Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Hello Guest, we are proud to now have our Wiki online that is completely compiled and written by our members. Feel free to browse our Jeep-CJ Wiki or click on any orange keyword when looking at posts in the forum.
I am trying to find the correct type(s) of fluid for my Transmission , Transfer Case and differentials. I have a stock 1980 CJ7 , AMC 304 , and the best I can tell: T-176 4 speed, 300 Transfer Case , Dana 30 front diff. and AMC20 rear diff. I have not found anything on the Transfer Case , I believe everything else calls for 75W-90.
'85 CJ-7, 258/4.2L 6cyl. Bought new in 1985. Full cage, Warn 8274 winch, Ford 9" rear, front/rear Detroit Lockers w/4:88 R&P. T-5 tranny and 4:1 t'case. 33X12.50-15 BFG/AT, MSD ign, on board air---
Same as differential. Valvoline 80W-90 Conventional Gear Oil w/ Limited Slip GL-5 #VV831. Do NOT use synthetic for oil changes. My Transfer Case is a Dana 300 . My drain plug was all routed out and was hard to remove. I removed it by slightly tapping on a socket and luckily it bit into it enough for removal. Don't bang on it too hard. Don't want to mess up threads on Transfer Case ! Took some research to finally find the specs on it. Replaced it with a Dorman plug #090-026 1/4" 18 NPT however it does not have the magnet on it to trap metal bits on it. I can live with that for now.
Power Steering Fluid:
Use ONLY Dextron II or III compatible fluid. Do NOT use any Dextron compatible fluid higher than III. Something different about it. Do NOT use synthetic either. Because of all this I could only found locally CarQuest ATF #CQ420 that fit the bill.
Redline MT-90 75W90. GL-4. No one locally carried this or anything just GL-4 rated. Had to order. Only use GL-4 rated. Something about sulphur compounds in GL-5 not being good for brass parts on these older transmissions. I have a T177 4 speed manual transmisstion.
This is a rough blanket statement. Easy on the partial advice.
The Dana 300 requires either 75 or 80w - 90 GL4 gear oil only. NOT GL 5. The Dana 300 has brass thrust washers that the phosphorus and sulfur inside the GL 5 eat/corrode/ over time.
AMC20 and the Dana 30 are fine with 80-90w GL5. THIS is where you use a GL 5 fluid.
Same as differential. Valvoline 80W-90 Conventional Gear Oil w/ Limited Slip GL-5 #VV831. Do NOT use synthetic for oil changes. My Transfer Case is a Dana 300 . My drain plug was all routed out and was hard to remove. I removed it by slightly tapping on a socket and luckily it bit into it enough for removal. Don't bang on it too hard. Don't want to mess up threads on Transfer Case ! Took some research to finally find the specs on it. Replaced it with a Dorman plug #090-026 1/4" 18 NPT however it does not have the magnet on it to trap metal bits on it. I can live with that for now.
Power Steering Fluid:
Use ONLY Dextron II or III compatible fluid. Do NOT use any Dextron compatible fluid higher than III. Something different about it. Do NOT use synthetic either. Because of all this I could only found locally CarQuest ATF #CQ420 that fit the bill.
Redline MT-90 75W90. GL-4. No one locally carried this or anything just GL-4 rated. Had to order. Only use GL-4 rated. Something about sulphur compounds in GL-5 not being good for brass parts on these older transmissions. I have a T177 4 speed manual transmisstion.
1.Shell is good oil. Ever better is Walmart Supertech 15w-40 at a much lower price.
2.HOAT coolant really? Far as I knew, these old Jeeps take the original green formula. I know that was the factory fill on them. Will HOAT hurt our Jeeps? Questionable I guess. For me, why not use what came in it? Been working fine for over three decades.
3.Your diff comment. If you have a Limited slip you need that additive only. All others just 80-90w GL 5.
4.Your Transfer Case suggestions, your mentioned Dana 300 has brass thrust washers. That requires GL 4 not GL 5. Will GL 5 kill the 300 overnight? Doubt it. Would I run it, no. Not when GL 4 is available. Also GL 4 is SAFE for brass slash non ferrous yellow metals (thrust washers). Is GL 5 safe on brass class?
5.power steering fluid, nothing wrong with plain old, wait for it, power steering fluid. You don't need Transmission fluid in a PS unit. Will it hurt it, nope. Proper fluid no since AMC never said to use it at all. Lastly you state do NOT use syn fluids here in this application. News flash, Dex II and III are SYNTHETIC. All of them. Not just one brand of it. Why, because it conforms to certain stanards for those fluids.
6. I AGREE on your Transmission fluid as a GL 4. Proper fluid YES.
1.Shell is good oil. Ever better is Walmart Supertech 15w-40 at a much lower price.
2.HOAT coolant really? Far as I knew, these old Jeeps take the original green formula. I know that was the factory fill on them. Will HOAT hurt our Jeeps? Questionable I guess. For me, why not use what came in it? Been working fine for over three decades.
3.Your diff comment. If you have a Limited slip you need that additive only. All others just 80-90w GL 5.
4.Your Transfer Case suggestions, your mentioned Dana 300 has brass thrust washers. That requires GL 4 not GL 5. Will GL 5 kill the 300 overnight? Doubt it. Would I run it, no. Not when GL 4 is available. Also GL 4 is SAFE for brass slash non ferrous yellow metals (thrust washers). Is GL 5 safe on brass class?
5.power steering fluid, nothing wrong with plain old, wait for it, power steering fluid. You don't need Transmission fluid in a PS unit. Will it hurt it, nope. Proper fluid no since AMC never said to use it at all. Lastly you state do NOT use syn fluids here in this application. News flash, Dex II and III are SYNTHETIC. All of them. Not just one brand of it. Why, because it conforms to certain stanards for those fluids.
6. I AGREE on your Transmission fluid as a GL 4. Proper fluid YES.
2. It's something about OAT coolant not being compatible and it creates sludge if mixed with other kinds. HOAT doesn't have that problem so that's why I stated to use that.
3. I agree that you don't need the additive if you don't have a Limited slip but I researched that it won't hurt if you don't have one. They didn't have the valvoline in the store without the additive so I bought the one that did.
4. "Apparently activated sulfate (used in some GL5 lubes) can eat brass synchros. Valvoline indicated: "The Valvoline High Performance Gear Oil 80-w90 can be used for both GL4 and GL5. The real concern is the type of sulfate used in the gear oil. You can not use an active sulfate for GL-4 applications. Valvoline uses an inactive sulfate that will not harm any yellow metal such as bronze. This allows our products to be used in manual transmissions that have bronze synchronizers."
5. I meant don't use "full" synthetic. They have synthetic additives in them but are not labeled as full synthetic. Sorry for the confusion.
6. Hey we agree on something!
I did research on what to put in my Jeep after I bought it. I love the internet! Saw conflicting opinions from forums, talking with car guys, etc. but this is what I decided to do. I realize there are different opinions from me and that's OK. I actually like being challenged because I might be wrong and I would hate to mess up. No one is always right. I appreciate the response. We all want to put the right fluids in our Jeeps right? We have to be careful since they are much older than the average vehicle on the road today with specs changing, etc.
****I realize there are different opinions from me and that's OK. I actually like being challenged because I might be wrong and I would hate to mess up. No one is always right. I appreciate the response. ****
Scorzany - Just wanted to say, this is the type of discourse that makes this forum great. Other forums with a difference of opinions expressed like this would quickly escalate to a major pissing contest. I think everyone should be required to read the above excerpt before each and every post.
wow ok