This stuff: Results first: holy cow, this stuff really cuts down the gearbox rattle that comes with installing a one-piece lightweight flywheel. Now, first off, I know that this oil may not match MINI's recommended oil specs for the gearbox. I know in fact that it is not a one-to-one replacement for the OEM oil. Also, I am hoping not to start a "my favorite brand is better than your favorite brand" oil-powered flame war here. On to the story. I've tried out several types and viscosities of gearbox oil in my 2003 S over the years. At first the goal was to quicken the shift, and I had settled on Redline MT90 for several years. The shifts were lightening quick, I have to say. I have had a lightweight, one-piece flywheel on the car for years now, and of course I have also had the gearbox rattle that comes with that. Over the last two years, I have become less tolerant of the noise. It was really starting to irritate me. The gearbox shifts fantastically and does not overheat or make steel shavings (the oil comes out seemingly as new when drained) , but oh, that noise! It's annoying, especially when the AC is on during a hot day. One solution I tried was a mix of Redline MT90 and 75-140NS, as suggested over on NAM (and I think, originally suggested by a prominent MINI parts vendor). Shifting was still excellent, but the effect on noise was very small. Last week, I decided to "go for the throat" and try Heavy Shockproof. This is an oil with a heavy suspension of anti-friction particles in it. I swear, it looks like slightly dark Pepto Bismol. The base oil is roughly a 75W90 weight, but the particle suspension (according to Redline, read more in the white paper at Redline ) acts like a 75W250 oil in the way it provides high film strength. This oil (along with the lighter variants) is very popular in some circles, particularly off-road applications and in Harley Davidson gearboxes. To be sure, I was worried about shifting speed after reading all of Redline's promises about lower friction. I want an oil to cushion the gears (to lower the noise), but I don't want the oil to screw up the action of the syncros. So, I made sure to have the usual oils on hand for a quick change back to normal if the Shockproof oil was a disaster. Well, the Heavy Shockproof is still in the gearbox. I'd say it cut the noise down by more than 3dB, or more than 50%. I found myself at times paying very close attention to the car, trying to hear the noise at all. To be sure, the noise is still there under heavy deceleration (as with one's foot off of the throttle, engine at 5000 RPM, down a steep hill) and also I can hear a bit of noise when at a stop light, AC on, car all warmed up. Still, it's a massive improvement. I'm still trying to decide if the switch to the new oil affected the shifting at all, so therefore the effect is very small. I'm inclined to say that shifting is very, very slightly slower, as one would expect, but perhaps I'm just biased towards that conclusion. Now, it may be that my gearbox is on the outs, and sooner or later it will make so much noise that I'll have to rob the college fund to pay for a new one. However, since the noise itself has hardly changed in the last couple of years, I suspect that in a few years that gearbox will still be in the car, and my ears will be grateful for the oil change.
If you are not experiencing any gearbox noise, is the Redline MT90 still about the best alternative to OEM oil? Or would you suggest this as a better alternative?
"Best" is the sort of assertion that could start a heated discussion. (Amsoil! Mobil 1! Redline! Royal Purple! Lucas Oil! Painfullyexpensiveoilbrand!) I'll stick to my experience that MT90 is very, very good stuff. Some folks like to run MTL which is also very good, but I like the slightly thicker viscosity of MT90 for the hot climates I have lived in.
I used to get Specialty Formulations gear and tranny oil but sadly, they stopped producing it. Similar results
Ummm guess i found my next gearbox oil. There is a ever so slight 'slap/clunk' going from first to second. Thanks !! But to reiterate you used only the shockproof and not 'the cocktail' ?
Thanks for the test results. I have the same "kachunk" from 1st to 2nd, so I will try the Shockproof as well.
Good question, and I don't know the answer. I did try the "one tire in dirt" test at work yesterday, and the Quaife still worked (not that this means all that much).
The Quaife is a Torsen (gear driven) type ATB, no need for friction modifiers. A clutch plate type LSD (like OE MINI's) can require modifiers to perform at its best, sometimes there is a trade-off for noise under acceleration for an LSD, then you decide on whether special LSD formulations are right for your application.
I got a good deal on a never-used OEM LSD and am about to install it. I'm also thinking about going to MTL or MT90. I have heard conflicting info on what to add, or not add, for the OEM LSD. Any suggestions?
I've been running Redline MTL in my 2005 MCS with OEM LSD for about two years. I AX at least once a month and do 3-5 DE's a year. No complaints!
I've used the shockproof in the race car. It worked well, but when the car is cold it is really stiff to shift. I don't like it for everyday use.
I expect to experience this to a much lesser extent, being in a warm climate (save for a few 10 degree days here and there when the Pacific sends snow into the Tehachapi mountains). Thanks for the heads-up. Overall I'm still VERY happy with my results, especially on 110 degree days in Mojave. I would agree with anyone, though, who would go with a more "normal" oil if they don't have a gearbox noise problem.
I tend to flush my car's tranny at least every year - sometimes 2x a year if I'm lucky enough to break free from TSW, autocross committee duties, and other events enough to do more DE weekends than usual. I don't use 'Winston the Ridiculously Quick Cooper' to autocross anymore, save for the occasional fun runs when instructing at our BMWCCA chapter's Street Survival Schools, so he's been relegated to daily driving and track duty. When I was autocrossing it, though, I tended to freshen it up every 6 months. In our e30 AX/track car, we freshen up the tranny and rear diff before the season starts and once in the middle of the season.
For those of us blessed to be living in North Texas I found a local shop that stocks the Heavy Shockproof Red Line Gear Oil. Quite a bit of it as I saw when I some up today. Taylor Race Engineering in Plano. Pretty nifty shop that specializes in race driveline components.