90 weight -- The way of the dinosaur?

[LowTech]

Hi All,
I did a search on transmission oil. The consensus seemed to be straight 90 weight was the only way to go. Welp, today I called everybody -- including all of the tractor supply shops in our area -- nobody carries it. Also, everything is G5 -- which sounds like a bad recipe for the Series III tranny. Soooooo.... what should I do? Use 80/90? Use 80/90 Synthetic? Keep searching for 90 weight?

Also, I'm planning on picking up oil on the way home from work. Unfornately I don't have my shop manual with me. Can anybody tell me how much fluid I'll need to completely drain and refil the tranny?

And while I'm asking dumb questions. I crawled underneath my rig and found a spin off oil filter. It was nice to see. I've heard the horror story of the old way. BUT, how do I figure out what size filter do I need to buy to replace it?

Lastly, what weight engine oil do you recommend?

Thanks for tolerating my rookie questions.

Matt.

[LowTech]

I found a MT90 from Redline. 12 Bucks a quart (ouch). Is this the way to go?

[bamarover]

Hi,
There is what seems to be a good reference for oil capacities and other information at www.lrfaq.org. Below is the info from the spec page. HTH! Oops, format did not stay in place. You can go to the site and it is nicely formatted. Greg
SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions

88 109
Basic S.Wagon Basic S.Wagon
-------- -------- ----- -------

Overall length 142.375" 142.375" 175" 175"
Overall width 66" 66" 66" 66"

Overall unladen height, 77.5"
(hood up)
Overall unladen height 68"
(hood down, windscreen up)
Overall unladen height, 57.5"
(hood down, windscreen down)
Overall unladen height, 76.875" 77.875" 81" 81.375"
(with cab or hard top)

Wheelbase 88" 88" 109" 109"
Track 51.5" 51.5" 51.5" 51.5"
Turning circle 38' 38' 47' 47'

Unladen ground clearence 8" 8"
under differential (6x16" tyres)
Unladen ground clearence 8.75" 8.75"
under differential (7x16" tyres)
Unladen ground clearence 9.75" 9.75"
under differential (7.5x16" tyres)

Weight, running with water, oil
& five gallons of fuel PETROL 2,953 3,281 3,301 3,752
(pounds) DIESEL 3,097 3,435 3,471 3,922

Max. approved payload (street)
persons 2 7 2 10
& pounds 1,000 100 2,000 400
Max. approved payload (off-rd)
persons 2 7 2 10
& pounds 1,000 100 2,000 400

Max. drawbar pull PETROL 4,000 4,000 3,500 3,500
DIESEL 3,300 3,300 2,900 2,900

Internal body dimensions
Length (between cappings) 43" 72.75"
Width (between cappings) 56.875" 72.75"
Depth 19.5" 19"
Height of wheel arch 8.5" 9"
Width of wheel arch to body side 13.75" 13.75"
Width of floor (between wheel arch) 36.25" 36.25"
Height (floor to roof maximum) 48.5" 48.5"
CAPACITIES

Based on (2.25l engine)
Normal units US units Metric units
(litres)
------------ --------- ------------
Engine sump oil 4 cylinder 11 pints 13 pints 6
6 cylinder 12 pints 14 pints 6.25
Extra when refilling after 3 pints 3.5 pints 1.75
fitting with new filter 4 cyl. 1.5 pints 1.8 pints 0.85
(Late models) 2.25 pints 2.75 pints 1.5
Extra when refilling after 1 pint 1.2 pints 0.5
fitting with new filter 6 cyl.

Air cleaner, 4 cylinder 1.5 pints 1.8 pints 0.85
Air cleaner, 6 cylinder 1 pints 1.2 pints 0.5

Main gearbox oil 2.5 pints 3 pints 1.5
Transfer box oil 4.5 pints 5.5 pints 2.5

Rear diff (basic) 3 pints 3.5 pints 1.75
Front diff (basic) 3 pints 3.5 pints 1.75
Rear diff (ENV) 2.125 pints 2.5 pints 1.2
Front diff (ENV) 2.625 pints 3.1 pints 1.4
Rear diff (limited slip) 3 pints 3.5 pints 1.75

Swivel pin housing 1 pint 1.2 pints 0.5

Fuel tank (88") 10 gallons 12 pints 45
Fuel tank (109") 16 gallons 19 pints 73

Cooling system Petrol 18 pints 21.5 pints 10.25
Cooling system, Diesel 17.5 pints 21 pints 10
Cooling system, 6-cylinder 'long' 20 pints 24 pints 11.2

[TerryS]

Engine will take (with filter) 7 quarts of 10W-30
Gearbox take 3 pints of 90 weight. Don't buy the Redline for a series 3 unless you enjoy throwing money down a hole. Manual calls for 80W-90, but I don't think I would be too bothered if you used straight 90.
Transfer case takes 5 1/2 pints of the same.

