The definitive gearbox oil thread

[High on PSI]

Most of posts are for the 3, anyone have the 6 and recommend an oil? Or will it all be similar?
My gear shifts are getting pretty poor, and getting into 2nd is a mission.

Been reading around and still haven't seen much on the 6...

[Bakis]

Install the Syn 75-90 Penrite, cold shifts are smoother and once its warm the shifts are still good.

the wong noise is like 2/10 basically saying you have to listen very hard to hear it!.

Also another not the LSD seems to be working better now, coming out of corners the front stays in line when it used to spin up and wash wide.

[andy b]

Been reading around and still haven't seen much on the 6...

The definitive gearbox oil thread

[novarossi]

Ok just to give you a quick round up of what ive done and now im happy with my results.

Brought new car with crappy gear changes and gearbox wine. Changed unknown gear oil to vmx 80. Liked the change and thought it made a huge differemce + cold starts were now pretty close to normal or what they should be anyway. Then after doing some reaserch and talking to some people i was told i put the wrong oil in and i should have the penrite stuff as its what mazda suggests. So after 2 months i dropped the oil and changed to penrite SYN 75 90.

I wish i hadnt it was clear the next morning how much harder it was to change gears when it was cold and i was so dissapointed. BUT once the gearbox warmed up after about 20mins of diving the gearchanges were really nice but the gearbox wine / diff wine was noticably louder. So at this point i felt like a bit of an idiot for putting the penrite in and wished i hadnt but was going to put up with it for a few thoused ks to see if it would get anybetter.

I then put in a heavier gear knob and SSP.I also added solid shifter bushes. the short shifts felt nice but my crunching gears became more noticable and cold starts even harder.

After a bit i took the ssp off and changed back to VMX 80 and now .... finally I LOVE IT

The heavy TWR gear knob and VMX 80 finally ended up being the best combination that has solved most of my problem and now changing gears is sooooo much easier and less gear wine as well. Cold starts are finally managable again and i feel much happier driving my car now.

VMX 80 + Solid shifter bushes + TWR Weighted Gear knob + Rear engine mount = fix gearbox shifting issues as much as possible

Sorry for long post but i thought id share my experience with it all. Hope this helps

[mazda3mps]

To stop my LSD from wining i added Torco limited Slip Additive Type F




lsa_typef.gif



Limited Slip Additive TYPE F
Recommended for use in Ford, Mazda, Chrysler, Toyota and all other limited-slip and posi-traction applications except GM. Treatment level is 2% to 6% by volume

No more wine from the gearbox 10/10

[AD07]

Where did you purchase it from ????

[mazda3mps]

I purchase the MTF gear oil and LSD additive from Serco the Australia distributor of Torco oils

http://www.serco.com.au/

[EX-XR6T]

Brand: Penrite
Type / Viscosity: SIN 75w90 - GL5
Vehicle : 2008 Mazda 3 MPS
K’s on vehicle at time of change: 45K
Oil change number: 1
“Woong Woong” Factor out of 10: N/A
Comments: Not worried about wong wong, but I certainly wasnt 100% happy with the way my gearbox shifted until i put this stuff in. The difference is like night/day. Shifts are easy (as they should be).

Have only just put this oil in and taken it for a 30 km run but with plenty of shifting, and it feels alot better already. The gear stick just seems to slot into gear much easier.

[EX-XR6T]

A quick addition to my previous comments, took the car for another run and Reverse is alot easier to find now (In a good way). I recommend changing the Gearbox oil as one of the first things to do with your MPS if your not feeling the love with your box

Update - 18-12-11. Have decided to change the oil to the Castrol mineral VMX-M due to the shifts not performing as id like, and this works even better than the Penrite. Ive done 1000+ kms with it in (about 600kms more than what ive done with the penrite in).
Im not sure if this is due to the Penrite i put in being GL5, but the GL4 VMX is noticeably better again. I dont mind it being mineral is i plan to do regular changes and at only a cost of $42 for 4lts its a good buy.