I did a search several different ways and was surprised to not find the answer. I have a USDM Type R tranny in my car and just put the tranny back in with my new clutch. What tranny fluids are folks using with this transmission for sustained track sessions? I have a friend that uses 75W-90 in his ITB Suzuki Swift trannie and has good service with it. What may be good for OEM (which I don't have a manual considering my car is a hybrid of many things) may not be good for 30 minute track sessions. Any advice would be appreciate. Also what is the capacity of the tranny fluid wise? This is the only forum section I will usually take advice from. Thanks.

Barry H.

 

Just a data point...

I used to use Honda MTL, but changed to RedLine MTL. I have exactly one track day w/ the Redline, and it seems fine. We had 6 20-25 minute sessions at Laguna Seca with the temps at around high 50's/low 60's. The Redline seems to hold up better than the Honda MTL.

FWIW...

 

I've heard redline eats at the syncros in honda transmitions.

I use MTF in mine.

Some great stuff is BG syncroshift made for FWD transmitions. Its the best I've tried, but the downside is its like $18 a bottle compared to like $4-5 for honda MTF.

FWIW all hondas will come with 10-30 regular oil from the factory and that is what will be replaced unless you ask at a dealership. I work at one.

 

I've only run one weekend on SyncroShift 2 in my worn *** D-series tranny, but the difference from the Honda MTF was huge. Running the Honda MTF, I had a 3rd gear grind and was even popping out of gear occasionally. My honda shop recommended the syncroshift 2, so I put it in. I ran 7 sessions at laguna seca with not even a hiccup. It's good stuff.

As for quantity, my D-series tranny and my wife's auto tranny in her teg both hold 2.3 qt. However, that's not to say for sure that yours will. You should find the spec somewhere. I'm sure it's online.

If you're going to do the fluid yourself, invest $5 in one of those measuring funnels w/ hose attached that is specifically for tranny fluid changes. It could have been the best $5 I ever spent. Made changing the ATF in my wife's integra a piece of cake. You can easily measure out .3 qts and it has an open/close valve that doesn't drop the fluid until you're ready.

- Scott

 

yeah I forgot that syncroshift 2 came out. I just got tired of paying for it. Anything BG makes it amazing stuff.

 

yeah ... $60 is kinda steep for a tranny fluid change, but i guess it's cheaper than a new tranny and it solved my issues for now.

 

Thanks for the comments. Having come from a tt supra that uses proprietary ATF Getrag fluid in the 6speed at $38 a bottle (two required), paying out the *** for good tranny fluid is nothing new to me but in that car the tranny was $5,000 new. yikes.

Barry H.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ryan12321 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've heard redline eats at the syncros in honda transmitions.

</TD></TR></TABLE>
yah i switched back to honda mtf after using redline..
the redline felt too dam thin. wouldnt stay on the gears.

 

I was flushing every other weekend, or every weekend if I hit a track with lots of shifting and little cooldown time (like CMP) with the MTF and it always felt like crap after 2 days on track. Switched to motul gear 300 (order from HMS Motorsport) and 6 weekends was no problem for it at all Full synthetic, $12/bottle.

 

I use GM Snycromesh. Prior to that I used Honda MTF and had developed a 4th gear grind. Since I started using the GM Syncromesh, the grind went away and she shifts like buttah.

 

There are two kinds of Synchromesh/synchroshift - the cheap stuff ($4/bottle) is way too thin for track use and I wouldnt even touch it for street use. Just use the honda MTF for that. The expensive stuff is full synthetic and worth using. FYI, FWIW, YMMV.

I still have a used sample of motul 300 to send off for analysis.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by R you serious &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yah i switched back to honda mtf after using redline..
the redline felt too dam thin. wouldnt stay on the gears. </TD></TR></TABLE>

every time someone asks this question I pretty much post the same thing but no one ever seems to comment on it.

