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

[NVR FNSH]

Gary,

For the most part I agree with you but I think we have ample evidence that DC (and the other mfg) don't always spec the 'best' - track bars, ball joints, steering gears. A lot of times the specification is driven by manufacturing costs more than anything... .



Brian

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Gary,

For the most part I agree with you but I think we have ample evidence that DC (and the other mfg) don't always spec the 'best' - track bars, ball joints, steering gears. A lot of times the specification is driven by manufacturing costs more than anything... .



Brian

I suppose that if we've learned anything, we've learned that these trucks CAN vary widely in what works well with them. Alternative transmission lubes that will work exceedingly well with syncros in ONE trucks transmission, fails miserably in another. And in MY case, NOTHING seems to improve over and above the OEM stuff...



Such is life!

 

[mgoncalves]

*I* am thru trying to better what DC has specified as best in their vehicles.



To each his own...

So is your comp for sale? What about the new injectors, exhaust, or revamped low pressure fuel system?



Just because YOU haven't found what works for YOU, doesn't mean you have to throw negative connotations out there for the rest of us. I do appreciate the feedback that whatever oil didn't work in your truck, but I get tired of hearing it EVERY time the subject comes up. We get it, Gary thinks the factory lube is the only way to go, and we should ignore the fact that others have good luck trying different solutions.



Stop trying to save us, and let us try stuff for ourselves. Maybe it'll work for us.



With respect,

Matt

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

So is your comp for sale? What about the new injectors, exhaust, or revamped low pressure fuel system?



Just because YOU haven't found what works for YOU, doesn't mean you have to throw negative connotations out there for the rest of us. I do appreciate the feedback that whatever oil didn't work in your truck, but I get tired of hearing it EVERY time the subject comes up. We get it, Gary thinks the factory lube is the only way to go, and we should ignore the fact that others have good luck trying different solutions.



Stop trying to save us, and let us try stuff for ourselves. Maybe it'll work for us.



With respect,

Matt

Take that big chip off yer shoulder Matt - and don't be shy about saying what's REALLY eating you, out loud and for all to see. This topic was about lube, not track bars, Comps or anything else - if you have a beef with me, spit it out, and get it out of your system...



OTHERWISE, if you don't like what I post, why not do us ALL a big favor, and steer clear of my stuff AND me!



Meanwhile, I'll continue to post as *I* see fit, regardless of whether YOU like it or NOT!

 

[DHayden]

Geesh Gary, your getting sensative in your old age . Your posts over the years and your intense testing has provided good information but your letting it get to ya I think. You seem to be throwing more than your taking, the *I* in all your posts is showing your sensativity. Something change in your diet? :-laf



PS. Now erecting the Gary anti-flame shield :-laf :-laf

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Geesh Gary, your getting sensative in your old age . Your posts over the years and your intense testing has provided good information but your letting it get to ya I think. You seem to be throwing more than your taking, the *I* in all your posts is showing your sensativity. Something change in your diet? :-laf



PS. Now erecting the Gary anti-flame shield :-laf :-laf

Not really - but fact is, I deeply resent senseless abusive personal attacks and those by self-appointed moderators who would like to assume the role of censors or controllers of "who-posts-what,-and-when"...



Certainly, new members, and old, keep resurfacing some of the same old thread subjects - and WHO is to determine that any specific member is only allowed to respond ONCE on any given subject?



Certainly NOT the likes of Matt - who was totally out of line - and I strongly suspect has OTHER axes to grind than what THIS thread is all about! I'm certainly not ABOUT to filter my posts on various subjects thru HIM or anyone LIKE him for their approval before they see the light of day!



Yeah - I *try* to provide informative and helpful info on this board across MANY thread subjects - often complete with supporting pictures - and I realize that when someone is as active as I am here, it's inevitable that you will occasionally hit someone's ego or sore spot - just as senseless personal attack hits MINE! I wouldn't expect others to put up with that sort of crap - and I'm not about to, either!



And the addition of a lame "with respect" at the end of an abusive diatribe, does NOT erase the obvious LACK of "respect" the accompanying post clearly contains!



NOW, enough already of this personal crap - and back to the thread topic, please!



Sorry for the diversion Hohn...

 

[Beast2B]

I haven't said anything to Gary on this thread, but *I* still feel like *I* should apologize!

Gary, I appreciate your comments. I think we all have our buttons, some are just larger than others! :-laf

Isn't that one of the great parts of this site? So many opinions, so many trials and errors, all of us have to weigh the information to see if it's right for us. At least we don't have to deal with too much perosnal crap, and isn't it all about the Cummins anyway?

 

[darkhorse]

Not really - but fact is, I deeply resent senseless abusive personal attacks and those by self-appointed moderators who would like to assume the role of censors or controllers of "who-posts-what,-and-when"...



