Royal Purple SynchroMax - two thumbs down...

[steved]

Here is RP's analysis...



Just as a side note the replacement RP went from shifting nice to shifting so-so in under 500 miles...



As far as being contaminated... I don't know how you could get anymore oil out of the transmission than I did short of tearing it apart and rebuilding it... They are still trying to determine what the "black" particles are... probably my synchros :{



Any thoughts by the oil analysis gurus?? Gary??



I'm switching over to the Redline this weekend to see if it is any better...



steved

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Jeeze, the iron was pretty high compared to their standard - and silicon too - though that may relate to what you used for sealing the cover?



Several of the additives - magnesium, Phosphorus and zinc - were WAY off what RP considered their new lube standard - pretty odd - and I can't imagine any dilution or normal contamination would cause that...



Dunno.

 

[steved]

Jeeze, the iron was pretty high compared to their standard - and silicon too - though that may relate to what you used for sealing the cover?



Several of the additives - magnesium, Phosphorus and zinc - were WAY off what RP considered their new lube standard - pretty odd - and I can't imagine any dilution or normal contamination would cause that...



Dunno.

Used the typical RTV for sealing the cover...



The only thing I can imagine is that it cleaned the insides better than the synchromesh, and therefore, cleaned out all the deposits left by the synchresh... I mean, when I drained the this batch, the interior was absolutely clean... maybe their detergents were too high/strong???





steved

 

[Turbo Thom]

Now you folks have "me" a cornfused. The MT 90 is for the 4500. MTL and syncromesh is for the 5600. Well I run the syncromesh in the 4500 and it's the best it's ever been. The 75W-90 in there does not do so well at all. After trying to go by the book for 10 years and 5 trannys, I'm doing my own thing now , and it's working better.



Not for you, but it's good for me.



. . Preston. .

 

[MMeier]

Anyone out there have any bottles of the MTL and MT 90 and can qoute off the back of the bottle what they are for , (trans wise).

 

[Turbo Thom]

Let me tell you what Redline told me. For the 4500, you are to mix half MTL and half MT90. Does that make any sense at all. So what did I do. I ordered both, and they're both still sitting. Gotum in a box in the shop. I used the OEM stuff till I got the Pennzoil. Now I got 5 gals of the Amsoil and that's what I'm going to use.



. . Preton. .

 

[MMeier]

Preston, if you get a chance , let us know what the back of the bottle says. Went by my buddys shop, but they already threw out the empty bottles, also Redlines site does not have a clear description of what's what either.

 

[steved]

Anyone out there have any bottles of the MTL and MT 90 and can qoute off the back of the bottle what they are for , (trans wise).

My new bottles of MTL do not state anything about specific trannies... just that it is designed to replace those running a 70, 80, 10w30, 30, or 5w30 equivalent oil...



I don't have any MT-90... sorry.



steved

 

[Turbo Thom]

OK... ... ... ... .



MTL... ... . SAE 70W80... Satisfies the Gear lube oil visc--70W, 75W, and 80 and motor oil visc. SAE 30, 10W30 and 5W30



MT80..... SAE gear lube oil visc... . 75W, 80W, and 90... . and motor oil visc 40, 10W40, and 15W40



So, mix half and half and whatcha got? I DON'T KNOW.



. . Preston. .

 

[steved]

Let me tell you what Redline told me. For the 4500, you are to mix half MTL and half MT90. Does that make any sense at all. So what did I do. I ordered both, and they're both still sitting. Gotum in a box in the shop. I used the OEM stuff till I got the Pennzoil. Now I got 5 gals of the Amsoil and that's what I'm going to use.



. . Preton. .

See, I don't understand this for the simple fact the NV4500 calls for 75w90 gear oil... same as the MT-90 Specs...



steved

 

[Turbo Thom]

Steve, I agree, but my transmission has never been as smooth and quite. . I worked on a customers truck last week, that was a 94 3500 chev with the NV4500. This truck had been all over the US. He has used nothing but the Pennzoil, and when it came out, I wanted to save it and use it in mine. It was that clean.



I don't care what "they" call for, I won't use the 75W90 in my transmission again.



. . PT. .

 

[Diesel Power]

Saturday night I replaced the Pennzoil Synchromesh in my NV5600 with RP SynchroMax... added a temp guage while I was at it...



First impression: WOW, this stuff is awesome... super smooth shifts, transmission just "glides"... temps ranged up to 175*... but would fluxuate with speed (ie. the faster the hotter)...



