GL 4 Gear Oil?

[geohunt]

So where (and what brand) is everybody getting the type GL 4 gear oil (to change gear oil in a 2000 VW Beetle manual trans)?

I know one person suggested "Penzoil Synchromesh" gear oil but I just went to AutoZone to look at a bottle but it did not say "GL 4" anywhere on the label and it said it was for Chrysler and GM I believe it was.

Are people just playing it safe and going to a vw dealer for gear oil?

Thank you!
George

[Smileybug]

Been posted before, but I used Redline MT90. Bought it online. Most stuff I found at Autozone and the like were Gl4/GL5 fluids. You want something that is GL4 only.

[IndyTom]

I know there are lot of threads about manual transmission fluids and it needing to be a GL4 Gear Oil. If you do some research the Penzoil or also called GM/Syncromesh has all the properties of a GL4 Gear oil but has never been rated by the appropriete Institute as such. However, if you look on different threads people swear by that stuff. I was skeptical at first but when I put in Mobil One 75W90 and it shifted like MUD I needed to change the fluid fast and the VW dealer didn't have any G70 Manual tranny fluid in stock. So I went to Autozone and gave the Penzoil Syncromesh a try. I am glad I did. The transmission never shifted any better. Any notchiness that was there is gone. No hang ups or hard 2-3 shifts. It shifts as smooth as glass even when it's super cold outside. But yes, it doesn't have that magical label of being a GL4 lube. So if that is important to you. Then get the VW stuff. I personally have tried Redline MT-90 and Royal Purple and I didn't care for either one of them.
Give the Penzoil Synchromesh a try. If you don't like it than switch to the VW fluid.

Here are some TDI guys that have been using the Synchromesh for 200K miles without any ill effects.

GM Synchromesh Fluid....25K report - TDIClub Forums

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=319881

[geohunt]

Originally Posted by geohunt

So where (and what brand) is everybody getting the type GL 4 gear oil (to change gear oil in a 2000 VW Beetle manual trans)?

I know one person suggested "Penzoil Synchromesh" gear oil but I just went to AutoZone to look at a bottle but it did not say "GL 4" anywhere on the label and it said it was for Chrysler and GM I believe it was.

Are people just playing it safe and going to a vw dealer for gear oil?

Thank you!
George

Because it is near buy work, I caved and went to a VW Dealer for the gear oil @ $12 a bottle. Bentley manual had the oil as VW part number G 052 726 A2. But, guy at VW parts dept said "new parts number" was G 060 726 A2 so I got that. Hope he new what he was talking about.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by geohunt

Because it is near buy work, I caved and went to a VW Dealer for the gear oil @ $12 a bottle. Bentley manual had the oil as VW part number G 052 726 A2. But, guy at VW parts dept said "new parts number" was G 060 726 A2 so I got that. Hope he new what he was talking about.

The G52 is old and they don't even make it anymore. Heck the G60 has been replaced with the improved G70. I guess your dealer still had a few bottle of the older G60 on hand.
ECS tuning still has the New G70 fluid:

Home Page > Search > Transmission Fluid > ES#257578 Manual Transmission Fluid - 1 Liter - G070726A2

But the G60 will do just fine. And 12 bucks a Liter at the dealer is a bargain

[macdave]

How much is needed?

[D2Beetle]

This thread might be helpful ...

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by macdave

How much is needed?

2 quarts or 2 liters depending what type you get. You will not be able to squeeze in more than maybe 1.8 quarts since there is no way to get all of the fluid out.

[janitz]

whoa, thought I posted in here with a related question before lunch. Maybe I closed the browser before hitting post...

Anyway...

What do you guys that have done this already think about getting a 3rd bottle and running it through the transmission to flush it out as much as possible before filling it with the two bottles?

This would be the first time this oil had been changed in 14 years.

[Smileybug]

Don't think I've heard of anyone flushing a manual, just the autos. I wouldn't worry about it really. Mine was done at 12 years. Noticed no real difference in shifting other than it was a bit smoother on cold mornings.

And really, to flush it, it would likely take more than the 3 bottles. Its an auto, but my husbands Honda calls for 3 bottles of fluid for a change...and get 9 total to do a full flush/fluid change (fill with 3 bottles, run the car through the gears, drain, refill, etc). Not sure how much fluid is left in the manual trans though. But really, I wouldn't worry about it. Drain it out and inspect the old fluid to look for any metal shavings or anything.

[nitroman]

Originally Posted by Smileybug

... Drain it out and inspect the old fluid to look for any metal shavings or anything.

Do manual trans have a filter? In regards to looking for metal shavings, I read on VWVortex that for the auto trans with a filter, to break open the old filter and look for metal parts in there as well. If you find big pieces of metal that's an early sign that something bad is gonna happen.

[Smileybug]

No filter on the manual. And yes, metal shavings are bad, which is why you look at the fluid.