What Manual Trans Fluid Do You Use?

[McG86]

So I know this topic has been talked about quite a bit in the other sections but I want to get some info from my fellow Canadians. I have done it once already, switched over to Amsoil, but I don't think it did too much. I've been running it for a year now and I think my 2nd gear grind is getting worse. The winter makes second gear a real problem I basically have to skip second till the car has warmed up for a good 10 minutes. So my real question is, for those that changed their transmission fluid what has worked the best for you? And do you think at this point the problem might be just an issue with the trans?

Thanks in advance for any answers

[macaulay7]

I have the exact same problem and I now run Redline. Shifts smooth as butter when its hot but when cold the second gear crunches and grinds are unbearable.

When it first started getting cold I left the car with Subaru over night and they took it for a few test drives and told me it is just "normal Toyota gearbox noises" and "it must be you not pushing the pedal all the way down".

I occasionally look into it when I have the chance and the only thing I have found so far to minimize the crunches is to raise the clutch pedal back up (I had adjusted it down in the summer as per the DIY). Other then that I am in the same boat of double clutching or skipping second all together when its cold.

[daskaman]

Redline, feels way better, especially when warm. That being said, the moment temps are below -5, crunchy crunchy unless I double clutch in 2nd

[brzzy]

Subbed.

For the most part second gear is OK for me. At least I've found a way around it. However downshifts into second gear suck for the most part no matter what I do (feels more like clutch related than gear box) and my 6-5 downshifts crunch like a mofo no matter what I do post an OFT flash which is strange to me.

But subbed to know more about what other people in cold climates are using both on the street and track.


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[ztrevs]

Totaled.

Got to buy an auto now.

[darko]

A while ago I read a thread on here that the engineer who designed the gearbox knew about the issue. Something to do with performance vs lose gear gap. As cold weather expands and contracts the metal makes it difficult to actuate it into gear

Also how many Km's are you guys changing the fluid?

found the link: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31929

[brzzy]

Originally Posted by ztrevs

Totaled.

Got to buy an auto now.

I thought we were talking about auto gearboxes?

🤣🤣

Jks


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[daskaman]

Originally Posted by darko

Also how many Km's are you guys changing the fluid?

So far 13,000 km from new. Metal shavings present, but nothing too crazy compared to most new cars that I see.

[wparsons]

Motul Gear 300 for me in both the gearbox and diff (same fluid, not running the 300LS in the diff since it's not a clutch LSD).

I still get occasional 2nd gear crunches when cold, but it's not every shift even in the dead of winter.

[roddy]

Pentosin MTF2. I've tried a few different fluids, and for my FR-S, it seems to work best. I have not tried Motul, or Redline's MT-85. I've had my car since June 2012, it has over 100,000kms on the clock, and it is my daily driver year 'round in Southern Ontario.


Most car manufacturers put Canada in the "severe service" category for maintenance scheduling...with that in mind, the recommended interval for manual transmission fluid changes is 24,000kms/2 years. I change mine every spring.

[McG86]

Originally Posted by wparsons

Motul Gear 300 for me in both the gearbox and diff (same fluid, not running the 300LS in the diff since it's not a clutch LSD).

I still get occasional 2nd gear crunches when cold, but it's not every shift even in the dead of winter.

Just about everyone raves about Motul gear 300 but I was reading in one of the threads and a member said it was horrible to drive in the cold with it. I was thinking that was going to be my next fluid to try though.

[McG86]

Originally Posted by roddy

Pentosin MTF2. I've tried a few different fluids, and for my FR-S, it seems to work best. I have not tried Motul, or Redline's MT-85. I've had my car since June 2012, it has over 100,000kms on the clock, and it is my daily driver year 'round in Southern Ontario.


Most car manufacturers put Canada in the "severe service" category for maintenance scheduling...with that in mind, the recommended interval for manual transmission fluid changes is 24,000kms/2 years. I change mine every spring.

Do you find that it still grinds at all in the cold? or downshifting is hard? I mean I've only had this trans fluid in for a year/ 14,000 km so I didn't think it would be this bad

[jasonojordan]

Originally Posted by McG86

Just about everyone raves about Motul gear 300 but I was reading in one of the threads and a member said it was horrible to drive in the cold with it. I was thinking that was going to be my next fluid to try though.

I have motul gear 300 in mine and on cold starts 1st to 2nd is very very difficult. Once warm is gets much better. Im planning to try out https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002INX20C...N5VX4S7G&psc=1

For my next transmission fluid.

[roddy]

Originally Posted by McG86

Do you find that it still grinds at all in the cold? or downshifting is hard? I mean I've only had this trans fluid in for a year/ 14,000 km so I didn't think it would be this bad

Only on the first shift or 2 when it is really cold...I've never had a problem downshifting. With any fluid, the trans should have some time to warm up before the best shift qualities are present. This fluid will "warm up" faster vs. stock due to the lower viscosity. It will be fine for a daily driver...if you plan on tracking the car, it may be safer to stay with the recommend 75W90.
I tried Redline MT-90...it was an improvement over stock, but the crunch was still there (even with a fair bit of warm up and some gentle driving).