more tranny oil stuff

[So Cal Mark]

well just to confuse the situation, I was looking through the 1970 owners manual that I got with the parts cars this weekend. If the lubrication data they specify SAE 90 EP oil for the tranny and diff. In the miscellanea section they define the tranny oil as SAE 90 EP oil-meets MIl-L-2105-B requirements. This is the Supplement to the "Instruction Book" for the Fiat 124 Sport Spider, version 140.
That is the first oem Fiat book I've seen that lists EP oil. Now I wonder what year they changed the requirements

[pope]

This site below has some interesting facts. Not sure what "shocking burden" is for GL-5.

Mark, I wonder what year the specs for GL-1 oil was introduced. Maybe after 1970?


http://www.speedol.com.tr/english/teknikbilgiler.html

[So Cal Mark]

I'm also curious when the specs changed. This is the first 1970 owners manual I've seen. As far as the brass parts, I believe they are the same part number for all 5 spds. Maybe they had problems with the early 5 spds and changed the specs

[ventura ace]

Mark,
I noticed that quirk with the Version 140 supplement (SAE90 EP oil for the tranny) and was told by several in the business that it was wrong, even though the 1970 Fiat shop manual also recommends the same thing (SAE90 EP). The 'Main' Owners manual, vintage 1969, does recommend <<ZC90>> (not EP) oil for the tranny.

When I rebuilt my tranny several years ago, I went through all these inconsistencies in the manuals, and was advised by most anyone that would even discuss this much belabored subject, that I should put in the GL1, non-EP, and did so. I never liked how it shifted, especially when cold. After a few thousand miles, it was very notchy and hard to shift even when warm. Figuring that the GL1 was getting old and broken down, I replaced with fresh GL1, and the darn thing was even harder to shift. I replaced with SAE90 EP, and the tranny shifted oh so smoothly after that -- but all my buddies were telling me that I was just asking for trouble, using the EP oil with the brass sychros.

I rebuilt the tranny again, to fix a leak, and to put in new bearings (which I should have done in the first place). I did see a lot of little golden specs when cleaning the parts, so I started to pay attention to the advice of those telling me not to use EP oil. And, I didn't want to put GL1 back in there. This time, I put Valvoline VR1 SAE50 racing motor oil (equivalent to 90 wt gear oil), per the advice of several who had good success. I couldn't be happier with it. It's been about 12,000 miles now with the VR1, and I believe I'm sticking with it.

Alvon

[So Cal Mark]

interesting. I wouldn't think the brass flecks were due to the oil; the synchros will wear when shifted. I would expect the brass to etch from the ep oil. I'll have to take some old synchros and submerge them in ep oil and report back in a year as to their condition. I'll agree that a synthetic 40 or 50 weight oil is a good choice to use.

[mdrburchette]

I've had synthetic oil in my tranny for 15 years now. No problem at all.
In my Fiat shop manual it states an EP 90 wt for the 1600s but for the 73 models it states non EP.