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Hate to ask--essential fluids question

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drooartz

drooartz

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Don't want to start a holy war, but I'm trying to put together a basic list of the fluids that the Bugeye uses. I'll be in the city tomorrow, so I want to stock up so I can get some maintenance done. Here's what I think I know so far. Thoughts, corrections, brands?

Motor oil - 20w50
Transmission -
Rear differential -
Dashpots - same as motor oil
Tires (stock steel wheels) - 155/80R13 (that's what on there now)
Brake Fulid - DOT 4

DOT 4 seems to be hard to find here. There is some Valvoline Synthetic that is labeled as being for 3 and 4. Will that work? My car still has drums all around.

Thanks,
-Drew
 
Here we go again......... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Motor Oil........................Amsoil 20/50
Tranny............................Red Line MTF
Brakes............................Willwood 570 (Dot 3)
Rear End.........................Lucas hypoid w/ Trans-X slip juice
Dashpots.........................ATF
 
When I get a good list, I'll post it in the knowledge base area, so that folks don't have to keep going through this! I know this is a touchy area that's been dragged up before, but I searched through the site and couldn't find it.

-Drew
 
Drew, you aren't going to start any wars, but you should get a good representative sample of what many of us are using. I'm sure you'll see there is quite a bit of latitude.
Myself, street cars only:

Engine, Castrol 20W50
Tranny, same as the engine
Diff., 80W90 GL4 gear lube.
Brakes, Castrol/Girling LMA
Dashpots, 20W or ATF
Steering Rack, same as the differential.
Chassis lube points, including wheel bearings, Kendall Super Blue Grease.

This has remained pretty much unchanged for me since my first LBC in 1966.
Jeff
 
Total agreement. It is the same with my MG's over the years. Mebbe a change from "other" grease to the Kendall Blue, but that's about it... oh, and the '60's I was using straight 30W. Changed in... err... late '70's or early '80's to Castrol 20W50.
 
Just want to verify that the rear diff takes GL4 gear oil, not GL5.
 
I wonder about that also. GL5 has extreme pressure additives, usually sulfur compounds, which help with the extreme sliding pressures found in hypoid axles. For non hypoid gears & transmissions, GL5 wouldn't have much benefit. Maybe, in the big picture, it doesn't make much difference? As has been discussed before, the sulfur in GL5 is thought to be detrimental to the brass/bronze synchronizers & bushings found in some of the older transmissions.
D
 
I've no "difinitive data" on the GL5 stuff, just wouldn't use it 'cause of the sulfur in proximity to the bronze "cups" an' suchlike. But I'm a superstitious paranoiac /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

...for what it's worth.
 
As long as you are not racing
Any name brand engine oil(change the oil every 3000 mile)
Tranny uses any name engine oil(synthetic stuff tends to be too slippery on the old style syncros, crunchy shifts) your results may vary.(I use 20/50 valvoline)
Diff any gear oil
Brakes, If ya want to rebuild your system in a few years use any dot 3 or 4 fluid If ya want to not rebuild your brakes for a long time use dot 5 silicone(provided ya build the system right in the first place)
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif Be aware that DOT 5 doesn't mix with DOT 3 or 4, so if you decide to go that route it has to be completely devoid of the latter. I switched over to it when I rebuilt the brake system, and I've been happy with it. The Valvoline Synpower stuff would be fine too, since I have to get the DOT 5 from Moss. If you decide to stick with DOT 3 or 4, you should replace it every couple years because it tends to absorb moisture from the air and rust the brake hydraulics from the inside.

As for the GL-5 gear oil, it does cause problems for the older gearboxes that had brass synchro rings. Unfortunately, that seems to be the majority of the gear lubes out there except for Redline. The differential should be fine with it, since there are no brass synchros in it.

One other vital fluid I might mention is coolant. Don't be tempted to use Dex-cool or those other 100,000 mile coolants. I had inquired about this since my Saturn used it, but this stuff only works in a system that was designed to use it and has never had the green stuff in it. So stick with good old green stuff like Prestone.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I've no "difinitive data" on the GL5 stuff, just wouldn't use it 'cause of the sulfur in proximity to the bronze "cups"

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this in reference to the rear end or the transmission? I'm only gong to use gear oil in the rear end, going with 20/50 Valvoline (racing, non-detergent) in the transmission. The Castrol Hypoy C I have at home is a GL5, that's what I was thinking of using.

-Drew
 
In reference to coolant. Unless you live where it gets really cold...like north of the mason/dixon line or further, you need no more than 10 percent anti-freeze. In fact glycol/antifreeze inhibits the transfer of heat. Pure water works much better at cooling. That 50/50 recommendation is good for North Dakota winters and a good marketing ploy for the glycol companies in the south.
 
Antifreeze also supplies needed waterpump lube & corrosion inhibitors. Especially if your engine has any aluminum parts in contact with the coolant, these inhibitors need to be supplied, in "some" way.
D
 
[ QUOTE ]
Unless you live where it gets really cold

[/ QUOTE ]

Which I do, for better or worse, living in the mountains of Utah at 5550' above sea level. Got down to -14F this winter. Brrr.....
 
Heck, I'd think about a battery blanket & oil pan heater like we used in Alaska...just plugged the car in at night & hopped in it the next morning (Jerri even had a little electric heater she kept in her car so the upholstery was always warm....never changed fluids from what was normal year 'round that way.
 
that is way too cold for a Texas boy. You guys are tougher than me for sure. 60 degrees is too cold for me. gimme 100 degrees an I am happy
 
Oh, we get 100 degrees as well in the summer time--not quite where I am living now, but down in Salt Lake we usually have at least a few 100+ days, and plenty over 90. Quite the range here.
 
If we ever have more than a few 100 degree days here....I'm moving further north.

I have found that the best heat transfer efficiency I can get is with distilled water & water wetter.
 
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