Gearboxes, gear oil, and levels

[Bepis]

Just throwing my hat in the ring as I'm due to change my gearbox oil again as the box is coming off for a clutch and flywheel.

What do we think of Red Line MT-LV? Opie Oils has it up for £28.99 per 1USqt. Whereas the cheapest G 052 527 A2 I can find from a reputable source is £44.69 a litre.

MT-LV Listed specs:
API Service Class GL-4
SAE Viscosity Grade (Gear Oil) 70W/75W
Vis @ 100°C, cSt 6.5
Vis @ 40°C, cSt 30.6
Viscosity Index 175
Pour Point, °C -60
Pour Point, °F -76
Brookfield Viscosity @ -40°C, Poise 60

Doesn't state having TL 525 27 approval but does mention G 052 527 A2, however, this is alongside various other VAG oil part numbers as well.
https://cdn.opieoils.co.uk/pdfs/redline ... 5W-tds.pdf

Would be nice if VW had some tech spec documentation available so you could compare it to other oils minus the additives that no one publishes anything about anyway.

Current fill of G 052 527 has just over 30k on it and is almost 2 years old. 1st and 2nd are starting to be a pain to get when cold.

[alexperkins]

It’s a difficult one. The additives is what makes all the difference

I’m surprised after 30k you are noticing a notchy shift again. Usually a gearbox will happily do 60-70k without needing a change

[Bepis]

It’s a difficult one. The additives is what makes all the difference

Knowing myself I'll research for weeks other options and still do what I did last time and just take the hit of VAG part pricing and get the factory stuff again

The only reason the Red Line stuff stuck out to me was that it's Synthetic and specifically mentions "Excellent gear and synchro protection, balanced slipperiness for easier shifting in cold climates". As for me gear engagement is fine it's just the 1st/2nd synchro can be particularly stubborn when cold.

I’m surprised after 30k you are noticing a notchy shift again. Usually a gearbox will happily do 60-70k without needing a change

I suspect the oil isn't the primary cause as the knackered clutch and flywheel assembly probably aren't helping things. Add onto that as well the very worn dog bone mount which probably also hasn't done any favours for the gearbox mount.

The parts canon has sort of been unloaded on what was just going to be a clutch and flywheel with a poly dogbone mount. The gearbox oil is the last thing I'm still yet to get.

Hopefully after the SRE clutch and flywheel kit, vibratechnics engine mounts, the 034 shifter cable end and support bracket bushes, gearshifts will be nice and smooth with some good feedback.

[JiSingh1]

What do we think of Red Line MT-LV? Opie Oils has it up for £28.99 per 1USqt. Whereas the cheapest G 052 527 A2 I can find from a reputable source is £44.69 a litre.

Aren't you looking at the wrong oils if you're after G052527?
You would need it to align with:
VW TL 521 71, API GL-4, VW TL 521 78, VW TL 525 12, VW TL 726 Y, MB 235.10, WSS-M2C200-D2

Like the ones I listed in the previous post before yours.

[Le_Combattant]

Take a look at Ravenol. They are one of the few oil producers that meet and exceed alot of the unique VAG standards

I'm currently running on the Fuchs titan 75w and feeling is very good.
At a time, I also considered the Ravenol but, how do you know they exceed the VAG standards ?

[JiSingh1]

Take a look at Ravenol. They are one of the few oil producers that meet and exceed alot of the unique VAG standards

I'm currently running on the Fuchs titan 75w and feeling is very good.

Do you remember how it feels compared to Original oil? I only changed mine as I has a replacement gearbox & clutch fitted and can't afford original but wondering if Fuchs might be better than the Mannol I used.

[Le_Combattant]

Take a look at Ravenol. They are one of the few oil producers that meet and exceed alot of the unique VAG standards

I'm currently running on the Fuchs titan 75w and feeling is very good.

Do you remember how it feels compared to Original oil? I only changed mine as I has a replacement gearbox & clutch fitted and can't afford original but wondering if Fuchs might be better than the Mannol I used.

Far better, smoother even during cold time.
Little be notchy with minus temps but very nice when at warm temp.

[JiSingh1]

Far better, smoother even during cold time.
Little be notchy with minus temps but very nice when at warm temp.