I have since put on around 500 miles... and the shifting is worse than with the PZ fill... it is hard shifting... sticky almost... the temp runs right up to 175 at any speed and stays there... and the transmission is nowhere near as smooth as before...



So, I'll be draining it out this weekend for some PZ Synchromesh... at least it held up... really disappointed that A) I am throwing away $50 in fluid, and B) a lot of people on this board have had good results and I wasn't one of them...



So, I doubt I will be using anything but synchromesh from this point on...



steved

RP is junk i will never use it again

 

[Sled Puller]

I think I see a pattern here- Its all or or nothing, love-hate.

Its nice to see you guys hate all brands, not just Amsoil, LMAO!!



In the 4500, I hated Castrol switched to Amsoil, it worked great. Then they quit making that particular lube-after reading this thread, I'm scared to try anything else!! I'll just keep filtering it and putting it back in.....



Anyway, I would be more inclined to blame poor shifting qualities on the transmissions rather than the different lubes.

 

[The Adjuster]

Well coming up to my 4500 oil change in the next month and now don't know which way to turn ...

Amsoil - Discontinued

RP - Does not sound as good as I expected

Redline - Okay if you mix part A with part B (I ain't a chemist)

Castrol - currently using it and don't like it.



Maybe I will try Mobil1 Syn Gear Oil (GL5 and compatible with GL4) or Pennzoil Syncromesh ... or maybe go the stealership and just put in the OEM :{



sheeesh ... decisions decisions ... BTW what is the spec for oil in a NV4500 GL4 or GL5?



Kevin

 

[Diesel Power]

I think I see a pattern here- Its all or or nothing, love-hate.

Its nice to see you guys hate all brands, not just Amsoil, LMAO!!



In the 4500, I hated Castrol switched to Amsoil, it worked great. Then they quit making that particular lube-after reading this thread, I'm scared to try anything else!! I'll just keep filtering it and putting it back in.....



Anyway, I would be more inclined to blame poor shifting qualities on the transmissions rather than the different lubes.

i thought you were a amsoil dealer----if you were you should know that amsoil does have a fluid out for the 4500, and it works great the part# is mtg-qt. amsoil makes just about anything for the modern diesel market. also your last statment shows how much you know about lubricants and there ability to perform in trannys they go in. yes some times you cant justifiy a good lube in a bad transmission but in a transmission thats fine, well amsoil will only make it better----thats what this whole thread is about good transmission's using what was supposed to be "good oil", but you and i both know RP is some overadvertised and a underproven junk. :-laf

 

[Diesel Power]

Well coming up to my 4500 oil change in the next month and now don't know which way to turn ...

Amsoil - Discontinued

RP - Does not sound as good as I expected

Redline - Okay if you mix part A with part B (I ain't a chemist)

Castrol - currently using it and don't like it.



Maybe I will try Mobil1 Syn Gear Oil (GL5 and compatible with GL4) or Pennzoil Syncromesh ... or maybe go the stealership and just put in the OEM :{



sheeesh ... decisions decisions ... BTW what is the spec for oil in a NV4500 GL4 or GL5?



Kevin

the oil your looking for is 75-90 API GL-4

 

[steved]

Anyway, I would be more inclined to blame poor shifting qualities on the transmissions rather than the different lubes.

I would agree with this except changing the fluid changes the shifting characteristics... that is not transmission... if it were indeed the transmission, then the shifting would stay constant regardless of the snake oil in the box...





steved

 

[Sled Puller]

I know the synchros were bad from the factory in the 4500. Its a toss of the dice which particular lube will work best, depending on the different stages of deterioation. As for the 5600, do a search on poor shifting from 99-up. .



Diesel Power, I know what Amsoil offers, and I know what I like.

You are pretty cocky for a newbie.



One thing I do know, is not to say RP is junk on a public forum, whether you think it is or not.

BTW, RP is not junk.

 

[steved]

Well, based on the oil analysis, RP decided they aren't going to do anything... they recommended taking it to the dealer and having the OEM fluid put in it (on their nickle)... so I bought $100 of RP for nothing... and as I explained to them, I didn't want the OEM fluid in the transmission...



I'm going to drain the RP out this week (got to tow a load of dirt about 250 miles)... anyone have a hint on how to put the RP in the transmission since it doesn't have a squirt top... what size thread is the fill plug?? Is that standard NPT or metric (I know the hex is metric)??? I think I saw where someone screwed a street "ell" into the transmission as a fill port... any leads on that???



Any hints would be great!



Thanks in advance!



steved



steved

 

[Jeff Knight]

81000 miles on the factory fluid. My NV5600 shifts fine. I think I'll just leave it alone. Jeff