Oils... engine, gearbox and LSD...

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:32 pm

I use Redline Superlight Shockproof (yellow label) in both NA8 Clubman GB & LSD, which Redline Aust said was ok. Manga_Blue recommends Redline MT90, & I'll change to that in due course, as gear change is better than it was, but I believe it could be better still, i.e. in comparison the NA6 was perfect.

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 8:46 pm

My experience basically says take advice over the phone from Harold at http://www.performancelub.com/, fine purveyor of boutique oils at crazy low prices. If you're not in Melbourne (which I'm not) then his post charges are very low.

After years of stuffing around with every other brand it's settled to what I use now for all our vehicles. It's brought the total cost of oils way down. The mix is:
- engines: Amsoil 10W-40 (= about half the harshness and twice the life of anything else I've used)
- Mazda gearboxes: Redline MT 90 transmission oil (= slick changes, quiet box)
- diffs: Redline 75W90 gear oil
- PS: Redline PS oil

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:02 pm

Borked wrote:How are the boot rubbers in the NA8 ?
Apparently that causes a bit of vagueness...

Both near new.

fattima · Postby **fattima** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:06 pm

MT90 improved the shift in my NA6 heaps, stopped baulking going into second when cold.
My NA8 had MT90 in the box when I bought it and is fine.

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:07 pm

Borked wrote:How are the boot rubbers in the NA8 ?
Apparently that causes a bit of vagueness...

I thought I was pretty good for my age.

Boot rubbers were not as big an issue as engine and diff mounts. Get Mazdaspeed ones and then that's sorted. MTL gear oil was too light. Gearchanges were nicely notchy but the box was very noisy - more like using sewing machine oil.

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:09 pm

Mine's just a torsen, so no friction plates. As I said, plain Redline 75W90 for that.
http://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=4

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:27 am

If you ring Redline they will give you a recommendation on their oils and if you ring or look up web sites for Castrol etc they point you to their product. Disregarding racing conditions which may be very extreme then any of the major oil co products meeting the Mazda recommendation will be fit for purpose. I always worry that changing too fast particularly 1st to 2nd and hiding it with an expensive oil is perhaps not wise- like taking pain killers and then doing an injury?

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:23 pm

Since I'm due to change my box and diff oil in the next few weeks Ithink this thread is very apt.

so what would be the recommendation for gearbox oil on an NB 5speed that only sees the track once a year?

how about diff oil for the OEM NB Open diff? (this uses the same oil as the gearbox does it?)

thanks.

and of course, I will read the manual and see what it says beforehand, just wanted to hear from those who've had more experience.

edit: also remembering cost effectiveness. Not looking for something that's going to be $100 a bottle

zossy1 · Postby **zossy1** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:42 am

This needs to be sticky. Everyone needs to know this!

The only thing I would offer is that some guys over here use a mix of MTL and MT90 (50/50) during the winter months to aid in cold weather shifting. Not sure it would be much use over there. I always used 100% MT90 in the gearbox so I can't comment on the veracity of the mix.

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 4:04 pm

Mr Morlock wrote:... any of the major oil co products meeting the Mazda recommendation will be fit for purpose ...

I was in my local workshop yesterday watching them install cork gaskets into a 1955 MGTF motor and I thought I should take a moment to appreciate how much better things are today.

Mazda made its recommendations for my car 15 years ago from a small range of dino oils available at the time. That was before there was such an extended range of synthetic oils freely available on the market and before the existence of niche suppliers over the web.

Choosing new, higher quality lubricants will drive the cost of ownership down. For example, I'm finding that the Amsoil oils I recommended are extending oil changes in my ute and the wife's Merc out comfortably to 20,000km when they were rattling like tractors after 3 months on Mobil1. For the track pig it's gone out from 3 months to 12 months with the same oils. I've cut oil changes by almost 75% and at Harold's prices the oil is only costing 25% more per fill. The cars are all showing their appreciation too. Why would I go back to old 1995 rubbish?