[AT] Transmission/Differential Fluid

charlie hill chill8 at cox.net
Fri Apr 16 06:47:21 PDT 2004


Grant I'll take that a bit further.  The "weight" of the oil, or viscosity,
is a measure of it's resistance to shearing force.  Shearing force is
exactly what the oil sees when it is trapped between two gear teeth.
20W just ain't gonna get the job done when the specs call for 85W-140.  It
would be kind of like substituting light weight worsted wool for leather in
your motor cycle pants.

With regard to life of the oil, foaming and other issues,  I can't think of
a tougher job for oil than hydraulic pumps or automatic transmissions.  If
being forced through a pin hole sized opening at up to 3000 psi and 300 Deg
F won't make you foam and burn I don't know what will.

Charlie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Grant Brians" <gbrians at hollinet.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2004 12:11 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] Transmission/Differential Fluid


> The old transmission fluid still works great for any applications that are
> not Hy-Tran fluid ones. I bought a 55 gallon drum of 85W-140 a few years
ago
> and it was under $4 a gallon. Now it is probably over, but it is
definitely
> an item that moves slowly (yes, pun intended!) In any case I would
> definitely NOT use ATF in any application that was specified as gear oil
> originally. The reason is simple. The 85W-140 lasts essentially
indefinitely
> without breakdown. The 20W ATF is designed for relatively frequent
changes.
> Think about a car or truck that has an Automatic Transmission. It will
have
> the fluid changed at 50,000 miles typically. That is equivalent to
probably
> 600-700 hours on a tractor.
>     While many antiques are no longer really worked, when I take our
Olivers
> out, they are subjected to severe service and I would not want to take a
> chance. Second, we all eventually have some condensation in the cases of
> these tractors. The water WILL NOT mix with the heavy gear oil at all,
while
> it might get foamed up in the light weigh oil. In short, why use the
lighter
> oil where the parts were designed for heavy oil.... On the other hand if
you
> have a "modern" hydraulic/transmission system, then you will be using
hytran
> and changing it frequently no matter what!
>         Grant Brians
>         Hollister California
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dean VP" <deanvp at att.net>
> To: "'Antique tractor email discussion group'"
> <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 6:23 PM
> Subject: RE: [AT] Transmission/Differential Fluid
>
>
> > Dudley:
> >
> > I don't remember the thread about using transmission fluid in place of
> 80-90
> > weight Gear lube.  But since I have to use so much of the 80-90W stuff
for
> > the large cavities in the old JD's I have searched around a bit to find
> some
> > reasonable priced stuff. The JD and Napa 80-90W oil is just too
expensive
> > for the quantities I needed.
> >
> > A few years ago I found 80-90W Gear Oil at the Costco in Yakima, WA in 5
> > gallon containers. I immediately bought several containers. I don't
think
> > they sell it as 5 gallons however, I think it's by weight. Some odd
> measure.
> > I hadn't seen it at our local Costco's in Everett or Kirkland but I have
> > since discovered it at the Mount Vernon, WA Costco which is one heck of
a
> > lot closer than Yakima. As I recall the container sells for $23 to $27.
I
> > just don't remember the exact price now. That is less than half the
price
> of
> > JD's version. I suspect I/H dealers have a similar high price.
> >
> > I know this doesn't answer all of your questions but it is the most
> > reasonably priced bulk 80-90W oil I have found locally. I have it in all
> my
> > tractors w/o any problems so far.  $5 a gallon is sure better than $12 a
> > gallon. I suppose if one bought it in a 50 gallon barrel one could do
even
> > better but I wasn't willing or ready to deal with those issues.
> >
> > Dean A. Van Peursem
> > Snohomish, WA 98290
> >
> > CRS = Having a Photographic Memory but a shortage of unused film.
> >
> > www.deerelegacy.com
> >
> > http://members.cox.net/classicweb/email.htm
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> > [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Dudley Rupert
> > Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 5:19 PM
> > To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> > Subject: [AT] Transmission/Differential Fluid
> >
> > I seem to recall - it has probably been a couple of years ago now - a
> thread
> > on transmission fluid versus gear lube in the transmission/differential
of
> > older tractors.  While I know the manuals generally call for 80-90 wt
gear
> > lube I seem to recall that some/several on the list indicated that they
> were
> > using automatic transmission fluid instead.  A couple of weeks ago I
> drained
> > the back end of a Farmall M - it definitely had thin, red looking fluid
in
> > it.  I am now ready to refill and am thinking of using transmission
fluid
> > instead of gear lube.  While I have drained six or seven tractors before
I
> > have never yet refilled with transmission fluid.  So, I am curious - the
> > last time any of you refilled the back end of an old tractor (I have a
> T035
> > so know Ferguson's need a special/unique oil), did you use transmission
> > fluid (and if so what kind) or did you use gear lube?  I don't recall
but
> > does anyone remember any drawbacks being noted from using transmission
> > fluid?
> >
> > Thanks -
> > Dudley
> > Snohomish, Washington
> >
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> >
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