Due to my stationary engine activities i recently found out that E.P. (extreme pressure) additives in gear oil attack & can destroy bronze gears. Now i've never pulled down a land rover (series) transmission so i dont know if there's bronze living in there. Can anyone advise me ? Would that also damage (for example) syncro rings ? Non E.P. gear oil is still available. Should i use this, or is the hypoy 90 in my shed (5 gall drum) O.K. (i hope)
E.P additives in gear oil
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jamesmartin
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when buying ep 90 make sure its gl 4 not 5
Didn't understand that. gl 4 ?
jamesmartin
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The Ferkin BoB
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lol :d
jamesmartin
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?
Cutty Dyer
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James, i thought there was no yellow metals in either the transfer box or diffs?
The official Land Rover Defender manual recommends both gl4&5 for the transfer box:
jamesmartin
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there is in transfer box and bushes in some axles, im no oil expert and gl 4 is more than adequate so why take the risk
Cutty Dyer
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Found this in a thread on another forum (pushing Trojan oils); see 3rd from last paragraph:
The GL5 specification can be achieved without high levels of Molybdenum Disulphide (the additive that, in high concentrations, causes leaching of copper and its alloys).
A good example of this is our Trojan Fully Synthetic Gear Oil which meets GL5 performance without high levels of Molybdenum Disulphide AND is perfectly compatible with copper and its alloys as found in older transmissions.
Equally, the LT230 transfer box does not contain copper or its alloys and so SHOULD be filled with GL5 spec oil to give the best level of protection.
The diffs too should be filled with GL5 spec oil to cope with the high speed, high load conditions within.
However, older gearboxes such as the 4 speed main gearbox found in Series Land Rovers are susceptible to copper leaching (the synchro hubs are an alloy of copper) and so you MUST check the the oil you use is compatible with copper.
If you can't find out whether the oil is compatible then use GL4 spec oil to be on the safe side but DON'T rule out using GL5, just make sure it is compatible as mentioned.
Our store descriptions clearly detail the compatibility of our oils with older transmissions and give applications and capacities for Land Rovers, Discoverys and Range Rovers.
Cutty Dyer
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Lots of info on lubricants here:
Land Rover Oil and Lubricants - Engines Transmission Diffs
Extract from section relating to transfer box & diff lubrication:
TRANSFER CASE (LT230T)
According to the specifications prescribed by Land Rover a GL-4 or GL-5 oil can be used in the transfer case. Castrol recommends that VMX 80 also be used in the transfer case. It is mild pressure oil and is developed by Castrol to improve cold gear shifting. VMX 80 and MTF 94 have the same specifications as far as API service category and SAE viscosity grading are concerned. If you are going to use a GL-4 oil, I would recommend that you preferably use MTF 94 for the transfer case as well.
On the other hand. Since the transfer case like the differentials are under enormous pressure when using low range and since the transfer differential is not separate from the transfer case my recommendation will be to rather use thicker oil with more EP additives. In my view the transfer case of the Land Rover is nothing else than a third differential rather than a second gearbox. This calls for the service category GL-5. Castrol and Caltex Australia also recommend this.
In my view the ideal oil for the transfer case should meet with the following criteria:
Full synthetic
SAE 75w90
GL-5
However the following oils may also be used:
Castrol EPX 80W90 GL-5
Caltex Thuban GL5 EP 80W90 GL-5
Shell Spirax ASX (Synthetic based) 75W90 GL-5
Habot (Full synthetic) 80W90 GL-5
The ideal oil for the transfer case as far as I am concerned is Castrol SAF-XO. The specifications are as follows:
Castrol SAF-XO (Full Synthetic) 75W90 GL-5
In the Pretoria region you can order this oil from Oom Jan or Emiel at Midas in Centurion.
DIFFERENTIALS
If all of the above regarding gear oils are taken into account the ideal oil for the differentials should meet with the following criteria:
Full synthetic
SAE 75W90
GL-5
The same oils for the transfer case with service category GL-5 can be used in the differentials:
Castrol EPX 80W90 GL-5
Caltex Thuban GL5 EP 80W90 GL-5
Shell Spirax ASX (Synthetic based) 75W90 GL-5
Habot oil (Full synthetic) 80W90 GL-5
Castrol recommends that Castrol SAF-XO be used in the differentials. The Workshop Manual from Land Rover prescribes a GL-5 oil with viscosity 90. I also recommend that Castrol SAF-XO be used. I have full specifications on SAF-XO if you would like to get hold of it. Castrol SAF-XO is very expensive. If you frequently use your Land Rover in mud or water where the possibility of water ingress into the differentials is high, it would be wise to use Shell Spirax to cut down on costs.
Land Rover Oil and Lubricants - Engines Transmission Diffs
Extract from section relating to transfer box & diff lubrication:
TRANSFER CASE (LT230T)
According to the specifications prescribed by Land Rover a GL-4 or GL-5 oil can be used in the transfer case. Castrol recommends that VMX 80 also be used in the transfer case. It is mild pressure oil and is developed by Castrol to improve cold gear shifting. VMX 80 and MTF 94 have the same specifications as far as API service category and SAE viscosity grading are concerned. If you are going to use a GL-4 oil, I would recommend that you preferably use MTF 94 for the transfer case as well.
On the other hand. Since the transfer case like the differentials are under enormous pressure when using low range and since the transfer differential is not separate from the transfer case my recommendation will be to rather use thicker oil with more EP additives. In my view the transfer case of the Land Rover is nothing else than a third differential rather than a second gearbox. This calls for the service category GL-5. Castrol and Caltex Australia also recommend this.
In my view the ideal oil for the transfer case should meet with the following criteria:
Full synthetic
SAE 75w90
GL-5
However the following oils may also be used:
Castrol EPX 80W90 GL-5
Caltex Thuban GL5 EP 80W90 GL-5
Shell Spirax ASX (Synthetic based) 75W90 GL-5
Habot (Full synthetic) 80W90 GL-5
The ideal oil for the transfer case as far as I am concerned is Castrol SAF-XO. The specifications are as follows:
Castrol SAF-XO (Full Synthetic) 75W90 GL-5
In the Pretoria region you can order this oil from Oom Jan or Emiel at Midas in Centurion.
DIFFERENTIALS
If all of the above regarding gear oils are taken into account the ideal oil for the differentials should meet with the following criteria:
Full synthetic
SAE 75W90
GL-5
The same oils for the transfer case with service category GL-5 can be used in the differentials:
Castrol EPX 80W90 GL-5
Caltex Thuban GL5 EP 80W90 GL-5
Shell Spirax ASX (Synthetic based) 75W90 GL-5
Habot oil (Full synthetic) 80W90 GL-5
Castrol recommends that Castrol SAF-XO be used in the differentials. The Workshop Manual from Land Rover prescribes a GL-5 oil with viscosity 90. I also recommend that Castrol SAF-XO be used. I have full specifications on SAF-XO if you would like to get hold of it. Castrol SAF-XO is very expensive. If you frequently use your Land Rover in mud or water where the possibility of water ingress into the differentials is high, it would be wise to use Shell Spirax to cut down on costs.
jamesmartin
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id just get std gl4 ep 90 its worked for years and its frequent oil changes that make the difference ,i dont think ive stripped a unit that i thought was worn because oil wasnt up to it ,not enough or old and contaminated frequently
