- Mobil1 75W-90 "LS" Gear Oil Review -
#1
02-12-2014, 10:09 PM
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,765
Rep Power: 95 
- Mobil1 75W-90 "LS" Gear Oil Review -
Hey Guys,
In addition to the SRF fluid flush today, I also performed the much needed transmission fluid flush. After going back and forth on deciding what fluid to run this time I wanted to try something new just for experimental sake that would offer equal or better performance at a better value than Royal Purple (if any such fluid exists). After not having any real positive results in the past with Redline, and wanting even better cold weather performance than Royal Purple, I figured I would try something that was readily available and preferable and even better bargain.
After doing more research on Mobil1 75W-90 "LS" (Limited Slip Additive included), I figured I would give it a shot. The reason I never took Mobil1 Transmission oils seriously last time is because I had a negative experience with Mobil1 MTL in my older BMWs I used to race because the oil was so thin that it would cause gears to chatter from time to time (especially with lightweight flywheel). However, what was a negative in that application is actually a positive in this one. The biggest problem with using 75w-90 in transaxles is that cold shifting is always an issue because 75w-90 is so damn thick normally. Mobil1 actually makes perfect sense in this application because it is the thinnest viscosity of all the oils (always has been for some reason even though the ratings are the "same"). Figured this time I would use that to my advantage. The nail in the coffin was the price. All others were $18-21 per quart, Mobil1 75W-90 was only $10.99. Given how you need 5 quarts that is a savings of at least $35 for all 5 quarts, certainly nothing to laugh at when it comes to oil.
Typical service intervals are between 4-5 years so it was already well overdue, and the fact that this was one of the early batches most likely without the special "additive" I realized it was time to swap it out and hopefully alleviate the general notchy shifting, especially when cold.
The Flush:
Like the brake fluids, I had no doubt the fluid in the transmission was still the original fluid the car had been delivered with when new (8k mile 1 owner car, no reason for them to have replaced it, or so they thought). Although the mileage is low, 6 years can do its damage on any oil whether in use or not. Typical service intervals are between 4-5 years so it was already well overdue, and the fact that this was one of the early batches most likely without the special "additive" I realized it was time to swap it out and hopefully alleviate the general notchy shifting, especially when cold. What came out was not pretty, although I couldn't take a picture as it was pouring out pretty quickly, it was pretty similar to the brake fluid. It was dark and clearly past its time. I didn't put a coffee filter under it but I bet there were probably metal shavings in it too as well so best to flush out all that gunk all with fresh fluid.
One thing I did notice about Mobil1 is how unbelievably clear it was and its smell was nowhere near as bad as most gear oils. Using the $6 quart/gallon screw on oil pump from the autoparts store (mandatory), you were able to see the gear oil being pumped into the transmission through the clear tubes. It was so clear it almost looked like you were pumping Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio directly into the transmission... Nothing Less for an Aston!
. I do like the idea of not having any dyes in the oil, even though the dyes probably don't have a real harmful effect, its the same as having purple catchup... ya its not bad for you, but psychologically its just off-putting lol. Needless to say Purple catchup did not last.
After about 4.5 liters later (you will have some left over), once the fluid started to slowly spill out of the fill hole then you know that's all she can take. Tighten the fill plug back up and you are good to go, its that simple.
Driving Impressions:
I was NOT expecting results THIS good. I really thought Royal Purple was the end all king of gear oils which is why after trying every other gear oil on the market I have been using it ever since. However, in this very narrow specific application, I think there may be a new king on the block.
The warm performance is easily equal to Royal Purple in most cases. I cannot even feel the 3rd Gear syncro anymore, it just slides in with almost zero resistance. Also, the 3rd - 2nd downshift has never been smoother (not even RP was this smooth in the 3 -2 shift). Going into first from neutral is still notchy at times but not too bad. For some reason 3-2 is perfect every time, but 1-2 still has the occasional bind from time to time. 4-6 are butter in every scenario.
Although I have not yet tested the car on a few freezing mornings yet to give it a true cold test, I did notice driving straight out of the shop how much smoother it is (it was a warm day today so not a true test yet). I need more time to truly test its cold weather capabilities but so far it seems to be superior to even Royal Purple when cold. Give me a week or two of cold weather testing to confirm, but I have a feeling it should be proven the best in cold startup conditions given it is the thinnest of them all.
