Amsoil Differential and Transmission Oils Review

[cueball89]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Bump. Added an update to the first post.

venturall, Amsoil transmission oil has been great for me this winter. Just did a cold start around freezing yesterday and it was fine. You had asked in the second post.

Nice, glad it's working out for you! How many miles do you have on the fluid now?

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by cueball89

Nice, glad it's working out for you! How many miles do you have on the fluid now?

I forget exactly, but I think it's been about 6,000 miles. I'll double check when I can look it up in my log.

[venturaII]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Bump. Added an update to the first post.

@, Amsoil transmission oil has been great for me this winter. Just did a cold start around freezing yesterday and it was fine. You had asked in the second post.

I don't have my car this week, as it's at the body shop getting a new door and fender hung on it from getting sideswiped in traffic... I get to drive around a fabulously dull, yet perfectly competent Hyundai Elantra sedan...lol

However, I haven't really seen any improvement in cold shifting with the Amsoil now that it has a few miles on it. I'm going to dump it in the spring and try Redline. If that has similar results, then I'll just go back to the expensive Toyota fluid.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by venturaII

I don't have my car this week, as it's at the body shop getting a new door and fender hung on it from getting sideswiped in traffic... I get to drive around a fabulously dull, yet perfectly competent Hyundai Elantra sedan...lol

However, I haven't really seen any improvement in cold shifting with the Amsoil now that it has a few miles on it. I'm going to dump it in the spring and try Redline. If that has similar results, then I'll just go back to the expensive Toyota fluid.

Sorry to hear about the car (unless I heard about it before and don't remember lol).

Hope the Redline works for you. Do you, or are you going to, have a review thread? I'd like to see how that compares back to back. It's interesting the we seem to be having different experiences with the same stuff lol.

[997FRS]

Go for the Redline fluids, they have been great in my trans and diff. Highly recommend them.

[venturaII]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Hope the Redline works for you. Do you, or are you going to, have a review thread? I'd like to see how that compares back to back. It's interesting the we seem to be having different experiences with the same stuff lol.

Yeah, I'll probably either start a new thread, or post in an existing one dedicated to Redline, if I find one. I'll probably throw a quick update in this one too, since it's somewhat related. And yes, I do find it interesting as well...

As mentioned earlier, my natural tendancy is to short shift the car when the engine is cold, which gives poor shifting results with the cold transmission. There IS a noticable improvement in 1 - 2 cold shift quality if you rev the motor up a bit higher in 1st gear and hold it there just for a split second longer before shifting to 2nd. I'm assuming it promotes better oil circulation within the transmission...it just goes against my natural tendancy to be easy on the motor until it warms up a bit more...

[gravitylover]

Originally Posted by venturaII

I'm assuming it promotes better oil circulation within the transmission...it just goes against my natural tendancy to be easy on the motor until it warms up a bit more...

You're not wrapping it up just winding up the syncros to the right speed so it slides in smoothly. That's usually just a couple hundred rpm's.

[COBlue]

Got some Amsoil 75W-90 MT and diff fluid and had the local shop put it in a few days ago. Can't say I've noticed any diff with the diff, but have with the MT. Still stiff when cold, but less of the clunky/grinding noisy. Also less rattling sound when intentionally briefly bogged down (light gas higher gear around the 'hood).
So MT sounds and feels better - but is it better? Curious on long term results anyone has.


Then tonight was talking to a neighbor who has owned auto shops for almost 30 years and gave me a few nightmare stories about Amsoil results - but all 15-20yrs old so hopefully they've improved? Now I've gone from happy to concerned...

[GJR726WY]

I picked up my '13 MT BRZ this fall and switched to all AMSOil fluids within the first two months. Transmission shifts 100% smoother and there was a clunk when you would put the car in reverse that went away. I don't notice any difference in the rear end handling either. I've always swore by AMSOil though, I've run it in my racing engines for years.

