So heres the deal. Now before you all flame me I have searched and do not believe the question I am about to ask you. I am having a massive debate with a friend who has had hondas all his life. I know for a fact that hondas can run 10-40 weight motor oil in their transmissions. He has told me that it will work in any manual transmission including mitsubishis. After much debate and searching around on the internet and having not much luck finding information other than one guy with a 2nd gen eclipse running it all his life, Im leaving it up to you guys, the experts. Can you run motor oil in a mitsubishi lancer transmission? I argued and argued with him and he was all, its fine, just throw some lucas in there if your really worried. It interests me cause im poor from having been laid off and having to also do a complete rebuild of my engine due to hydrolock and have several quarts of motor oil laying around and this would save me a little cash I really dont have. I really dont trust that it would work cause if it would, why would they make gear lube? I just want to end this debate and no one would know better than fellow lancer owners. Please help. Thanks.

 

I would not use it just because I can. Use something proper for your equiptment.

 

+1

Run a proper 75W synthetic in your trans.

 

Thanks guys.

 

Why would you run 10-40 in a transmission or transaxle unless it called for it? That’s nuts, the transmission does not have a pump like the engine does. It get's oiled by splashing and riding the gears on the counter shaft to the main shaft, in a transmission. And on a transaxle is pretty much the same thing just no counter shaft it just rides on the gears of the output shaft and input shaft and splashes. So lower weight oil can get slung easier yes but it will not be on the gears/bearings that are spinning and needing to be oiled.

 

10-40 weight motor oil is actually the equivalent viscosity of 75-90 weight gear oil. This is a quote taken from wikipedia and here is the link as well. "For example, many modern gearboxes use a 75W90 gear oil, which is actually of equivalent viscosity to a 10W40 motor oil."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gear_oil

 

i run gm's syncromesh, its a bit pricey but i love it and it shifts nice and smooth

 

Be careful how you word that. 10w40 motor oil is equivalent to 75w90 gear oil ONLY in its viscosity, not its molecular composition. Technically you can say that maple syrup and motor oil are of equivalent viscosity. Viscosity is merely the thickness of the fluid.

 

Yes thank you senate. Lol I only had viscosity on the mind so I wasnt thinking about it being taken another way. Im assuming the post above my last one was referring to the viscous nature of the oils? I know alot of people get confused about how the viscosity works and think that gear oil is so much thicker than it actually is.

 

metal is metal. It doesn't matter if the metal sits in a honda housing, or a mitsu housing. If motor oil can be used in a honda trans, it can in a mitsu trans.

Has your friend told you you need to change your trans fluid WAY more often when you use motor oil? Or has he left out that part? Basically, if you're going to run motor oil in your gear case it's recommended you change it at the same time you do your motor oil, so every 5k or so. Considering proper trans oil will last over 60k, the cost difference isn't really a factor.

 

I would go with what Shep uses in all of his transmissions, I have it in mine and shifts like butter. Redline lightweight shockproof, he says if you use anything else it will void his warranty on his transmissions and he's obviously a proven guy out there. That's just my opinion of what to use though of course

 

As far as I know, unless the manufacturer supplies the customer with a certain type of oil, the customer is free to use the kind of oil he wants. A manufacturer can't lock anyone into buying a specific brand of oil. Just like Microsoft can't force you to use Internet Explorer to browse the web.

And specific brands of oil isn't the topic of this thread.

 

I'm not trying to say that's what everyone has to use, BUT if you did have a Shep tranny, that's what he recommends, That's all. Of course your free to put whatever you like, but an Evo is by no means a honda

 

We know Evo aren't Hondas. But that's beside the point. Choosing a type of oil to use in a trans case has almost nothing to do with the shape of the badge on the hood of your car. We know your Evo > all. This thread ain't about that either.

The guy asked about "types" of oil.

 

Ok, take it easy I'm just making suggestions, no need to get all uppity because I was adding my insights on things. In this case then the lightweight shockproof is a 75w140 but has lower internal friction than that of a 30w oil.

http://www.redlineoil.com/products_g...6&categoryID=6