No gear chatter or any negative symptoms as of yet. They claim on the bottle that in some cases you need to add additional limited slip additives, however, after doing more research online forums I found out that this is mainly for offroad 4x4 & rock crawler applications that need extreme limited slip from one side to another. For our application I have not heard any gear noise or any add behavior at parking lot speeds & etc. Seems to be the perfect amount for the Graziano gearbox.
Cons: Its probably not the best transmission & gear oil for the race track. Typically thinner transmission/gear oils are not the best for track applications so this may be the one Achilles heel, but for street applications for 99% of us that will never track their Astons its not really an issue. Generally speaking... Thinner better for street, thicker better for track.
If you cannot find any of the other oils out there, and you don't want to have to pay for shipping and the hassle of waiting and would prefer to go down the local autoparts store, then this is probably the best gear oil for our application you can buy on the shelf for the price.
Definitely worth a shot if you are looking for a convenient option!
Hope that helps,
007
In addition to the SRF fluid flush today, I also performed the much needed transmission fluid flush. After going back and forth on deciding what fluid to run this time I wanted to try something new just for experimental sake that would offer equal or better performance at a better value than Royal Purple (if any such fluid exists). After not having any real positive results in the past with Redline, and wanting even better cold weather performance than Royal Purple, I figured I would try something that was readily available and preferable and even better bargain.
After doing more research on Mobil1 75W-90 "LS" (Limited Slip Additive included), I figured I would give it a shot. The reason I never took Mobil1 Transmission oils seriously last time is because I had a negative experience with Mobil1 MTL in my older BMWs I used to race because the oil was so thin that it would cause gears to chatter from time to time (especially with lightweight flywheel). However, what was a negative in that application is actually a positive in this one. The biggest problem with using 75w-90 in transaxles is that cold shifting is always an issue because 75w-90 is so damn thick normally. Mobil1 actually makes perfect sense in this application because it is the thinnest viscosity of all the oils (always has been for some reason even though the ratings are the "same"). Figured this time I would use that to my advantage. The nail in the coffin was the price. All others were $18-21 per quart, Mobil1 75W-90 was only $10.99. Given how you need 5 quarts that is a savings of at least $35 for all 5 quarts, certainly nothing to laugh at when it comes to oil.
Typical service intervals are between 4-5 years so it was already well overdue, and the fact that this was one of the early batches most likely without the special "additive" I realized it was time to swap it out and hopefully alleviate the general notchy shifting, especially when cold.
The Flush:
Like the brake fluids, I had no doubt the fluid in the transmission was still the original fluid the car had been delivered with when new (8k mile 1 owner car, no reason for them to have replaced it, or so they thought). Although the mileage is low, 6 years can do its damage on any oil whether in use or not. Typical service intervals are between 4-5 years so it was already well overdue, and the fact that this was one of the early batches most likely without the special "additive" I realized it was time to swap it out and hopefully alleviate the general notchy shifting, especially when cold. What came out was not pretty, although I couldn't take a picture as it was pouring out pretty quickly, it was pretty similar to the brake fluid. It was dark and clearly past its time. I didn't put a coffee filter under it but I bet there were probably metal shavings in it too as well so best to flush out all that gunk all with fresh fluid.
One thing I did notice about Mobil1 is how unbelievably clear it was and its smell was nowhere near as bad as most gear oils. Using the $6 quart/gallon screw on oil pump from the autoparts store (mandatory), you were able to see the gear oil being pumped into the transmission through the clear tubes. It was so clear it almost looked like you were pumping Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio directly into the transmission... Nothing Less for an Aston!
. I do like the idea of not having any dyes in the oil, even though the dyes probably don't have a real harmful effect, its the same as having purple catchup... ya its not bad for you, but psychologically its just off-putting lol. Needless to say Purple catchup did not last. After about 4.5 liters later (you will have some left over), once the fluid started to slowly spill out of the fill hole then you know that's all she can take. Tighten the fill plug back up and you are good to go, its that simple.
Driving Impressions:
I was NOT expecting results THIS good. I really thought Royal Purple was the end all king of gear oils which is why after trying every other gear oil on the market I have been using it ever since. However, in this very narrow specific application, I think there may be a new king on the block.
