Sounds good to me. I don't think I've ever sent in a trans oil test. It'll be interesting to see the results.
Sounds good to me. I don't think I've ever sent in a trans oil test. It'll be interesting to see the results.
Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block
Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100
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View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)
Top_Fuel (12-20-2018)
Here is a 70w-80: https://www.redlineoil.com/d4-atf
Its marketed mostly as an ATF, but it's also GL4 rated (for manuals). I have been using it for 20K miles. Let's call it an experiment but so far so good.
Can't remember where I saw the data but I believe the OEM gear oil just barely qualified as an ''80'' due to being at the very thinnest end of the allowable ''80'' viscosity range. I believe you can always go with a lower W number so a 70w-80 seemed like a good choice to me.
In order of increasing viscosity of GL4 rated gear oil, Redline makes:
MT-LV 70W/75W
D4 ATF
MTLŪ 75W80 GL-4 GEAR OIL
I like to experiment, but I think your MT-LV might be too thin.
Just cause someone has the credentals doesn't make them legit, and things like F1 Oil say to me cheap sales tactic. I put something to "fix" my old Escort and very nearly blew my engine or actually did near Wisconsin lost, anyway -- if you pay thousands for a tool, why try to modify it by not using what they recommend? I would drop a new motor b4 putting other oil in my manual mirage than exactly what they say in the manual. Same w gas
Last edited by dspace9; 12-21-2018 at 08:36 PM.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)
It was a blissful -8F (-22C) this morning when I left for work. Granted, I did have the block heater running for a good while to warm up the engine (it was 90F when I started it up), but I could finally feel the gear oil making it a bit more difficult to shift. Not a horrible amount like I've had in previous cars with 75W90 gear oil, but you could feel it. I am still running the OE 75W80 gear oil. I wanted to experience at least one really cold day with it before swapping out.
Now, all I need is a nice warmish day to drain and refill the trans with the new Redline 70W/75W.
Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block
Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)
We had -20 F this morning. Schools in my area were delayed 2 hours because of the cold. When I left for school, it was still -17 F. I don't have an engine block heater, & my Mirage hadn't been started in over a day. I did let the car warm up for a few minutes before taking off. I notice a difference when shifting my Subaru in the cold. I did not notice much of a difference in shifting the Mirage this morning. As a matter of fact, I didn't even give it any thought until I read this post.
I have to believe the 75W80 transmission oil is already thinner than any other vehicle I have owned (for the past 35 years all of my vehicles have been manuals). I don't think you are going to hurt anything by trying a thinner oil, but I also don't think you are going to gain much either. Even if the car does shift better in the cold with a lighter oil, that doesn't mean it's better for your transmission. Nice of you to test this out for us just the same!
Why don't you just use ROWE Hightec Topgear 75W80S GL -4 and GL -5 as suggested in post number 20?
It is a bit thinner than OEM fluid, and also thinner than Redline 75W80, yet fully complies with what Mitsubishi recommends. Its probably the most advanced brew available. I've been using it for years.
Last edited by foama; 01-22-2019 at 08:01 AM.
I would just like to try something even thinner. If there is a benefit, hopefully we'll see it. If there isn't, oh well. Either way, we will learn something new.
I don't think there is a lot of risk in this. My car now has 83k miles on it and I've never changed the gear oil. I'm sure it doesn't need to be changed, but if I'm going to do it, why not try something new?
Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block
Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)
Alright, yesterday was the day. I put the MT-LV in the Mirage. This new transmission oil is definitely thinner than the OE spec fluid. My engine was still a bit warm, and the oil coming out was still thicker than the oil going in. Also, it was interesting to see that the oil is actually red in color. The OE oil was a like a slightly browned engine oil, but the new oil was... well take a look. I am guessing this oil is much more akin to ATF than traditional manual trans oil.
Initial impressions are that the transmission does shift a little smoother. Ambient temperature was about 65F though, so it was already warmish.
The car currently has 85,002 miles on it. The plan is to send in a transmission fluid sample after about 5k miles. This will likely take me about a year to do since I do not commute very far.
Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block
Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)
daleWV (06-03-2019),Scratchpaddy (06-06-2019),Top_Fuel (06-06-2019)
Daox (06-06-2019)
Haha, yeah. It would have been a bit sooner, but for the past two months I've been driving another car getting it ready to sell.
I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
In the past few days of driving, I really can't tell a difference between the oils. The shifting feel is nearly identical. Maybe just a tiny touch smoother, but it could be placebo too. As for MPG, its hard to tell. I'm definitely getting better mileage than I was last summer. However, I have a few other mods that I've done since then too.
Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block
Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)