[LowTech]

Thanks, Hmmmm... The manual I'm looking at online says 90 weight. 80/90 sure is a lot easier to find -- and cheeper.

[TerryS]

Ooops, sorry, 10W-40

I took the capacities right out of a NAS S3 manual

[Greg S]

I have searched common sources for GL4 oil and it didn't seem available without going to some fancy racing or "Classic Car" outfit. But if you keep digging, you'll strike oil. (Pun intended. Did you get it?) And strike oil I did!

GL4 is for use in High Pressure, mid temperature operations (gear boxes, differentials)
GL5 is for the same use as GL4 but with additives to make it acceptable in limites slip differentials BUT it is not compatable with soft metals in some transmissions and differentials (like series Land Rover), soft metals like the brass and bronze bushings and spacers. Most oils use a Sulphur Phosphorus chemistry, and this, mixed with humidity in the air in the gearcase makes suphuric acid that attacks the soft metals.


Visit your nearest Chevron commercial supplier aka Bulk Plant. Ask for "Chevron Delo ESI Gear Lube 80-90". I don't know if it is available in quart (or liter) sizes but it is available in 20 liter (5 US gallon) size. It is about 2/3 the price of synthetics according to my source. It has a very long usable life and will not attack the soft metals due to its chemistry. It is a Potassium Boric chemistry so doesn't make the bad acids.

I am lead to understand that Volvo trucks recommend the use of this gear lube as does Eaton Transmission. I haven't checked this tid-bit out though.

In a nut shell, that's it.

You are the first to share this bit of information I just learned. I haven't even posted it on my local Land Rover site or club site yet.

Greg S

[theclay333]

for my tranny and t-case, in my 2a, i use this lucasoil "oil stabilizer", its super thick, and is designed for transmissions in mind.

Its kinda on the pricey side, but it doesnt leak as fast.

[Disco Mike]

Originally Posted by theclay333

for my tranny and t-case, in my 2a, i use this lucasoil "oil stabilizer", its super thick, and is designed for transmissions in mind.

Its kinda on the pricey side, but it doesnt leak as fast.

I swear by Lucas, but if you used the stablizer staright you are going to have a hard time when it is cold, nothing will move. It is designed to be used inconjunction with a regular oil.
My choice is this oil, and maybe in the 80/90 W with about 20% Lucas. This is a GL6 rated oil and it is real hard to beat.
Mike

[black and tan]

First stop, NAPA, 15.99/GAL Sta-Lube(CRC industries) 85w-90 API/GL-4
5th bullet down on description states. "Not corrosive to copper bronze, or other non ferrous alloy bearings and bushings."
ALSO states contains Petrolium oil, Olefin sulfide...
HMMM, Well I there it in all 90w spots, drove round the block no probs so far only .5mi though... we'll see, gotta fix a leaky fuel tank first....

www.crcindustries.com
CRC industries,Inc. Warminster, PA 18974
Customer service: 1800-272-8963

[pickuprover]

I do not worry about the gl5 rating that much.... yes it eats brass, but at a slow rate, and the only thing that is brass in the tranny is the syncros, so I do not see that as a huge deal, and chances are, by the time that the brass it eaten to a point that the synro's no longer work, well there will be another reason for a rebuild.... also try some smaller hardware stores that have an automotive section... I found my castrol hypo-C ( itis a gl4 rated 80W90) at a Home Hardware here in Canada. Every body else says it is no longer being made, they show it as a standard on the shelf item that is being produced and no cut off date....

[s3landy]

The oil filter might be a PH8A if it is a Rocky Mountain conversion.

Mike

[Takeo]

Gear Oil: normal is EP 90, EP stands for Extreme Pressure. Ordinary 90 weight will NOT do.

Takeo.

[MPi-KMS-72]

You can use a multigrade oil, single grade oils are archaic by today's standards. How many people still use straight 30 weight oil in their engines?

if it is a GL rated oul- GL4 or GL5 it is an EP oil. It is the EP additives that can eat the synchros in some GL5 oil. At higher temperatures the sulfur can eat them. Some GL5 oil is buffered and is yellow metal safe.

GL5 is generally a hypoid type oil with a greater concentration of EP additives (including sulfur) unless you have hypoid gears and their sliding motion then you really don't need it. there aren't any hypoid gears in the gearbox or transfer case so you really don't need the protection a GL5 affords. For that matter the diffs aren't hypoid either...