The warm performance is easily equal to Royal Purple in most cases. I cannot even feel the 3rd Gear syncro anymore, it just slides in with almost zero resistance. Also, the 3rd - 2nd downshift has never been smoother (not even RP was this smooth in the 3 -2 shift). Going into first from neutral is still notchy at times but not too bad. For some reason 3-2 is perfect every time, but 1-2 still has the occasional bind from time to time. 4-6 are butter in every scenario.
Although I have not yet tested the car on a few freezing mornings yet to give it a true cold test, I did notice driving straight out of the shop how much smoother it is (it was a warm day today so not a true test yet). I need more time to truly test its cold weather capabilities but so far it seems to be superior to even Royal Purple when cold. Give me a week or two of cold weather testing to confirm, but I have a feeling it should be proven the best in cold startup conditions given it is the thinnest of them all.
No gear chatter or any negative symptoms as of yet. They claim on the bottle that in some cases you need to add additional limited slip additives, however, after doing more research online forums I found out that this is mainly for offroad 4x4 & rock crawler applications that need extreme limited slip from one side to another. For our application I have not heard any gear noise or any add behavior at parking lot speeds & etc. Seems to be the perfect amount for the Graziano gearbox.
Cons: Its probably not the best transmission & gear oil for the race track. Typically thinner transmission/gear oils are not the best for track applications so this may be the one Achilles heel, but for street applications for 99% of us that will never track their Astons its not really an issue. Generally speaking... Thinner better for street, thicker better for track.
If you cannot find any of the other oils out there, and you don't want to have to pay for shipping and the hassle of waiting and would prefer to go down the local autoparts store, then this is probably the best gear oil for our application you can buy on the shelf for the price.
Definitely worth a shot if you are looking for a convenient option!
Hope that helps,
007
#3
02-14-2014, 09:21 AM
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,765
Rep Power: 95
Yes, I have twice. The one thing I never liked about Redline is that it always got worse with age. It was great for first couple months then the performance and smoothness degraded over time. RP was the opposite, only got smoother over time.
I think Mobil1 will stay pretty consistent over time as it has the least additives of most motor oils. It's as close to pure synthetic as you can get. In some applications this is a great thing, in others it's not. Always a case by case basis. But so far so good
I think Mobil1 will stay pretty consistent over time as it has the least additives of most motor oils. It's as close to pure synthetic as you can get. In some applications this is a great thing, in others it's not. Always a case by case basis. But so far so good
#5
02-16-2014, 04:36 PM
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,765
Rep Power: 95
It's Official : Mobil1 is even better than Royal Purple.
I had low expectations when I planned on trying mobil1 initially but I figured I would give it just a try since it was roughly 40%+ cheaper than RP.
I can say that it has the best cold shifting properties of the bunch. Miles ahead of stock and reasonably smoother than RP in stone cold transmission. RP was much better than stock, but this takes cold shifting to an even better level. Without even moving the car, I have rowed through the gears multiple times with the car completely cold and no notchiness at all. Kind of shocking really. I know Mobil1's thinnest viscosity would help it in this regard, and they tout it on their marketing label multiple times (for good reason). It is essentially 75w-90 "lite" lol.
There is still some resistance at the gears, but the best way to describe it is a "smooth resistance". You can still feel the gate, but it feels more natural and it's not notchy or grinding at all. Once in a blue moon you will get some smooth resistance going into 1st and 2nd but that's to be expected as both gears have triple cone syncros where as the rest of the gears only have double (naturally less resistance). This probably has to do with some slack in the shifter cables, but it's mild, not too much.
In the cold (sub 50s) it performs flawlessly and feels incredibly smooth and almost eliminate all of the inherent flaws with the graziano gearbox.
Also, shifting speeds are improved as it is now so much easier to row between gears at speed since the resistance is less. The most notable improvements are 3rd to 2nd, and especially 3-4 (you barely even feel this shift anymore). 5-6 are smoother as well but they were never really notchy even stock.
1st to 2nd does still have quite a but of resistance but again, it's a smooth resistance then smoothly pops right into gear right after the resistance point.
Again as I mentioned before, the only area I probably wouldn't recommend it is for tracking because it's so much thinner. If you drive it super aggressively you will start to feel the fluid get thing (shifting almost gets too smooth). But 99% won't push it that hard on the street so it's really a moot point at the end of the day.
