• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Oil for Trans - What should you use?

Share this page

vping

vping

Yoda
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Should you use non-detergent oil in an OD? I thought that 20-50 would suffice but someone at my meeting metioned using 30wt. Non-detergent.
 
Same thing you put inna crankcase. 20W-50 is fine.
 
Morning Doc.

So what this "non-detergent" thingy he's talking about? I know about the foaming and all but is it ever needed for an MG? I'm perfectly fine getting 90 wt Gear oil for the rear and 20-50 for all else. Last thing I need to do is stock another product on my shelf.

With the TD though, I might have a whole nuther ball game.
 
It's 20/50 in the engine and tranny w/OD. 80/90 Hypoid in the rear and steering rack. I have no problems, cold or hot weather.
 
Vinnie, I completely blanked out about the overdrive unit! Tho I *DO* recall using Castrol 20W-50 (not 10w-30) in O/D MGB trannies without a problem. John's article would have me reconsider as well. ND30W it is. Just to be on the safe side.
 
With all the reading I have done I agreed with ya but after seening that, I'll probably reconsider. I'm heading up to him next week to trade a re-built rear for one of my Wire wheels rears. I'll probably take the tour and see what else he is up to. Also headed to "The Panel Shop" for a tech session.
 
hmmmmmm....lemme see, the engineers who designed & built the MGB stated that 20W50 was their preferred oil viscosity for the engine & that the same oil should be used for the transmission - OD or not....good enough for me!!

Here's my historical evidence: 1979 MGB w/OD bought brand new by me now has 120,000 miles on it, all by me...never had anything except Castrol 20W50 in either the engine or the trans (changed in engine at 2,000 mile intervals, drained from transmission every couple of years)....

Neither the engine nor the transmission have ever been opened to do any work! Neither have had any oil related problems!

....& it sits all winter with the fresh oil put in it after its last drive of the Fall....& it sat for 3 years while I was stationed in Alaska with the Castrol 20W50 I put in it just before closing the storage building door!

Why would I ever change?
 
Another point well taken. While reading the article I figurered that his tests were with 10w-30 and wondered if her performed the tests with 20W-50 would they be farter or closer in PPSI to the 30w results.
 
30 weight non detergent motor oil, if you look in the cars operators manual, is a recommended engine oil. Sooooooo.
 
I agree with Tony 100%. If it was good enough for the people who engineered it and built it, it's good enough for me. To me, it's usually the safest route to take. I am very cautious about private testing. You know, there's still people out there who think they can dump a quart of "Motor Medic", in an engine and it will rebuild it'self. Duh.
indifferent0030.gif
sign0164.gif
It takes all kinds. JMHO. PJ
 
Jack - if you look in the MGB owners manual, 10W-30 is only good up to 60-degrees!! Now, I don't know about Florida - but in north Alabama, its 60-degrees today! In the summer it goes over 100! Not even discussing engine temperature.....

& if you read the oil filler cap on the valve cover, it not only recommends 20W-50, it recommends Castrol 20W-50 spwecifically!
 
Yep. What I am saying is that if the spec was approved from the factory it is still ok. Got to read the fine print though for conditions, etc.

I use 20-50 of course, but then it is a new engine as well.

Note that the manual lists brands of oil I never heard of.
 
Don't assume that the oils available today are the same as were available in 1962. Regardless of what year owner's manual you're reading and whether they recommend 30W or 20W-50, either will work fine. Quantum does recommend 30W non-detergent but that doesn't mean you have to use it. Thousands of Laycock overdrives around the world are running 20W-50 without any problems. This is one of those rare situations where two different products are well tested and they both perform well.

If you have 20W-50 in the gearbox now, I would leave it alone. It won't do any harm. If you feel more comfortable with 30W then switch it at the next routine service.
 
Back
Top