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Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

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vagt6

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Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

Just purchased a '74 Midget with a Datsun gearbox, and I'm wondering what's in the car???

How might I determine what kind of brake fluid is in there? How might I tell if it's DOT 5 or DOT 3/4??

And, what's in the gearbox? Is it synthetic or regular oil?

And, while I'm at it, where's the oil fill hole on the Datsun gearbox?

British car, ricer gearbox. Never dealt with a Datsun before.

Thanks for the help, guys. :savewave:
 
Re: Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

Just a thought with the brake fluid,you could take 2 small containers ,take a small amount of fluid out of the reservoir into the 2 cups and then add dot4 to one and dot 5 to the other should be able to see which mixes as dot5 with dot 4 doesn't mix and turns to a jelly eventually.
 
Re: Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

Are you still in contact with the former owner? It sounds like they should know based on the amount of info that was in the ebay entry. It sounds like they owned the car for a long time. I would ask them.
 
Re: Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

Strangely, the PO never turned a wrench on the car and had everything done by local LBC specialists in his area.

He has no idea what's in the car, never changed the oil, topped up dashpots, etc. Paid others to do it.

The brake fluid should be easy: I'll just take a small sample out of the cylinder and apply it to some old painted metal. That should tell me if it's DOT 3.

The gearbox oil is a different animal. I'll contact Rivergate and see what they say. I'd like to put synthetic gearbox oil in there anyway.
 
Re: Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

If I remember right from my days of owing 5-speed Datsun 210's (which was a few years ago), they are supposed to have reqular automatic transmission fluid in them. If that is the case, I would just drain and refill with a synthetic. That way you are sure.
 
Re: Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

DOT 5 is dyed purple, although the dye can fade out after a few years. If it's purple or very pale yellow and odorless, it's most likely DOT 5. If it's brown and smelly, most likely DOT 3 or 4.
 
Re: Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

Excellent. Thanks for the info, guys.

Now, I gotta figure out where the oil fill hole is for the gearbox . . . :crazyeyes:
 
Re: Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

I would be careful with the ATF in the Datsun manual tranny-the manual calls for 90 wgt and I use 30 wgt but I have never heard of anyone using ATF in them.
Chevy Citations and Fieros use ATF in their manual trannys but nothing else that I know about.

BillM
 
Re: Fluid/lubricant ID on "new" Midget???

If brake work was done by a paid mechanic, there's a good chance it has DOT 3.
The cap on the brake master is marked "Use DOT 3" and most mechanics don't tend to deviate from the specs in areas like this.
 
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