In summary, I now recommend Mobil1 as the new best fluid for our application. Amazing cold weather performance, cheapest price fully synthetic 75w-90 on the market. Win/win
Hope that helps,
007
I had low expectations when I planned on trying mobil1 initially but I figured I would give it just a try since it was roughly 40%+ cheaper than RP.
I can say that it has the best cold shifting properties of the bunch. Miles ahead of stock and reasonably smoother than RP in stone cold transmission. RP was much better than stock, but this takes cold shifting to an even better level. Without even moving the car, I have rowed through the gears multiple times with the car completely cold and no notchiness at all. Kind of shocking really. I know Mobil1's thinnest viscosity would help it in this regard, and they tout it on their marketing label multiple times (for good reason). It is essentially 75w-90 "lite" lol.
There is still some resistance at the gears, but the best way to describe it is a "smooth resistance". You can still feel the gate, but it feels more natural and it's not notchy or grinding at all. Once in a blue moon you will get some smooth resistance going into 1st and 2nd but that's to be expected as both gears have triple cone syncros where as the rest of the gears only have double (naturally less resistance). This probably has to do with some slack in the shifter cables, but it's mild, not too much.
In the cold (sub 50s) it performs flawlessly and feels incredibly smooth and almost eliminate all of the inherent flaws with the graziano gearbox.
Also, shifting speeds are improved as it is now so much easier to row between gears at speed since the resistance is less. The most notable improvements are 3rd to 2nd, and especially 3-4 (you barely even feel this shift anymore). 5-6 are smoother as well but they were never really notchy even stock.
1st to 2nd does still have quite a but of resistance but again, it's a smooth resistance then smoothly pops right into gear right after the resistance point.
Again as I mentioned before, the only area I probably wouldn't recommend it is for tracking because it's so much thinner. If you drive it super aggressively you will start to feel the fluid get thing (shifting almost gets too smooth). But 99% won't push it that hard on the street so it's really a moot point at the end of the day.
In summary, I now recommend Mobil1 as the new best fluid for our application. Amazing cold weather performance, cheapest price fully synthetic 75w-90 on the market. Win/win
Hope that helps,
007
#6
02-17-2014, 11:35 PM
I am using Shell ASX S5 and it shifts much smoother than stock.
http://www.epc.shell.com/Docs/GPCDOC...en-GB)_TDS.pdf
http://www.epc.shell.com/Docs/GPCDOC...en-GB)_TDS.pdf
#7
04-08-2014, 11:54 AM
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,765
Rep Power: 95
Long Term Review:
Hey guys,
I have had a chance to drive on the fluid for a couple of months and I have to say this is definitely the best transmission fluid for the price for our Astons. I was initially worried that the benefits would wear away quickly after first use but they appear to not only have held up but feel even better.
Cold Startup: I normally park the car in 3rd gear (to prevent unnecessary 1st gear synchro wear), and every day I pop it right into first. I could never do this with the stock fluid. 2nd is also easier to get into once you get rolling. After about 500 feet, I double clutch it into 2nd and after a small bit of resistance it pops right into gear. After that its good to go.
Hot Fluid Performance: Once the fluid gets up to full temp its totally different than any other fluid (even royal purple). The Mobil1 gets so thin at operating temp that it is literally like slicing a hot knife through butter, its so buttery smooth. I used to think the stock transmission oil cooler was overkill and unnecessary (which is probably why they ended up getting rid of it), but now with Mobil1 I am actually glad its there b/c it helps the fluid not get too thin. After 1 high speed pull (enough to splash the fluid inside every nook & cranny of the transmission), the car shifts like butter for the rest of the day. Even Royal Purple was not this smooth once fully warm (because it is a much thicker transmission). Again, I would never recommend M1 for the track, its just way too thin... but for the street, I honestly think its the best fluid on the market for any price... especially considering its also the cheapest and most readily available at any local autoparts store.
Other Observations: Due to the fluids thinner nature, you actually can feel the inner workings of the transmission much more. The transition from neutral>syncro>gear provides much more tactile feedback than before. In many ways it feels much more like a mechanical linkage shifter than a cable driven one (possible the best compliment you can give to any cable driven shift selector as most are vague and not precise). In retrospect, it feels more like an MTL fluid than a true 75w-90 gear oil. Sometimes I do wonder if it gets a little to thin because it is sooo silkey smooth. After a few high speed pulls, you can barely even feel the gates anymore, especially 4th for some reason. I never thought the transmission could ever feel this good, sometimes I forget how far its come on the new fluid. In true cold performance the Mobil1 is even superior to Royal Purple, in extreme performance situations (Track) the Royal Purple provide more protection (thicker viscosity). Life is always about tradeoffs!
