transmission & differential fluid

D

dreamrider

Junior Member
Hi Folks.
I'm getting ready to change the lubricant in my trans and rear end on my 1930 fordoor. Seems to me, I recall alot of guys having different opinions on what to put in these two locations. Additives, STP, this and that, etc...
I was going to just put straight 600w in the rear end and maybe a 60% 40& ratio of 600w and STP in the trans.
I'd even heard that the 600w we can buy through one of the mail order catalogs (Mike's, Snyder's, etc) is better than what I can buy at my local auto supply.
So what in the heck is the real deal on what I should be putting into these guys.
 
Just about anything will work. You will read here everything from straight STP to 140w and every thing in between.

(I use the stuff from the vendors.)
 
I ask on another site, never got a good ans... why do most people here say that "any modern" engine oil will be better then the eng. oil that was recomended for the "A" model, but yet most say that 600-GL1500 is still the best for the trans. and diff.??...i still use the GL1500 which once around the block turns completly into foam. i think the next time i change the flu's. in the trans. and diff. im going with a modrern lub.
am i worng?.....JMO.
 
Louis said:
I ask on another site, never got a good ans... why do most people here say that "any modern" engine oil will be better then the eng. oil that was recomended for the "A" model, but yet most say that 600-GL1500 is still the best for the trans. and diff.??...i still use the GL1500 which once around the block turns completly into foam. i think the next time i change the flu's. in the trans. and diff. im going with a modrern lub.
am i worng?.....JMO.
Click to expand...

Because you can't get the same oil formulation that they had 80 years ago.

As for GL1500, the original oil used was steam cylinder oil called 600W. Even though you can still buy "600W" the formulation has changed.

So only "modern" lubrication products are available today, for the engine or transmission/diff/steering and any of them are then what was available in the days of the model A.

I don't know about GL1500 but the stuff I buy from the vendors has never shown any signs of foaming for me.
 
I use only the stuff from the venders! Think how much they have sold over the years. No reports of problems! why cause yourself one:)
 
I had problems with the vendor supplied 600W lubricant ...When the weather was warm or the transmission was warm from a long run the gears would spin and would grind when shifting into first gear from a traffic light I don't like to keep the clutch engaged all that time ...The spinning of gears and grinding I figured was due to the lubricant getting thin as it heated up ...So I tried Synthetic lubricant in the transmission and differential PROBLEM SOLVED ! Synthetic lubricant will not get thin with heat like the old 600W does...To get the synthetic Lubricant thick enough I mixed one quart of Mobil 1 gear lube with one tube of Mobil 1 chassis grease ...Yep its expensive $$ but it really works ...I had no problems with leaking with the old 600W and no problems with the Mobil 1 mixture leaking either ...I did rebuild the transmission about 6 months before putting in the Mobil 1 mix ... The mobil 1 synthetic gear lube may? come in two types one is thicker I used the thicker stuff with the tube of Mobil 1 grease to make the mix ...I used a plastic disk from out of an old caulking tube to push out the grease from the grease tube into a very clean #10 food can then mixed it this mixed very easy ...I am thinking I could have pushed it out using the back cylinder part of my grease gun I will try that next time but I am thinking this synthetic lube will last for many years ...I then used a funnel with a wide spout and poured it back into the gear lube bottle this took some time for it to pour it is thick the squeeze bottle worked good to squeeze the mixture into the drained transmission and rear axle ...This mix has been in my Model A now for over 2 years with no problems ... My email is mooo46@yahoo.com B0B in SW Michigan
 
In a nutshell.

The engine oil today is leaps and bounds better than what was produced when the A was built. The detergents and additives protect the engine by preventing the build up of nasty chemicals- that is should you choose to put the oils with additives in your engine.

The ******, rear and other areas need the old style oils that are for the straight cut gears that have heavy pressure. The modern lubricants are more for gears that have a sliding action as they are designed today.

There are other side effects of the older oil that have to do with incidental protection from rust and such as they coat the inside of the housings. Look at how much you have to clean out the old oil from the housings. There is this nice protective coating all over inside the axle and drive shaft housing. This will keep the condensate from causing rust issues.

Do other type lubricants work in the rears, well yes- kind of. You need to ask the question, what are the other side benefits to using a particular kind of oil. You might be missing some secondary benefits you did not know or think about. The correct oil is not hard to get and not that expensive. I also believe some A parts houses are now selling single car quantities of the correct modern version of the 600wt.
 
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