tranny oil?
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Des Moines
There's probably something here I don't know, but we're all here to learn from one another.
So why are you advising him to put auto trans fluid in a manual transmission?
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Des Moines
Hmm... I may have to dig a little deeper into this issue. Maybe it's something about the newer tranny's design or maybe the material. They're not making manual tranny's out of a aluminum now are they? I mean, the casing I get- but the gears is what I mean.
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Posting Guru
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From: Charlestown, RI
ATF is what it takes. Actually, a lot of manual gearboxes take ATF. I'm not sure of the particulars, but something to do with the synchros and proper shifting, blah blah.
I do know that the previous owner of one of my former SHO's put gear oil in the 5-speed trans, and it wouldn't shift for crap. Changed it to ATF (like it calls for), and it shifted great.
I do know that the previous owner of one of my former SHO's put gear oil in the 5-speed trans, and it wouldn't shift for crap. Changed it to ATF (like it calls for), and it shifted great.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Des Moines
It probably has something to do with consistency. Gear oil is a lot thicker than ATF, so particularly when it's cold out it's tough shifting until it gets nice and hot. I remember this from when I owned my 75 chevy- every freezing cold winter morning I'd give the old beast a good 20 minutes to warm up just to make shifting easier.
But I'm still not convinced that ATF is all I would put in a manual. I don't currently have a manual in my truck, but if I ever swap or get another truck w/ a manual in it, I'd be more inclined to experiment in finding a mixture with the two. My reasoning here is that age and mileage mean almost nothing to gear oil, and it stands up to the heat a lot better. ATF will break down faster just from the heat, even if it is over a year or two.
I'm curious- how often does Ford recommend changing the ATF in a manual tranny?
But I'm still not convinced that ATF is all I would put in a manual. I don't currently have a manual in my truck, but if I ever swap or get another truck w/ a manual in it, I'd be more inclined to experiment in finding a mixture with the two. My reasoning here is that age and mileage mean almost nothing to gear oil, and it stands up to the heat a lot better. ATF will break down faster just from the heat, even if it is over a year or two.
I'm curious- how often does Ford recommend changing the ATF in a manual tranny?
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https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...nny-fluid.html Have a read here. Explains why you should not use gear oil in a modern manual trans, among other things.