I use the Redline Shockproof gear oil. It's made for LSD equipped transmissions that see abuse from "racing". A lot of the WC Touring car teams use it. And this stuff coats everything! It's the only gear oil I've seen that has been stuck on the splines when I change an axle. I don't bother using anything else. It's not that expensive and gives me buttery smooth shifts.



http://www.redlineoil.com/prod...ID=20

s

 

We lost a tranny with Redline in it. Syncroshift from now on for us. We run Syncroshift in our everyday cars and in our race cars. Its been in Toyotas, Hondas and Mitsu's, FWD and AWD.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bull &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I use GM Snycromesh. Prior to that I used Honda MTF and had developed a 4th gear grind. Since I started using the GM Syncromesh, the grind went away and she shifts like buttah. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I've used the Penzoil Synchromesh, and it shifted noticeably smoother than the Honda MTF, but I have no data on the longevity of either the fluid or the transmission.

 

FWIW a lot of SE-R Cup guys use the Redline Shockproof cause of the weakness of the SR trannys. Mike Kojima has stated there is a loss of about 6whp using this fluid but its well worth it when you can prolong the life of the tranny by a couple seasons

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stevel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

http://www.redlineoil.com/prod...ID=20

</TD></TR></TABLE>

"(not recommended for most syncro-type transmissions)."

Hmm .. I don't see how that is a fit for us.

I run Redline MTL. GSR gear box, Honda LSD.

 

I know a few guys that mix the redline mtl or mt-90 with some shockproof, seems to work well.

 

I have mixed MT-90 and MTL before when i didn't have enough MTL to fill the tranny. Never used the Shockproof stuff.

 

FWIW, i've got MT90 in the daily driver sled, and its a bit notchy when cold. Fine when it warms up though.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SPiFF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">"(not recommended for most syncro-type transmissions)."

Hmm .. I don't see how that is a fit for us.

I run Redline MTL. GSR gear box, Honda LSD.</TD></TR></TABLE>

well, i've run it for a few years now and never had a problem.

s

 

I ran the BG Synchroshift 2 in my R in between Honda MTL changes. Hot, the BG stuff worked a little better than MTL IMO, but cold the MTL was much better. On cold mornings it was easy to grind second until you got a little heat in the car and cold shifting in general was more sluggish with the BG. Since i live in the Midwest, I went back to MTL. This of course was on a car that was a daily driver/weekend racer, so if you only race cold shifting isn't an issue.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ryan12321 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah I forgot that syncroshift 2 came out. I just got tired of paying for it. Anything BG makes it amazing stuff.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

I had used a Redline MTF fluid and that only made my 3rd gear grind worse. The mechanics at the local dealership also thought it was too thin a weight.

Honda MTF has been better for me than the Redline the MTF fluid that I used, but it never worked well at the track. Once the transmission gets up up to track operating temps and the driver up to speed the transmission develops a resistance in all gears and 3rd gear will grind if you aren't gentle with it. For me it seems that the hotter the transmission gets the worse the Honda MTF performs.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by uber_nihilist &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I had used a Redline MTF fluid and that only made my 3rd gear grind worse. The mechanics at the local dealership also thought it was too thin a weight.

Honda MTF has been better for me than the Redline the MTF fluid that I used, but it never worked well at the track. Once the transmission gets up up to track operating temps and the driver up to speed the transmission develops a resistance in all gears and 3rd gear will grind if you aren't gentle with it. For me it seems that the hotter the transmission gets the worse the Honda MTF performs. </TD></TR></TABLE>

That was exactly the problem I had w/ the Honda MTF. I went to Syncroshift2 and didn't have any trouble running 7 sessions at laguna. You may want to look into it.

- Scott

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ryan12321 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've heard redline eats at the syncros in honda transmitions.

I use MTF in mine.

Some great stuff is BG syncroshift made for FWD transmitions. Its the best I've tried, but the downside is its like $18 a bottle compared to like $4-5 for honda MTF.

FWIW all hondas will come with 10-30 regular oil from the factory and that is what will be replaced unless you ask at a dealership. I work at one.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So, is the Honda MTF you buy different from the stuff that comes stock then?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stevel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well, i've run it for a few years now and never had a problem.

s</TD></TR></TABLE>

The reason why it's not recommended for syncro transmission is because it is harmful (read: eats/corrodes) to brass which is what the syncros are made out of. Just because you haven't had problems yet doesn't mean that you won't down the road as Redline blatently states that their differential gear oils should NOT be used in a syncro equipped anything.