OP - Did you use the GL-4 or the GL-5 in the rear diff?

[venturaII]

Originally Posted by venturaII

Yeah, I'll probably either start a new thread, or post in an existing one dedicated to Redline, if I find one. I'll probably throw a quick update in this one too, since it's somewhat related. And yes, I do find it interesting as well...

So, I put it off a bit longer than I thought I would, but I just did another fluid dump/refill last week, but this time I used Redline MT-90 GL-4. About the same cost as Amsoil, and a little bit cheaper than the Toyota LV-75W GL-4 fluid. I have to say, at this point I'm much happier with the Redline fluid than with the Amsoil stuff I had in there. Just a smoother shifting transmission overall, and a bit quieter as well. Granted, we're in the middle of a January thaw here in New England so I haven't had a chance to evaluate it down in single digit temps, but so far it's been better. Unless something unquestionably better comes along, I'll be sticking with this.

[gravitylover]

Originally Posted by venturaII

So, I put it off a bit longer than I thought I would, but I just did another fluid dump/refill last week, but this time I used Redline MT-90 GL-4. About the same cost as Amsoil, and a little bit cheaper than the Toyota LV-75W GL-4 fluid. I have to say, at this point I'm much happier with the Redline fluid than with the Amsoil stuff I had in there. Just a smoother shifting transmission overall, and a bit quieter as well. Granted, we're in the middle of a January thaw here in New England so I haven't had a chance to evaluate it down in single digit temps, but so far it's been better. Unless something unquestionably better comes along, I'll be sticking with this.

Did you only do the tranny or the diff too? I need to change my diff fluid before I take off on a 3500 mile road trip on Thursday so need to order by tomorrow morning. I'm thinking Redline 75W-90 but not sure which one, there's GL4 and 5 and also the NS for limited slip diffs.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by GJR726WY

I picked up my '13 MT BRZ this fall and switched to all AMSOil fluids within the first two months. Transmission shifts 100% smoother and there was a clunk when you would put the car in reverse that went away. I don't notice any difference in the rear end handling either. I've always swore by AMSOil though, I've run it in my racing engines for years.

OP - Did you use the GL-4 or the GL-5 in the rear diff?

Sorry, forgot to check back in on this. GL-4 in the transmission, GL-5 in the diff.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by COBlue

Got some Amsoil 75W-90 MT and diff fluid and had the local shop put it in a few days ago. Can't say I've noticed any diff with the diff, but have with the MT. Still stiff when cold, but less of the clunky/grinding noisy. Also less rattling sound when intentionally briefly bogged down (light gas higher gear around the 'hood).
So MT sounds and feels better - but is it better? Curious on long term results anyone has.


Then tonight was talking to a neighbor who has owned auto shops for almost 30 years and gave me a few nightmare stories about Amsoil results - but all 15-20yrs old so hopefully they've improved? Now I've gone from happy to concerned...

I still need to do the "official" update on the main post, but it's been great so far! It's held up well and I remain particularly impressed with the transmission in all conditions my car sees. Still smooth with a single click to let you know it's in gear. Diff hasn't had any problems and feels normal to me now, as I haven't had any back-to-back comparison since I changed it.

[venturaII]

Originally Posted by gravitylover

Did you only do the tranny or the diff too? I need to change my diff fluid before I take off on a 3500 mile road trip on Thursday so need to order by tomorrow morning. I'm thinking Redline 75W-90 but not sure which one, there's GL4 and 5 and also the NS for limited slip diffs.

I've already done the diff once around 30K with Mobil1 GL5...I think 80W-90 weight or thereabouts... I didn't do it again this time...I'll let to go a little longer. I just wasn't happy with the trans fill and wanted to try something else. I think the Redline is slightly better than the Toyota LV75W GL3, and the Amsoil a bit worse; certainly no better. Funny how everyone has different preferences....'feel' is such an interpretive thing.