Summary: If you plan on tracking the car, get Royal Purple... If you plan on using it purely as a daily driver, Get Mobile1 75w-90LS. To me its the new "king of the street" transmission fluid for our cars.
Hope that helps,
007
Hey guys,
I have had a chance to drive on the fluid for a couple of months and I have to say this is definitely the best transmission fluid for the price for our Astons. I was initially worried that the benefits would wear away quickly after first use but they appear to not only have held up but feel even better.
Cold Startup: I normally park the car in 3rd gear (to prevent unnecessary 1st gear synchro wear), and every day I pop it right into first. I could never do this with the stock fluid. 2nd is also easier to get into once you get rolling. After about 500 feet, I double clutch it into 2nd and after a small bit of resistance it pops right into gear. After that its good to go.
Hot Fluid Performance: Once the fluid gets up to full temp its totally different than any other fluid (even royal purple). The Mobil1 gets so thin at operating temp that it is literally like slicing a hot knife through butter, its so buttery smooth. I used to think the stock transmission oil cooler was overkill and unnecessary (which is probably why they ended up getting rid of it), but now with Mobil1 I am actually glad its there b/c it helps the fluid not get too thin. After 1 high speed pull (enough to splash the fluid inside every nook & cranny of the transmission), the car shifts like butter for the rest of the day. Even Royal Purple was not this smooth once fully warm (because it is a much thicker transmission). Again, I would never recommend M1 for the track, its just way too thin... but for the street, I honestly think its the best fluid on the market for any price... especially considering its also the cheapest and most readily available at any local autoparts store.
Other Observations: Due to the fluids thinner nature, you actually can feel the inner workings of the transmission much more. The transition from neutral>syncro>gear provides much more tactile feedback than before. In many ways it feels much more like a mechanical linkage shifter than a cable driven one (possible the best compliment you can give to any cable driven shift selector as most are vague and not precise). In retrospect, it feels more like an MTL fluid than a true 75w-90 gear oil. Sometimes I do wonder if it gets a little to thin because it is sooo silkey smooth. After a few high speed pulls, you can barely even feel the gates anymore, especially 4th for some reason. I never thought the transmission could ever feel this good, sometimes I forget how far its come on the new fluid. In true cold performance the Mobil1 is even superior to Royal Purple, in extreme performance situations (Track) the Royal Purple provide more protection (thicker viscosity). Life is always about tradeoffs!
Summary: If you plan on tracking the car, get Royal Purple... If you plan on using it purely as a daily driver, Get Mobile1 75w-90LS. To me its the new "king of the street" transmission fluid for our cars.
Hope that helps,
007
Last edited by 007 Vantage; 04-08-2014 at 12:01 PM.
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#8
04-09-2014, 02:56 PM
Long Term Review:
Hey guys,
Cold Startup: I normally park the car in 3rd gear (to prevent unnecessary 1st gear synchro wear), and every day I pop it right into first. I could never do this with the stock fluid. 2nd is also easier to get into once you get rolling. After about 500 feet, I double clutch it into 2nd and after a small bit of resistance it pops right into gear. After that its good to go.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hot Fluid Performance: Once the fluid gets up to full temp its totally different than any other fluid (even royal purple). The Mobil1 gets so thin at operating temp that it is literally like slicing a hot knife through butter, its so buttery smooth. I used to think the stock transmission oil cooler was overkill and unnecessary (which is probably why they ended up getting rid of it), >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Other Observations: Due to the fluids thinner nature, you actually can feel the inner workings of the transmission much more. The transition from neutral>syncro>gear provides much more tactile feedback than before. In many ways it feels much more like a mechanical linkage shifter than a cable driven one (possible the best compliment you can give to any cable driven shift selector as most are vague and not precise). In retrospect, it feels more like an MTL fluid than a true 75w-90 gear oil. Sometimes I do wonder if it gets a little to thin because it is sooo silkey smooth. After a few high speed pulls, you can barely even feel the gates anymore, especially 4th for some reason. I never thought the transmission could ever feel this good, sometimes I forget how far its come on the new fluid. In true cold performance the Mobil1 is even superior to Royal Purple, in extreme performance situations (Track) the Royal Purple provide more protection (thicker viscosity). Life is always about tradeoffs!
