Can I just throw 75w-90 in there??

[draccent]

Ok so my manual tranny has this pink label that says to put ATF in it. Now Ive read that this isnt really important and that gear oil is fine. The owners manual makes no mention of this. It only calls for a specific API spec which I have bought. Ive currently got non-hypoid 75w-90 oil. Do I need to put ATF in? And for goodness sakes what grade?????? Theres like what...at least four or five different grades?

Thanks!

[strad]

ATF in your case means dexron III.

Don't know about the gear oil. non-hypoid for sure. I do know my 92 260 takes non-hypoid oil for sure.

[E34 HOOLIGAN]

Get 260's are not picky trannys. You can use many types of gear oil 75w-90, 80w-90, ATF etc... it really only depends on what kind of shift "feel" you prefer when the car is cold, and what climate you live in. - just experiment to see what suits your taste buds. Altough that tag on your tranny will say ATF, so if your still worried about "screwing" something up which you really shouldn't be in the first place; just use ATF "dexron III".

[MR 325]

If your 325eS is stick shift it should be using gear oil, not ATF.

[Shadow86325e]

Power Steering system uses ATF as does the transmission.

best to be safe. It's odd but hey it makes shopping for oil easier.

[Don Stevens]

I am surprised to hear your 87 says ATF. I thought that was reserved for later model cars. Anyway 75W90 (no Hypoid) GL-4 will be OK as long as the tranny shifts OK with whatever is in there.

If you want to improve cold shiting performance and reduce driveline losses use this; https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtf.aspx

Don

[draccent]

I am surprised to hear your 87 says ATF. I thought that was reserved for later model cars. Anyway 75W90 (no Hypoid) GL-4 will be OK as long as the tranny shifts OK with whatever is in there.

If you want to improve cold shiting performance and reduce driveline losses use this; https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtf.aspx

Don

Thanks! I went on ahead and put ATF in it. So far it seems to do pretty good. LORD what a messy job!

[E34 HOOLIGAN]

I can change the fluid without spilling a drop. Route a 5 foot (approx) hose through the engine compartment and put a funel on top, much better than using a fluid pump under the car.....well maybe a few drops you have to see some fluid come out to know it's full.

[Ablice]

Finding non-hypoid GL4 is a hassle for me.

Everybody and their mom has hypoid GL4 and GL5 here.

[Don Stevens]

Finding non-hypoid GL4 is a hassle for me.

Everybody and their mom has hypoid GL4 and GL5 here.

Where is "here"?

Any GL-4 is OK.

[Ablice]

Where is "here"?

Any GL-4 is OK.

Kalifornia. People's Republik.

I heard non-hypoid and hypoid gear oils are quite different.

[Don Stevens]

Kalifornia. People's Republik.

I heard non-hypoid and hypoid gear oils are quite different.

Yes, they can be, but if is says it is GL-4 compatable it is OK for an E30 Gearbox.

Gear Lube 101 -

Hypoid is a term for the way the gears are cut. Ring and pinion gears transmit rotational energy 90 degrees through the diff and the hypoid cut allows the gears to mesh smoothly and more importantly, quietly. Any Rear wheel drive car built in the last 50-60 years has hypoid gears in the diff. You may have noticed that the real old cars in the movies you can actually hear the non-hypoid ring and pinion gears whine.

The primary difference between a GL-4 (gear box) and GL-5 (diff) 75W90 gear lube is that the GL-5 has a higher concentration of Extreme Pressure (EP) additive that allows the oil to handle the extremely high shearing loads that hypoid ring and prinion gears place on the oil. The EP additives can be destructive to some soft metals in a gearbox like bushings and synchro rings which is why one does not want to put GL-5 lube in a E30 box.

It is possible for a gear lube to be both GL-4 and GL-5 compatible. Such oils are good for trans-axles (ie Porsche) and front wheel drive boxes where the ring and pinion is actually lubricated by the same oil that lubes the gears, synchros, and such. Such oils thypically have a higher grade base oil (often synthetic) and a delicate balance of EP additives to properly lube the ring and pinion while still being safe for the synchros.

Don

[dugwillis]

^ it's nice when someone just ends all the pointless posts, by putting it down like this.

[Ablice]

That's interesting.

When I check bottles of GL4 at the auto house I always find "hypoid" in there, not "non-hypoid". I am under the assumption the G260 doesn't have hypoid gears?

Take this link for example. If the GL4 hypoid gear oil is not different than the GL4 non-hypoid gear oil, then that's cool with me. Just trying to clear things up, last I checked the Bentley they said non-hypoid GL4 for the tranny, and all I can find is hypoid GL4.

I am befuddled.

[Don Stevens]

That's interesting.

When I check bottles of GL4 at the auto house I always find "hypoid" in there, not "non-hypoid". I am under the assumption the G260 doesn't have hypoid gears?

Take this link for example. If the GL4 hypoid gear oil is not different than the GL4 non-hypoid gear oil, then that's cool with me. Just trying to clear things up, last I checked the Bentley they said non-hypoid GL4 for the tranny, and all I can find is hypoid GL4.

I am befuddled.

That Andy guy in the link said the same thing I did. Just different words.

The G260 does have angle cut gears but not Hypoid gears. As I said above Hypoid gears are only used in ring and pinion.

As long as it is GL-4 it will be OK in the G260.

I use an older formulation of Amsoil gear Lube that was both GL-4 and GL-5 "hypoid" gear lube and have had great luck with it over 7 years in two different E30s.

Don