Classic Mustangs List Archive

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Mail From: Jonathan Plummer (email redacted)

I'm finally getting ready to put the 4-speed toploader into the 'Stang. When
I first bought it the previous owner went to great lengths to inform me that
it was filled with synthetic gear oil at a cost of $4-$5/quart. I was
obviously impressed that someone had gone to this expense and naturally
assumed this was a good thing. Here is the but....

To make a long story short, I was told that synthetic is "too slick" for a
toploader. Something about the gears would spin too fast and actually cause
the gears to get chewed up. The way it was described to be it sounded more
like a viscosity issue, but what do I know.

Has anyone heard anything along these lines before? Anyone using synthetic?
Pros? Cons?

TIA!
Jonathan
64 1/2 Convertible "D-code"
Richmond, VA


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This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Matthew Trostel (email redacted)



On Wed, 26 Apr 2000, Jonathan Plummer wrote:

> To make a long story short, I was told that synthetic is "too slick" for a
> toploader. Something about the gears would spin too fast and actually cause
> the gears to get chewed up. The way it was described to be it sounded more
> like a viscosity issue, but what do I know.
>
> Has anyone heard anything along these lines before? Anyone using synthetic?
> Pros? Cons?

I've used synthetic gear oil in a few modern, 5-speed trannys and it's
great stuff, with smoother shifting especially in the winter.

Redline makes some very good synthetic products and has a fair amount of
detail about them online at redlineoil.com/gearoil.htm. Some
of their verbage talks about some fluids being too slippery (improper
coefficient of friction) for most syncros to work correctly. This could
be what you were referring to.

Matt
'66 coupe

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

Hi Jonathon,
Dan Williams Toploader Transmissions recommends break-in with "cheap
gearlube", then after 500 to 1000 miles switching to Mobile One synthetic. He
swears by it. I've been using synthetic oil in my toploader for a number of
years now and can't say either way. All I know is I can feel the difference
in shifting in cold weather. On a 10 degree day it will just slip into 1st
effortlessly when first started.

Best Wishes,
Steve Sweeney
Bethpage, NY
68 fastback

>> (email redacted) writes:

<< I'm finally getting ready to put the 4-speed toploader into the 'Stang.
When
I first bought it the previous owner went to great lengths to inform me that
it was filled with synthetic gear oil at a cost of $4-$5/quart. I was
obviously impressed that someone had gone to this expense and naturally
assumed this was a good thing. Here is the but....

To make a long story short, I was told that synthetic is "too slick" for a
toploader. Something about the gears would spin too fast and actually cause
the gears to get chewed up. The way it was described to be it sounded more
like a viscosity issue, but what do I know.

Has anyone heard anything along these lines before? Anyone using synthetic?
Pros? Cons?

TIA!
Jonathan
64 1/2 Convertible "D-code"
Richmond, VA >>

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This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Jonathan Plummer (email redacted)

Thanks Steve! It's nice to know someone out there has experience with this.
I know you said you couldn't say one way or another, but at least your not
doing the find 'em and grind 'em scenario that was described to me.

Jonathan
64 1/2 Convertible "D-code"
Richmond, VA

>Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 12:55:22 EDT
>From: (email redacted)
>To: (email redacted)
>Subject: Synthetic gear oil?
>Message-ID: <(email redacted)>
>
>Hi Jonathon,
> Dan Williams Toploader Transmissions recommends break-in with "cheap
>gearlube", then after 500 to 1000 miles switching to Mobile One synthetic.
He
>swears by it. I've been using synthetic oil in my toploader for a number of
>years now and can't say either way. All I know is I can feel the difference
>in shifting in cold weather. On a 10 degree day it will just slip into 1st
>effortlessly when first started.
>
>Best Wishes,
>Steve Sweeney
>Bethpage, NY
>68 fastback



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This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

Hi Jonathan,
As my rebuilt toploader has only 800 miles on it, it's way too early to
tell about any bad effects of synthetic oil. I rebuilt it myself using a Dan
Williams full kit, so I know all the bearings and such are new. Rest assured
that If I have to pull this bugger for a noisy bearing or so due to synthetic
oil, everyone will here about it!
Dan Williams told me that more toploaders get ripped up due to NOT
checking the oil level at all than anything else. According to him, they
should be good for well over a 100,00 miles after a rebuild.............guess
he's never seen me powershift!

Best Wishes,
Steve Sweeney

<<(email redacted) writes:

Thanks Steve! It's nice to know someone out there has experience with this.
I know you said you couldn't say one way or another, but at least your not
doing the find 'em and grind 'em scenario that was described to me.
>>

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