Summary: If you plan on tracking the car, get Royal Purple... If you plan on using it purely as a daily driver, Get Mobile1 75w-90LS. To me its the new "king of the street" transmission fluid for our cars.
Hope that helps,
007
Hey guys,
Cold Startup: I normally park the car in 3rd gear (to prevent unnecessary 1st gear synchro wear), and every day I pop it right into first. I could never do this with the stock fluid. 2nd is also easier to get into once you get rolling. After about 500 feet, I double clutch it into 2nd and after a small bit of resistance it pops right into gear. After that its good to go.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hot Fluid Performance: Once the fluid gets up to full temp its totally different than any other fluid (even royal purple). The Mobil1 gets so thin at operating temp that it is literally like slicing a hot knife through butter, its so buttery smooth. I used to think the stock transmission oil cooler was overkill and unnecessary (which is probably why they ended up getting rid of it), >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Other Observations: Due to the fluids thinner nature, you actually can feel the inner workings of the transmission much more. The transition from neutral>syncro>gear provides much more tactile feedback than before. In many ways it feels much more like a mechanical linkage shifter than a cable driven one (possible the best compliment you can give to any cable driven shift selector as most are vague and not precise). In retrospect, it feels more like an MTL fluid than a true 75w-90 gear oil. Sometimes I do wonder if it gets a little to thin because it is sooo silkey smooth. After a few high speed pulls, you can barely even feel the gates anymore, especially 4th for some reason. I never thought the transmission could ever feel this good, sometimes I forget how far its come on the new fluid. In true cold performance the Mobil1 is even superior to Royal Purple, in extreme performance situations (Track) the Royal Purple provide more protection (thicker viscosity). Life is always about tradeoffs!
Summary: If you plan on tracking the car, get Royal Purple... If you plan on using it purely as a daily driver, Get Mobile1 75w-90LS. To me its the new "king of the street" transmission fluid for our cars.
Hope that helps,
007
Why do you start the car in 3rd gear? you must know, with the cutch in, nothing past the bell housing is spinning, regardless of the gear selected.
why double clutch? this is not a 1940 ford pickup. there is no benefit of double clutching of a modern transmission, however........matching gears with RPM is always a good thing to reduce the forces on the synchros.
#9
04-09-2014, 06:02 PM
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,765
Rep Power: 95
I don't start it in 3rd, I just park it in 3rd bc it's slides in easier and is still enough to keep the car stable. It also minimizes wear on first gear Syncro over the life of the tranny
I double clutch only the first shift into 2nd gear in the mornings because it helps slide into second better by matching up all the rpms internally. After the first 100 feet enough oil flows around to not make it necessary anymore. I never double shift otherwise, just rolling away in the morning for that very first shift. It's an old school trick that always seems to help,
I double clutch only the first shift into 2nd gear in the mornings because it helps slide into second better by matching up all the rpms internally. After the first 100 feet enough oil flows around to not make it necessary anymore. I never double shift otherwise, just rolling away in the morning for that very first shift. It's an old school trick that always seems to help,
#10
04-10-2014, 12:07 AM
I don't start it in 3rd, I just park it in 3rd bc it's slides in easier and is still enough to keep the car stable. It also minimizes wear on first gear Syncro over the life of the tranny
I double clutch only the first shift into 2nd gear in the mornings because it helps slide into second better by matching up all the rpms internally. After the first 100 feet enough oil flows around to not make it necessary anymore. I never double shift otherwise, just rolling away in the morning for that very first shift. It's an old school trick that always seems to help,
I double clutch only the first shift into 2nd gear in the mornings because it helps slide into second better by matching up all the rpms internally. After the first 100 feet enough oil flows around to not make it necessary anymore. I never double shift otherwise, just rolling away in the morning for that very first shift. It's an old school trick that always seems to help,
double clutching is not really any benefit for modern transmissions with such low inertial components. the drive shaft, although just coming off speeds from a 1st gear acceleration, by going through neutral and letting the clutch out, you slow the RPM of the driveshaft to match the now lower RPM, thus theoretically making it an easier shift. (true to old trucks with huge mass rotating components and no synchros.) but the time it takes to set up for the shift usually helps reduces the speed, and the synchros , do their job to slow the drive line. the close ratio gears we have also assists in making this job easier on the synchros. they are more than able to do this job with no synchro wear over the life of the car. your extra cycles on the clutch pressure plate should be more of a concern. synchros wear due to poor engine vs transmission speed shifts. having a skilled row of the gears, especially from gear 1 to 2, (because of its gear ratio spread), should eliminate the chance of synchro wear. this is a high end sports car with a granzano transmission used in ferarris and maserattis. you don't need to drive it like your grandpa's old farm truck.
