damage with gearbox oil

Post by **markattard** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:14 pm

What could get damaged if you use gearbox oil (say sae 80-90) instead of engine oil?

Post by **wanderinstar** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:16 pm

Why would you want to use gear oil, when you seem to know that engine oil is the one to use?

Post by **markattard** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:32 pm

simple, my friend bought a new mog and does not know which type of oil is in the gearbox. Before draining and refilling, we thought we ask the question....

Post by **wanderinstar** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:40 pm

Well I can assure you engine oil is the one to use. I suppose if you use gear oil it will slow the syncro's down and make the gearbox very stiff.

Post by **Judge** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:14 pm

wanderinstar wrote:Well I can assure you engine oil is the one to use.

Unless it's a Series MM

Post by **aupickup** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:14 pm

except for the early gearbox that used ep 90

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:43 pm

You can smell Ep 90 !! Just drain it off and refill with 20W50 anyway - problem solved.

Post by **Onne** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:02 pm

Yes, and EP90 smells like a mix of wee and cat sick

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:03 pm

Dunno - don't have a cat (or a 'moggy') as some call their cats!

Post by **Onne** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:09 pm

Well, my neighbours did, and I can confirm it

(And when I said my neigbours DID... it wasn't my car

)

Post by **markattard** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:58 pm

Back serious, any one knows what damage could be done? Well this car might have had thick gear oil for ages in the g-box...

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:12 pm

No great harm - it just drags too much especially when cold. However it may have been put in there (perhaps with some sawdust!!) to hide/quieten a very noisy box for sale purposes!!

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:19 pm

bmcecosse wrote:However it may have been put in there (perhaps with some sawdust!!) to hide/quieten a very noisy box for sale purposes!!

Does sawdust really do that? I thought it was an urban myth...

Post by **Welung666** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:58 pm

It worked on a Talbot Sunbeam I had years ago, shame it failed the MOT due to not having a boot floor

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:21 am

Old Arthur Daly trick!

Post by **IslipMinor** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 4:58 pm

Please do not use any 'EP' oil in the Minor gearbox (other than side valve). EP oil 'eats' yellow metal, so will destroy the phosphor bronze bushes and other parts in the box.

20/50 engine oil only.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 8:13 pm

Aye - and if put in the engine it eats the bronze out of leaded bronze bearing shells too ! But i would have thought this only happened at highish temperature and would not do any real damage in a gearbox.