Over time, the oil loses its protective properties. This leads to wear of gearbox parts, scuffing of gears and chipping of teeth. Oil needs to be changed on time. And although for some brands of cars the oil does not require replacement during the entire period of operation, for most models it is recommended to change the oil after 6-7 years if the box is mechanical.

The importance of gearbox oil needs no proof. Just look at the list of functions that it performs:

• Provides smooth gear shifting.
• Reduces wear on moving parts.
• Reduces the coefficient of friction.
• Removes heat, protecting gearbox parts from overheating.
• Protects against corrosion.
• Removes wear products.
• Reduces noise and vibration during operation.

What kind of oil is poured into a car gearbox?

When choosing an oil, consider:

• Transmission type - manual or automatic
• Type of drive - front, rear or full
• Operating conditions - city, highway, circuit racing, car tourism, rally.

1. Engine oil. On the first VAZ models with front-wheel drive, mineral motor oil M6z and M8z was poured into the box. According to its characteristics, it corresponds to gear oils GL-1 and GL-2 according to the standards of the international API system. Owners of older cars still use similar oils, but not higher than the GL-3 class.

2. Transmission. For DaewooNexia, LanosChevrolet and classic VAZ models, multigrade mineral oils with a viscosity of SAE75W-90 are suitable. Semi-synthetic gear oil SAE 80W-90 (SAE140 in summer) is used in Lada Kalina, Kia Rio and some Chevrolet models. For BMW, Mersedes, VolksWagen models, synthetic gear oil with a viscosity recommended by the manufacturer is used. When choosing an oil according to API standards, one should not necessarily give preference to a high class of GL-5 and GL-6. We recommend watching the video.

Important! Transmission oils are used only for manual transmissions. For cars of any brand with front-wheel drive, oil is used according to the standards APIGL-4 class, and for rear-wheel drive vehicles - class oilGL-5.

3. ATF fluid. Automatic transmissions use a red or red-brown (ATF) synthetic or mineral fluid that performs two functions:

• Lubrication and cooling of moving parts.
• As a working medium (torque is transmitted by oil from the engine to the gearbox).

The most famous ATF brand is Dexron. Other types of transmission fluids for automatic transmissions are painted yellow (type T 4 WS and T 4 vi) or brown (RanevolATF 6HPFluid hydrocracking oil for six-speed boxes). Coloring ATF fluids in different colors warns of oil incompatibility. A sharp change in the color of the liquid indicates problems in the automatic transmission and the need to change the oil.

4. Oil for hypoid gears.

Universal high-performance oil TS-hyp, with an extended drain interval, is used not only in aviation, but also for automatic transmissions of Mercedes, Fiat, Subaru cars. It differs from other oils in its resistance to oxidation and non-aggressiveness to oil seals, seals and cuffs.

Criteria for choosing gearbox oil

Oil is selected according to two criteria:

• By viscosity.
• According to the API.

In this case, two rules must be followed:

1. Fill with the same type of oil recommended by the manufacturer.
2. When switching to another brand of oil, consult with specialists.

Where and how to change the oil in the gearbox?

When changing the oil in a manual transmission, the following is required:

• To drain the oil as completely and quickly as possible, it must be heated.
• Drive to a repair pit or hang the car on a lift.
• Remove the cap from the breather and unscrew it or unscrew the drain plug, according to the design of your car box.
• Drain the oil into a prepared container.
• Remove the sump cover after the oil has drained completely.
• Check the condition of the pan gasket and replace if necessary. If desired, for greater reliability, a new gasket is placed on a sealant.
• Fasten the box cover in place.
• Fill with new oil to the correct level.

The volume and methods of controlling the oil level must be known in advance if you change it yourself and for the first time.

Partial or complete oil change in automatic transmission

• Incomplete oil change. In this case, only that part of the oil that can flow out of the box crankcase is replaced after unscrewing the drain plug. Fresh oil, mixed with old oil, partially flushes the filter and sump, but does not have a drastic effect on the operation of the gearbox. Such a replacement is easy to carry out on your own.

• Complete replacement. Produced by the service station using Wynns equipment. After changing the oil, gear shifting improves and the automatic transmission loses its “thoughtfulness”. At the same time, fuel consumption is reduced.

Features of changing the oil in automatic transmission

• Black oil with a burning smell indicates that the friction discs of the planetary gearbox are covered with deposits. After changing the oil, the cleaned discs will begin to slip. The automatic transmission will need a major overhaul.
• Sometimes the black color of the oil is the result of the destruction of the paper filter installed in the boxes of Asian-built cars. These filters need to be changed more often.
• New oil after pouring dissolves old deposits and partially loses its anti-corrosion and antioxidant properties. Preliminary cleaning of the automatic transmission from scale and deposits with a flushing solution will preserve the characteristics of the oil being poured.

Outcome

You can partially change the oil in the gearbox yourself, but for a complete replacement, it is better to contact the service. The right choice of what to fill is the key to a long and high-quality operation of your car.