Gotta buy me one of those some day...!)

Cheers,
-jd.

That's what I thought at first, too - but it's actually 1.7 or 1.8 quarts! It's the Miata diff that takes one quart!

It is in the owners manual, though. I'd suggest everyone look it up themselves before doing this to make sure they have the right number!

Regards,
Gordon

Thanks for tip, Gord96BRG -- musta done the miata diff too many times...;) I'll try to update my howto this afternoon/tonight with more specs from the owner's manual. Cheers,
-jd.

autosupply stores sell a cheap hand pump with clear hoses to fill the differential. BTW, always open the fill plug first. Or else you'll end up with an empty differential when you can't get the fill plug open.

Or when you realize you need the pump! Doh! (been there)

I just bought the redline tranny and diff oils for my 240sx but haven't put them in yet. Did you guys notice any gains in performance? I know the diff oil bottle says it improves drivetrain efficiency 2-5%. So I'm thinking the combo will not only improve shifts but help put down a few more hp to the wheels.

Three questions:

* Shouldn't we be using GL-5?
* What does Mazda recomend, Conv or syn gear oil?
* Does the manual state at or just below the fill hole for the
propper level for both manual trans and the rear gear?




CWB
Black GT1 5100 miles

Hey Gordon- I just found this thread... sorry for being late with this question. Is there a separate shift turret chamber like the Miata has? I ran Redline in my Miata in both the tranny and diff and loved it.

Thanks!

-Sean

Nope.

Vince

We are using GL-5 - Redline 75W90 GL-5 for the diff. IIRC, the manual specifies GL-4/GL-5 for the trans, and again Redline MT90 meets Mazda's specs.

Mazda doesn't specify one way or another for gear oil - just the GL class and viscosity.

The manual states to fill to the level of the fill hole (for both). Fill it til it drools out, then you're done!

Nope - only the Miata 5 speed has that. The Miata 6 speed doesn't, neither does the RX-8 6 speed!

Regards,
Gordon