#11
05-18-2014, 06:40 AM
Hey Guys,
In addition to the SRF fluid flush today, I also performed the much needed transmission fluid flush. After going back and forth on deciding what fluid to run this time I wanted to try something new just for experimental sake that would offer equal or better performance at a better value than Royal Purple (if any such fluid exists). After not having any real positive results in the past with Redline, and wanting even better cold weather performance than Royal Purple, I figured I would try something that was readily available and preferable and even better bargain.
After doing more research on Mobil1 75W-90 "LS" (Limited Slip Additive included), I figured I would give it a shot. The reason I never took Mobil1 Transmission oils seriously last time is because I had a negative experience with Mobil1 MTL in my older BMWs I used to race because the oil was so thin that it would cause gears to chatter from time to time (especially with lightweight flywheel). However, what was a negative in that application is actually a positive in this one. The biggest problem with using 75w-90 in transaxles is that cold shifting is always an issue because 75w-90 is so damn thick normally. Mobil1 actually makes perfect sense in this application because it is the thinnest viscosity of all the oils (always has been for some reason even though the ratings are the "same"). Figured this time I would use that to my advantage. The nail in the coffin was the price. All others were $18-21 per quart, Mobil1 75W-90 was only $10.99. Given how you need 5 quarts that is a savings of at least $35 for all 5 quarts, certainly nothing to laugh at when it comes to oil.
Typical service intervals are between 4-5 years so it was already well overdue, and the fact that this was one of the early batches most likely without the special "additive" I realized it was time to swap it out and hopefully alleviate the general notchy shifting, especially when cold.
The Flush:
Like the brake fluids, I had no doubt the fluid in the transmission was still the original fluid the car had been delivered with when new (8k mile 1 owner car, no reason for them to have replaced it, or so they thought). Although the mileage is low, 6 years can do its damage on any oil whether in use or not. Typical service intervals are between 4-5 years so it was already well overdue, and the fact that this was one of the early batches most likely without the special "additive" I realized it was time to swap it out and hopefully alleviate the general notchy shifting, especially when cold. What came out was not pretty, although I couldn't take a picture as it was pouring out pretty quickly, it was pretty similar to the brake fluid. It was dark and clearly past its time. I didn't put a coffee filter under it but I bet there were probably metal shavings in it too as well so best to flush out all that gunk all with fresh fluid.
One thing I did notice about Mobil1 is how unbelievably clear it was and its smell was nowhere near as bad as most gear oils. Using the $6 quart/gallon screw on oil pump from the autoparts store (mandatory), you were able to see the gear oil being pumped into the transmission through the clear tubes. It was so clear it almost looked like you were pumping Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio directly into the transmission... Nothing Less for an Aston! . I do like the idea of not having any dyes in the oil, even though the dyes probably don't have a real harmful effect, its the same as having purple catchup... ya its not bad for you, but psychologically its just off-putting lol. Needless to say Purple catchup did not last.
After about 4.5 liters later (you will have some left over), once the fluid started to slowly spill out of the fill hole then you know that's all she can take. Tighten the fill plug back up and you are good to go, its that simple.
Driving Impressions:
I was NOT expecting results THIS good. I really thought Royal Purple was the end all king of gear oils which is why after trying every other gear oil on the market I have been using it ever since. However, in this very narrow specific application, I think there may be a new king on the block.
The warm performance is easily equal to Royal Purple in most cases. I cannot even feel the 3rd Gear syncro anymore, it just slides in with almost zero resistance. Also, the 3rd - 2nd downshift has never been smoother (not even RP was this smooth in the 3 -2 shift). Going into first from neutral is still notchy at times but not too bad. For some reason 3-2 is perfect every time, but 1-2 still has the occasional bind from time to time. 4-6 are butter in every scenario.