Better than the original oil?

Mine is so notchy & stiff even when warm! I'm not sure if it's the damn replacement gearbox or the oil or linkage

Even if it is the gearbox, I won't even be able to get my £200 back in labour - damn cars.

[Le_Combattant]

Far better, smoother even during cold time.
Little be notchy with minus temps but very nice when at warm temp.

Better than the original oil?

Mine is so notchy & stiff even when warm! I'm not sure if it's the damn replacement gearbox or the oil or linkage

Even if it is the gearbox, I won't even be able to get my £200 back in labour - damn cars.

When cold, 1st is little bit notchy (first gearz engagement on the morning). After the other gear are smooth and even more when warm. I can pass gear with one finger

[JiSingh1]

When cold, 1st is little bit notchy (first gearz engagement on the morning). After the other gear are smooth and even more when warm. I can pass gear with one finger

With my old gearbox I could do it with one finger - now I'm really struggling even when warm... it's only a 65k mileage used gearbox, hope the syncros ain't gone already, otherwise il have to source another one somehow.

[Le_Combattant]

When cold, 1st is little bit notchy (first gearz engagement on the morning). After the other gear are smooth and even more when warm. I can pass gear with one finger

With my old gearbox I could do it with one finger - now I'm really struggling even when warm... it's only a 65k mileage used gearbox, hope the syncros ain't gone already, otherwise il have to source another one somehow.

Synchro are not know to fail on this Gearbox. Bearing yes, buy synchro no.

Try the Fuchs oil

[JiSingh1]

Synchro are not know to fail on this Gearbox. Bearing yes, buy synchro no.

Try the Fuchs oil

Might have to.
It is quite notchy as I say, and you can hear it when it goes into the gear, like there is no smoothness anymore.

Still, gearbox oil does not seem the culprit when it is only a week old - and meets the specs, but it is 'budget' brand I shall say.

Febi and Fuchs seem to be the same oil?
Exact same specs from what I can tell.

[Le_Combattant]

Synchro are not know to fail on this Gearbox. Bearing yes, buy synchro no.

Try the Fuchs oil

Might have to.
It is quite notchy as I say, and you can hear it when it goes into the gear, like there is no smoothness anymore.

Still, gearbox oil does not seem the culprit when it is only a week old - and meets the specs, but it is 'budget' brand I shall say.

Febi and Fuchs seem to be the same oil?
Exact same specs from what I can tell.

Fuchs is a true Oil Company.
Febi ? Not.

They just bought products from other and put their brand on it.

So according to the spec, Febi'oil could be Fuchs oil.

[RUM4MO]

Really, it is down to the additive package in the oil, as @alexperkins said earlier.

A long time ago, when I was changing from maybe Quantum branded oil to Fuchs when Quantum had moved away from using Fuchs, I did email Fuch UK sales about "is brand X which is known to be supplied by Fuchs, the same oil as I'd be getting if I had bought this same oil branded by Fuchs?" - the answer was a firm "NO", "we only ever sell oils with the premium additive package under our own branding, all other re-sellers/re-brander we supply, have a different additive package tailored to suit the area of the market that that brand is aimed at."

Which makes a lot of sense, to be honest I can't work out now why I thought that I'd ever end up with "YES" being the answer, but I did feel the need to try as I was just trying to end up buying my chosen Fuchs version from the cheapest source having read lots of chat on this on VW Group forums.

So there you have it, what is in a tin is "oil" + a "additive package", the oil if it is the exact same as supplied under its own brand is a fixed item/price, the additive is the part of the product that adds extra cost, so it is there that savings can be made while keeping the basic "spec" of the product the same.

Edit:- and as far as I'm concerned, I tend to only ever use a few brands of petrol as it is the additive package that turns the basic "all brands" fuel part into acceptable petrol.

[JiSingh1]

Would i be correct in saying this:
https://www.toolsinfoweb.co.uk/content/ ... %20OIL.PDF

Is the correct data sheet and still valid for G052527.
If so, 27.6mm²/s at 40°c seems a lot lower than most others.
The oil i did use (Mannol 8104) is >50mm²/s..

Could that be the reason for poor gear changes?