Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Make your 5600 shift like Butter?

[Hohn]

For a while now, many of us 5600 shifters have been looking for ways to improve the shift quality of our trannies.



Many of us have used Redline MTL with good results, others have noticed no improvement, or worse, shift degradation. (see Gary's recent post on the improvement in shifting after switching FROM the MTL).



I was at Napa the other day, and decided to try a product made by Lube Gard as a gear oil supplement. They also mention it's good for use in transmissions.



Now, those of you who are familiar with Lube Gard additives know that they are not snake oil. They are some of the most respected additives on the market. I know that Bill Kondolay recommends the use of their transmission additives on auto trannies.



So yesterday, I put into my 5600 some of this:#ad




Wow! A noticeable improvement. The synchros seem to spin up faster, as the shifter doesn't hang up at the gates like it normally does. It still feels notchy (it IS a truck transmission), but the shifting action is much faster now. Less waiting for the trans to decide it want to go into gear. It's nearly instantaneous.



I've also noticed that the incidences of "gear blocking" are much reduced, perhaps eliminated. This is what I call it when the trans just doesn't want to seem to go into gear, and you have to double clutch or something to open it back up. This doesn't seem to happen much at all anymore.



I'll update this thread to see if the additive has lasting effects, or if the trans soon goes back to its old ways.



It looks promising.



Justin

 

[Rman]

Any Idea on an interval... does this stuff break down? Did you add the whole bottle, or is there a ratio you should use these stuff? I have problems getting my trans into gear at stops... It happen after I changed my clutch out, I just assume it's the tighter newer pilot bearing wearing in.

 

[mgoncalves]

Is that still with the redline oil? How many miles do you have on the oil that you added it to?



Good find, let us know how it turns out.



Matt

 

[NVR FNSH]

Hohn,

My local dealer put limited slip additive in my 5600 - not sure how much they used - and it shifted great for about a week. Supposedly, STAR told the dealer to use the additive. The engineer at NVG I spoke with said the transmission should shift smoothly w/o any additives. I still suspect that the pilot bearing is tight on the input shaft but I haven't done anything about it yet.



Brian

 

[Dane]

Hmmmm...

Interesting. Let us know id the effects of the Lube Guard wears out prematurely

 

[Hohn]

Yes, I still have MTL in it. I just drained a little out to make some room. I think I was a little overfilled as it was.



So far the improvement is noticeable and pretty consistent.



I have no way of knowing if it wears off or not, so time will tell.

 

[redram]

Yes, I still have MTL in it. I just drained a little out to make some room. I think I was a little overfilled as it was.



So far the improvement is noticeable and pretty consistent.



I have no way of knowing if it wears off or not, so time will tell.

Why play chemist and mix your own brew when you can use Royal Purple Synchromax straight out of the bottle for less than MTL and definitely less than the combined price of MTL + an additive.



Cheers,



Oo.

 

[KDoerr]

Hey I Have 350,000 km on my 2002 and it still shifts smooth and still on my first clutch and yes I pull a G-Neck trailer and I will load it up to 35,000 lbs.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Nice work Hohn. I have seen posts before of people recommending Redline MTL with some sort of additive but I don't recall if it was Lubegard or something else.



Vaughn

 

[NVR FNSH]

Why play chemist and mix your own brew when you can use Royal Purple Synchromax straight out of the bottle for less than MTL and definitely less than the combined price of MTL + an additive.



Cheers,



Oo.

How exactly is RP Synchromax different than RL MTL?



Brian

 

[Rman]

I know the viscosity is slightly less. RP has synerlec addtive in it, which from my experiences is some very nice stuff. I have it in mine and it shifts smooth, I was just looking for something to ease getting into gear from a stop. I think it's just my pilot bearing.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

How exactly is RP Synchromax different than RL MTL?



Brian

Redline MTL viscosity is 10. 6, RP is only 7. 7 (at 100C). Someone posted they had good results with RP, but I'd be uneasy about running it if I towed. The Redline is the correct weight spec'd by DC.



Vaughn

 

[DHayden]

I run RP in mine, shifts nice and no problems so far with my 34' GN.

 

[jaybigboy34]

I will be watching this thread closely because my 5600 shifts like crap. I am getting ready to change my transmisson fluid.

 

[Cigar John]

Royal Purple improved the way mine shifts.

Syncromax is their recommended oil for the NV-5600. http://www.royalpurple.com/techa/tranxref.html

Some members have reported harder shifting after using Redline.

 

[Hohn]

Lots of questions!



Vaughn, the additive that was recommended before was Pro-Long!! I didn't bite, as these types of ammoniated additives and have issues I don't care for. I don't care for Prolong, duralube, slick 50, or whatever other miracle lube is pushed on TV.



Lube gard has been used and endorsed by mechanics and pros for YEARS.



Lube Gard is mostly a Liquid Wax Ester-- all stuff that is safe to metals (especially synchros). It used to come from whale blubber, but now from soybeans.





Vaughn hinted at the reason for MTL vice Synchromax. I wanted to use something where the viscosity was pretty close to the spec DC lube. This is the ONLY reason not to use the Synchromax, imho, as RP stuff is VERY good and highly respected. Even then, it may not be significant, as synthetics possess very high film strength (especially RP stuff w/ Synerlec) making the actual viscosity less important.



I added the whole bottle. It says 3oz per qt, and the bottle is 10oz or so. I could have probably added a bit more, but preferred to under-do it instead of overdo.



Pilot bearings on these things can definitely cause a shifting problem if they are still tight. As they wear in, shifting improves. Then, as they wear even more, the shifting gets REALLY bad. Usually this takes a long time, though.



jlh

 

[Hohn]

Why play chemist and mix your own brew when you can use Royal Purple Synchromax straight out of the bottle for less than MTL and definitely less than the combined price of MTL + an additive.



Cheers,



Oo.

Playing chemist? I personally don't see a difference between this and adding some Power Service to the fuel tank. Or is adding PS "playing chemist" with fuels?



I know the RP product is good, but we've covered why I use the Redline.



I don't think I'm playing chemist because someone much smarter than I am has already done the chemistry. .



jlh

 

[Rman]

I was concerned with the RP at first, but like stated by Hohn, the high film strength's I feel make up for the lost viscosity. I change it at or around 30-40k and have seen no evidence of advanced wear. The magnet has been relatively clean. The first time was horrid, but that's break in metal, and was the factory lube. Like I have said before, if my 5600 grenades it provides me the opportunity to put a real transmission behind it. I've been eyeing the new Eaton 6 and 7 speeds.

 

[darkhorse]

I appreciate this discussion. When I had my SB clutch installed last December, the installer changed my transmission fluid to an Amsoil product. I don't recall which one. The weather was mild & with the new clutch & fluid shifts were maybe better than before. As the weather got cold the transmission got stiffer. A mile or so of driving & things were fine again. With warm weather the problem has gone away. Now I'm thinking there may be a better lube for my situation.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Personally, virtually EVERY TIME I have tried to "improve" on what DC specifies and supplies as specific lubricants, it has failed to deliver the expected and hoped for benefits - and I have ended up dumping some VERY expensive "experiments". To date, my experiments in "better lubes" has cost me over $120 in failures - and *I* am thru trying to better what DC has specified as best in their vehicles.



To each his own...