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4 Spd fluid change.

flatiron44

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Hello,
I'm changing fluid in my 4 spd hard to tell if the previous owners ever did and I have a few questions. This is in a 69 Roadrunner 383. Under normal driving conditions.
1. What is a good weight to use ?
2. Capacity ?
3. How the heck do you get in the upper filler hole on the passenger side ?
 
Hello,
I'm changing fluid in my 4 spd hard to tell if the previous owners ever did and I have a few questions. This is in a 69 Roadrunner 383. Under normal driving conditions.
1. What is a good weight to use ?
The factory used ATF or 90W but if you are only using this car for warm weather the 90W will probably shift well. I have used 50W motor oil as well.
2. Capacity ?
Until it runs out the fill hole ( 2-3#s I'd guess).
3. How the heck do you get in the upper filler hole on the passenger side ?
I built a pressurized filler using an old refrigerant tank. Put in a dip tube and a schrader valve and I used a air blow gun (with 45* tip and unscrewed the rubber tip) on a length of oil resistant fuel type hose. You can use a suction gun and I have another setup using a cheap impulse type fuel (12V) and hoses.
Mike
 
Harbor Freight sells a small red transfer pump that works well. $7. or so.
 
Running 20W50 engine oil in mine..never shifted better. Just don't use Hypoid oil for rear diffs as it doesn't like bronze bushings..
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The Factory Service Manual calls for 7.5 pints (1/2 pint short of a gallon). I just put a gallon in, minus what dripped as I was trying to install the plug.

I attached a vinyl hose to the bottle and filled it from under the hood. Worked great.

I tried the factory recommended 140. It shifted like it was filled with molasses in January.
Tried 85W90 and it was a bit better, but still got gear clash until it warmed up.
I finally went to Penzoil Synchromesh and it shifts like butter. I'd recommend it.

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Someone on this site said they run 2 quarts of like the Synchromesh and 2 quarts of ATF fluid and they really liked it. i Will go that route myself when the time comes......
 
Running 20W50 engine oil in mine..never shifted better. Just don't use Hypoid oil for rear diffs as it doesn't like bronze bushings..
View attachment 1012988
That's a rule of thumb because of the extreme pressure additives found in hypoid oils (GL-5).
Syncromesh transmissions use oils rated GL-4. BUT-GL-5 rated oils are out now that are safe for synchro trannys. Red Line has a GL-5 gear oil that they specify for A-833 and other units and is compatible with yellow metals.
 
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