Disco 2 Gearbox Oil - Quick One

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

Shimsteriom

Master Procrastinator
Posts
41,905
Location
Over Here
Is the general consensus still to use MTF94 in the TD5 gearbox?
I'm going to be ordering oils for a complete transmission, engine and diffs oil change over the next few days and I just wanted to check. :)
 
Hi I use the gearbox oil that Ashcroft recommend for the r380 not MTF 94
And what oil is that? ... i presume they didnt recommend it for countries where the temps can go below -10*C cos at that kind of temps anything else than the genuine MTF94 will make 1'st and 2'nd gears hard to select from cold... i know as i tried at least 8 kind of so called alternatives recommended by various "experts" and ended up with the MTF94 after much vasted money and oil... IMO the manufacturer of the box might know better what oil is good for it though
 
Fery, you are right, usually the original oil is the right choice. In my case the MTF94 was not available (hungary) so based on Ashcroft recommendation I use ATF dex3 oil and it works well so far (even under 0*C).
And as we are talking about mechanism which are now not new (usually more than 200k kms in them) might behaive differently in case of oil grade.
 
And what oil is that? ... i presume they didnt recommend it for countries where the temps can go below -10*C cos at that kind of temps anything else than the genuine MTF94 will make 1'st and 2'nd gears hard to select from cold... i know as i tried at least 8 kind of so called alternatives recommended by various "experts" and ended up with the MTF94 after much vasted money and oil... IMO the manufacturer of the box might know better what oil is good for it though
I do agree with you but ATF dex 3 wasn’t around when they made the td5 and Ashcroft do have an excellent reputation, mine also feels fine when cold with this oil, maybe better than with the genuine Mtf 94 actually
 
It’s called triple qx atf dex 3, the exact one they recommend, ferry I recommend you try it!
 
I do agree with you but ATF dex 3 wasn’t around when they made the td5 and Ashcroft do have an excellent reputation, mine also feels fine when cold with this oil, maybe better than with the genuine Mtf 94 actually
Of course it was it around before the Td5, it’s been around for 15/20 years now, Dexron lll is just a specification for auto transmission fluid not a brand, before the update it was Dexron llD and before that Dexron ll.

That’s the info I have after owning an auto for 31years :)
 
Last edited:
I've tried Dexron III as recommended alternative by the manufacturer too and below -10 it was worst than with the MTF, entered hard in 1 and 2 untill the box heated up also in the summer the central console was hotter with Dexron or any other oil than MTF which means the box doesnt feel the best... my box is definitely much smoother with the MTF94(the genuine LR one), i import the 5l STC9157 from UK and i'll never put anything else in my box
 
Last edited:
I've tried Dexron III as recommended alternative by the manufacturer too and below -10 it was worst than with the MTF, entered hard in 1 and 2 untill the box heated up also in the summer the central console was hotter with Dexron or any other oil than MTF which means the box doesnt feel the best... my box is definitely much smoother with the MTF94(the genuine LR one), i import the 5l STC9157 from UK and i'll never put anything else in my box
mtf can help gear change on many boxes but your bit about running hotter is wishful thinking imo,
 
Ashcroft FAQs

What oil should I use in my R380 gearbox?


The oil recommended by Land Rover is MTF94. However we have recently found this oil to give better results... Triple qx Dextron iii
 
Back
Top