Manual Gearbox & Transfer Case Oil for Y61 4.5E GRX

[Gerrit Loubser]

I have just done an oil change on the manual gearbox of my 4.5E GRX. The manual says to use API GL-4 oil of SAE 75W90 viscosity rating, but I was wondering which brand to get, because gearboxes do tend to favour particular brands of oil and my 'box was a little notchy and also tended to grate when shifting up or down into fourth gear.

The Aussies seem to favour Castrol VMX for the Patrol. This product seems to be available in the correct viscosity grade down under, but not here, so I checked what Castrol recommends locally and found it to be Castrol BOT 130 M. This is a synthetic oil of the correct spec.

The BOT 130 M is only available in little 500 ml bottles, it seems, and is quite expensive at R50 a bottle (8 bottles are needed), but I decided to use this oil. All I can say is WOW . The difference the oil made is spectacular! The old truck now shifts as slick as a little Jap hatch and the 4th gear grate is completely gone. This stuff is amazing. I am very happy . The extra money was very well spent on the expensive oil, I think.

[KOOS BEST]

Gerrit, where did you get the oil from?
And what did you put into the transfer box?
Koos

[KOOS BEST]

Forgot to ask , how long will you drive with this synthetic oil ie. mileage ? x longer than mineral oil?
Koos

[Gerrit Loubser]

Koos, the oil is available from the Spares Shop, Autozone and Midas. Autozone was the cheapest and was where I ended up buying the oil.

My reasons to use synthetic oil in the gearbox have more to do with the improvements in smoothness. There may be oil life benefits too, but the recommended oil change interval is already 100000 km, so this is not all that important to me.

In engines the synthetic oils can easily last 50% longer than normal mineral oil and in some cases can last double as long, but I am not aware of similar figures for gear oils.

[Gerrit Loubser]

Oh and I have not changed the transfer case oil, but I intend to use automatic transmission fluid.

Also, if Autozone/Spares Shop/Midas don't have the oil you want, they can often get it within a day or two.

[Fanie1]

Gerhard,

Thanx for the info on the Castrol BOT 130. I have a similar problem sometimes when shifting into 4th?? Not every time??
I will change to the Castrol BOT 130 with the next service. Hopefully, this OIL will also solve my problem as well!!!


Fanie

[KOOS BEST]

Thx Gerrit, just got my 8 bottles of BOT 130 , will service this weekend.
One more Q , what ATF goes into the transfer box? or are they all the same?

I also dont have specs for front and rear diff and capacities for Y61?

Maybe you must also post this under service items.
Koos

[Gerrit Loubser]

Koos, the service manual states that genuine Nissan ATF should be used or the dealer consulted for correct brands of Dexron III ATF. The transfer case takes 1.9 liters. I must still decide what oil to use here.

The differentials take API GL-5 oil. If the ambient temperatures are below 40 deg C, SAE 75W90 or 80W90 oil should be used. For ambient temperatures from 10 deg C to more than 40 deg C, SAE 140 oil should be used. This makes it a little tricky for us here in Zululand to decide... I think I would go with the SAE 75W90. The front axle takes 5.4 liters and the rear takes 3.0 liters in the case of the smaller H233B dif and 3.7 liters in the case of the larger H260

[KOOS BEST]

Hi Gerrit,
Gearbox 5spd
I have just replaced my gearbox oil, it was very clean , but I only managed to get 7 bottles in and not 8. Any idea why? I can feel a difference, much smoother.
Transfer case
Checked the transfer oil, its full, but colour quite dark, dont seem to look and smell like ATF.You say get the correct brands of Dexron 111 ATF, any specs there? I would like to replace ASAP.
Grease
About greasing the Troll, looked and could only find nipples on universals and prop shafts, is it correct.Dont seem to have on ball joints etc.
Diffs and swivel pin housings
Thanks for specs, Is the swivel pin housing open to the diff, and does it get lubricated by the diff oil,or is it seperate like in Landies, filled with oil? For interest sake , whats in there CV joints or universals?
Koos

[Gerrit Loubser]

I have just replaced my gearbox oil, it was very clean , but I only managed to get 7 bottles in and not 8. Any idea why? I can feel a difference, much smoother.

The quoted oil capacity of the gearbox is 3.8 liters and 8 500 ml bottles equals 4 liters. I also had quite a lot of oil left over in my last bottle. I wonder if Castrol was perhaps a little generous when they filled those bottles? If every 500 ml bottle had an extra 43 ml of oil, it would add up to 300 ml over 7 bottles and would make the 8th bottle unnecessary .

Checked the transfer oil, its full, but colour quite dark, dont seem to look and smell like ATF.You say get the correct brands of Dexron 111 ATF, any specs there? I would like to replace ASAP.

I don't know here. I am still wondering. Perhaps we need to ask Nissan.

About greasing the Troll, looked and could only find nipples on universals and prop shafts, is it correct.Dont seem to have on ball joints etc.

There are greasing points on the prop shaft universals that have to be lubricated every 20000 km.
The front wheel bearings must be repacked every 40000 km
Molybdenum disulphide lithium soap base grease is recommended

Thanks for specs, Is the swivel pin housing open to the diff, and does it get lubricated by the diff oil,or is it seperate like in Landies, filled with oil? For interest sake , whats in there CV joints or universals?
Koos

The front axle knuckle is sealed from the axle oil and is lubricated by grease. This has to be repacked at 40000 km intervals as well as far as I know (Molybdenum disulphide lithium soap base grease is recommended here as well.)
The front axle has Birfield joints, which is a type of CV joint