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GL5 Rating on Synthetic Manual Tranny Fluid

Old Nov 28, 2006, 07:34 PM
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GL5 Rating on Synthetic Manual Tranny Fluid

This has been touched upon in the manual tranny thread but it seems important that everyone gets a chance to see this and discuss it. It seems like GL5 rated manual tranny fluid is not recomended for our cars, yet many people on these boards are running GL5 tranny fluid like Mobil 1. . Our manual states we need GL4. I've heard a lot of mized opinions on this. I've got a few questions:

-On the Mobil 1 75w-90 i put in it says on the back that it is "rated up to GL5 requirements." Does this mean it still serves all the functions of a GL4? Or is it too slippery for a GL4 tranny?

-I've heard that the sulphur additives in GL5 will destroy brass syncross, which i think we have. is this true?

-Which companies offer a GL4 synthetic tranny fluid besides Redline? (just for general knowledge)

-How many miles have members put on GL5 fluid?

I put the mobil 1 gl5 in last night and it works great. It is truly incredible how much of a change occurs! What i'm concerned about is the effects it will have over time. After reading the other threads i do not want all these members like me running mobil 1 and not realizing what it is doing to the transmission.

thanks!
Old Nov 29, 2006, 07:04 AM
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i've put between 25-35k on my tranny with GL5 and an LSD without any issues. the owner of the speed shop said its always safe to go up in GL ratings; just not down....i'm not sure how well that holds true to most vehicles; all i can say is that through my personal experience i did not grind syncros, trans held up without any issues, and the swap to synthetic trans fluid was well worth it

mark
Old Nov 29, 2006, 04:12 PM
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awesome i'm glad that worked out well. I agree the swap over to synthetic is well worth it!

anyone with a different opinion/other info?
Old Dec 1, 2006, 07:11 AM
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Heres a link about it:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/foru...0&fpart=1&vc=1

Notice Mobil 1 does not reccommend using GL5 in transmissions rated for GL4
Old Dec 1, 2006, 12:38 PM
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as time as gone on I have noticed my shifter getting harder and harder to shift. Downshifting to second gear is out of the question. The car does drive smoother and quiter though. I don't know about this mobil 1 stuff
Old Dec 1, 2006, 01:20 PM
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i run the mobil 1 GL5 and i haven't had any issues. the transmission operates that much more smoothly after i switched from the regular dinosaur oil.

everyone i spoke with before doing the fluid change had nothing negative to say about GL5 or the mobil 1 lubricant. this is the first i've heard of anything against it.
Old Dec 2, 2006, 05:05 PM
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ah i see. i wonder why mine is acting up so much. i literally had to try three or four time to get it into 3rd today. It's kinda hard to mess that install up so...

thanks for the help though, i feel better knowing my tranny isn't going to fall out of the car.

i do have redline mtl and mt90 in the mail! god i hope i'm just a hypocondriac and theres nothing else wrong
Old Dec 2, 2006, 05:10 PM
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i doubt it's the fluid if it's not going into gear... that sounds like a serious transmission problem. all the oil does is lubricate the gears. if there was no oil they'd sieze up and that's that, but for it to not be going into gear like that, that sounds like a big transmission problem.
Old Dec 2, 2006, 05:11 PM
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I thought the manual said the GL5 is for diff's and the GL4 is for the transmission.
Old Dec 4, 2006, 07:21 AM
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Originally Posted by MYEVOVIII
I thought the manual said the GL5 is for diff's and the GL4 is for the transmission.
we're not talking about EVO's. the only differential on the lancer is in the tranny
Old Dec 5, 2006, 11:15 PM
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Originally Posted by atilla
i doubt it's the fluid if it's not going into gear... that sounds like a serious transmission problem. all the oil does is lubricate the gears. if there was no oil they'd sieze up and that's that, but for it to not be going into gear like that, that sounds like a big transmission problem.
IMO, it could very well be the fluid. As I said in another thread, the synchros need a little friction to function properly. It probably shifted fine for a few days after he changed the fluid, but then the traces of GL4 got flushed off the synchros and it started shifting like crap.

mtags24, don't be surprised when it doesn't shift right for a couple days after you change to Redline MTL and MT90. Once the GL5 gets flushed out, it should shift fine again.
Old Dec 7, 2006, 12:15 PM
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Thats exactly what happened! It started out ok with the gl5 but then it got very hard. plus it's really cold here now and that made things worse.

I switched it to the redline last night and after 30 miles it has improved a good deal. i can downshift to second again, although i still get some resistance. thanks for the headsup on the gl5, you were totally right.
Old Dec 21, 2006, 02:06 AM
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Just thought I would update this a bit further. I talked to the mitsu people when i went in for fuel injector cleaning. they said that the GL5 shouldn't hurt it, but shifting will be notchy when the tranny is cold. no news about syncros getting eaten by sulphur in GL5. It seems like thats either not applicable for our cars or the damage is long term.

they did tell me that our stock fluid is a gl5 with special "mitsubishi additives," but that threw me off because the manual calls for a GL4.

This just seems like one of these debates that will never have an answer. I will say though, the car shifts infinitely better with the redline in than the mobil 1.
Old Jan 3, 2007, 08:24 AM
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Question

I was going through all the tranny forums on here (he he does that sound funny to anyone else??) and couldn't find my answer. Do the manual 03 lancers have a tranny fluid filter?

Great info on the fluids though!! Thanks
Old Jan 3, 2007, 04:08 PM
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fluids I have used extensivelty. Gm syncromesh, Pennzoil syncromesh, Mobil 1, Redline, BG syncroshift II, and ROYAL PURPLE.

Royal purple works the best. Max-Gear 75w-90. Give it a try you will not be disappointed.

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