Gearbox oil red?

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 8:16 am

Just a quick question, on checking the gearbox oil in a car I looked at yesterday it seemed to be a bit thin and had a definite red tinge to it, and when I wiped the dip-stick it left a blackish mark on the rag.

It definitely smelled like diff oil but it just didn't look like it in my experience. Does anyone know of a diff oil that's be red (for whatever reason) perhaps a synthetic oil? Don't really have a history for the car as no real receipts and current owner has not serviced it since he's had it (only 2 months).

Post by **Alex** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 8:47 am

I once put an additive in my lseries that was red. Can't remember the brand though.

Penrite gear oil is red also.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Post by **TOONGA** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:02 am

This is a gearbox and not the drive axle in an automatic box I hope.

Is the box noisy? if not then it will be ok, as Alex has said there are many additives out there that are red in colour and when mixed with gear oil will change the oil colour.

If you are really bothered by it change the oil to a brand you trust.

TOONGA

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 12:55 pm

castrol has a red gearbox oil for automatics good chance its that

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 11:10 pm

No, it's definitely a manual box because I have to use a clutch and change gears and stuff. Thanks all, that's what I suspected, probably just a red additive or red flavoured oil rather than the wrong stuff in there, it's not a noisy box.

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:22 pm

Most late model Subaru's (and other manufactures for that matter) use a very thin gear oil that is red in colour. It's due to the tight tolerances. Most late model boxes use dual syncros, so the oil needs to be a lot thinner to work inside them.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:57 am

I've found an aqua blue in a Foz box, not sure if it was a water soluble or synthetic manual gearbox oil or what, typical gear oil smell

Post by **Alex** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:36 am

steptoe wrote:I've found an aqua blue in a Foz box, not sure if it was a water soluble or synthetic manual gearbox oil or what, typical gear oil smell

Redline smirf oil. Very expensive. The best.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:50 pm

Alex wrote:Redline smirf oil. Very expensive. The best.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Redline Lightweight Shockproof and like Alex said aka as Smurf Blood. Used very heavily in the rally/race circuits. It's a great product but it has jumped 200% in price over the last 3 years

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:21 pm

Smurf blood - I like that description

. It did not , however, save the gearbox from destruction due to a shove, grind, grind, fitting of the rear end. This box had the worn through plastic oil diverter that got caught up in things.

Without googling - how old do you reckon Smurfs are ??

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:29 pm

steptoe wrote:Smurf blood - I like that description . It did not , however, save the gearbox from destruction due to a shove, grind, grind, fitting of the rear end. This box had the worn through plastic oil diverter that got caught up in things.

Without googling - how old do you reckon Smurfs are ??

Well they were my favorite cartoons when I was in primary school so I'm guessing around 30 to 35 years old??

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:47 pm

Cartoon ? I only remember them from BeePee servos 1980, 81 ish, and that foto Giles was circulating with Barber Smurf and Wheelbarrow Smurf up to hijinks (nice work if you can get it

)

Thy go back a few decades beyond that ! Maybe that is when they were cartoons, Paul?

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 8:01 am

Thanks for all the replies, I'm not so concerned that's it's ATF now

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:14 pm

steptoe wrote:Cartoon ? I only remember them from BeePee servos 1980, 81 ish, and that foto Giles was circulating with Barber Smurf and Wheelbarrow Smurf up to hijinks (nice work if you can get it )

Thy go back a few decades beyond that ! Maybe that is when they were cartoons, Paul?

Sorry Jonno, I had to check out the web as I was trying to tell my kids that I used to watch them when I was their age.. they didn't believe me

no I do feel old.

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

SUBYDAZZ wrote:Thanks for all the replies, I'm not so concerned that's it's ATF now

Sorry Daz for the highjack.. glad you're happy with the fluid, just remember to change it as per manual.