Gary, I appreciate a lot of what I've seen posted from you. I especilally like the coverage of the Frantz oil filter. On the other hand, perhaps your not aware of the fact that you have thrown out your share of troll fodder. Sometimes it's best to just ignore things. Perhaps I should have ignored this. I hope no offense has been taken.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Not really - but fact is, I deeply resent senseless abusive personal attacks and those by self-appointed moderators who would like to assume the role of censors or controllers of "who-posts-what,-and-when"...



Gary, I appreciate a lot of what I've seen posted from you. I especilally like the coverage of the Frantz oil filter. On the other hand, perhaps your not aware of the fact that you have thrown out your share of troll fodder. Sometimes it's best to just ignore things. Perhaps I should have ignored this. I hope no offense has been taken.

Please believe me, when I state that I *rarely* intentionally toss out "troll fodder" - nor is it my habit to offend or personally attack others, other than in self-defense when others have initiated attacks against ME!



Buy yes, undoubtedly at times other members DO perceive my well-intended comments as trolling, especially if I happen to touch on an issue that they feel is close to home. It's just the limitations of written words over vocal ones, and the ease with which wrong impressions can be arrived at. Add to that the unfortunate tendency of a few to react with excessive violence to what they sometimes mistakenly take as a personal jab - and that's the way wars get started.



Shucks, if all I wanted was a fight, my wife is in the next room, and there's a bar down at the foot of the hill...

 

[NVR FNSH]

Even though NVG is a spin-off holding of DC, it's highly doubtful that the same DC engineers who gave us the 2nd Gen track bars, 2nd Gen front brakes, and el cheapo paint jobs had anything to do with designing the transmissions for NVG or spec'ing the approved oil.

The DC engineers may not have been the ones putting the mouse to the screen to design the 5600 but they certainly had control over the specifications and tolerances about what they would accept/reject and thus control the outcome. I speak from experience having worked both sides of the engineering design/manufacturing game - supplier/customer as both an engineer and buyer (the one that can 'legally' make the deal).



Brian

 

[mgoncalves]

PM sent to Gary, sorry to ruin the thread, it was not my intention.





I would however like to make my transmission shift like butter. My transmission still has the factory fill, and at 45,000 miles it's getting a little sticky from time to time. I think I'm going to try the redline by itself first and see how Justin's does over a few thousand miles before trying any additive.



Matt

 

[NVR FNSH]

Matt,

I did not notice much improvement with Redline MTL. This was on the second/current transmission in my truck.



Brian

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

If you don't like the price of OEM oil, voila, Pennzoil has the same stuff at $5 per qt. through Autozone. If you want to use, or like Redline MTL, Royal Purple, or anything else, go ahead and use it. It is your truck, and your warranty issue if the transmission fails. I tried MTL and liked it, but found also that changing the fluid often seemed to help even more than which stuff I used. At about $20 per change, Pennzoil is a reasonable approach.

I hope this has been chilled enough, even though Jimmy Buffett has the only License to Chill

 

[Hohn]

Just an update. My 5600 is shifting very well these days-- better than ever.



The improvement this additive made seems to be lasting, at least for now...



Justin

 

[NVR FNSH]

Hohn,

Any updates on the shifting?



Brian

 

[darkhorse]

I got a free lube change from my clutch installer. Thanks Aron! He had used Amsoil gear lube last December. When I told him it was a little stiff in the cold weather he told me to bring it in for a swap. In went Amsoil 5w30. I thought the transmission was shifting pretty well in the hot weather with the gear lube, but it got better with the 5w30.

 

[Hohn]

UPDATE! This thread is somewhat old now...


The Lubegard did a great job of improving shifting. Unfortunately, it did NOT have a lasting effect, and after 2 months or so, the effect was pretty much gone.


I recently changed the fluid to RP Synchromax, and experienced something very similar-- instant improvement in shifting that only lasted a short time.


In an act of borderline desperation, I poured in a half pint or so of Lucas ATF additive, designed for auto trannies.


Results so far have been good. Instead of the smoothness fading over time, the transmission seems to be getting smoother by the mile.


Will it last? That *IS* the big question, but so far, the results are promising.

Justin

 

[JTCash]

DHayden,



You mentioned that you tow with no issues, but do you have a sending unit in your transmission so you can watch the temp?



My next wish is to put a magtec rear cover & fast cooler on the 5600 so I can add probes & watch the temps...



Anyone have transmission/rear end gauges & know what the temps run typically for several applications?



R/



Jim

 

[Silver_Ram]

I have tried everything but Redline MTL with out luck. The current mix of Amsoil MTF & the factory limited slip fluid is getting even better as spring time temps are on the rise. The trans still shifts great, so I am very pleased.

 

[XJJoe01]

I changed my transmission oil at 40,000 miles and swaped it with redline MTL. I used the lower weight (5w30) of MTL. I read somewhere that guys were mixing their own snake oil my using a half and half blend of different MTL weights. Their reason was to make it littler thicker for towing. I don't know if it made any difference, but they were happy. I drained my oil about a year ago. So far, it shifts ok. Maybe not like butter, but I like the way it shifts. I think next time I will try amsoil to see if there will be a difference.





Joe