Although I have not yet tested the car on a few freezing mornings yet to give it a true cold test, I did notice driving straight out of the shop how much smoother it is (it was a warm day today so not a true test yet). I need more time to truly test its cold weather capabilities but so far it seems to be superior to even Royal Purple when cold. Give me a week or two of cold weather testing to confirm, but I have a feeling it should be proven the best in cold startup conditions given it is the thinnest of them all.
No gear chatter or any negative symptoms as of yet. They claim on the bottle that in some cases you need to add additional limited slip additives, however, after doing more research online forums I found out that this is mainly for offroad 4x4 & rock crawler applications that need extreme limited slip from one side to another. For our application I have not heard any gear noise or any add behavior at parking lot speeds & etc. Seems to be the perfect amount for the Graziano gearbox.
Cons: Its probably not the best transmission & gear oil for the race track. Typically thinner transmission/gear oils are not the best for track applications so this may be the one Achilles heel, but for street applications for 99% of us that will never track their Astons its not really an issue. Generally speaking... Thinner better for street, thicker better for track.
If you cannot find any of the other oils out there, and you don't want to have to pay for shipping and the hassle of waiting and would prefer to go down the local autoparts store, then this is probably the best gear oil for our application you can buy on the shelf for the price.
Definitely worth a shot if you are looking for a convenient option!
Hope that helps,
007
In addition to the SRF fluid flush today, I also performed the much needed transmission fluid flush. After going back and forth on deciding what fluid to run this time I wanted to try something new just for experimental sake that would offer equal or better performance at a better value than Royal Purple (if any such fluid exists). After not having any real positive results in the past with Redline, and wanting even better cold weather performance than Royal Purple, I figured I would try something that was readily available and preferable and even better bargain.
After doing more research on Mobil1 75W-90 "LS" (Limited Slip Additive included), I figured I would give it a shot. The reason I never took Mobil1 Transmission oils seriously last time is because I had a negative experience with Mobil1 MTL in my older BMWs I used to race because the oil was so thin that it would cause gears to chatter from time to time (especially with lightweight flywheel). However, what was a negative in that application is actually a positive in this one. The biggest problem with using 75w-90 in transaxles is that cold shifting is always an issue because 75w-90 is so damn thick normally. Mobil1 actually makes perfect sense in this application because it is the thinnest viscosity of all the oils (always has been for some reason even though the ratings are the "same"). Figured this time I would use that to my advantage. The nail in the coffin was the price. All others were $18-21 per quart, Mobil1 75W-90 was only $10.99. Given how you need 5 quarts that is a savings of at least $35 for all 5 quarts, certainly nothing to laugh at when it comes to oil.
Typical service intervals are between 4-5 years so it was already well overdue, and the fact that this was one of the early batches most likely without the special "additive" I realized it was time to swap it out and hopefully alleviate the general notchy shifting, especially when cold.
The Flush:
Like the brake fluids, I had no doubt the fluid in the transmission was still the original fluid the car had been delivered with when new (8k mile 1 owner car, no reason for them to have replaced it, or so they thought). Although the mileage is low, 6 years can do its damage on any oil whether in use or not. Typical service intervals are between 4-5 years so it was already well overdue, and the fact that this was one of the early batches most likely without the special "additive" I realized it was time to swap it out and hopefully alleviate the general notchy shifting, especially when cold. What came out was not pretty, although I couldn't take a picture as it was pouring out pretty quickly, it was pretty similar to the brake fluid. It was dark and clearly past its time. I didn't put a coffee filter under it but I bet there were probably metal shavings in it too as well so best to flush out all that gunk all with fresh fluid.
One thing I did notice about Mobil1 is how unbelievably clear it was and its smell was nowhere near as bad as most gear oils. Using the $6 quart/gallon screw on oil pump from the autoparts store (mandatory), you were able to see the gear oil being pumped into the transmission through the clear tubes. It was so clear it almost looked like you were pumping Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio directly into the transmission... Nothing Less for an Aston!
. I do like the idea of not having any dyes in the oil, even though the dyes probably don't have a real harmful effect, its the same as having purple catchup... ya its not bad for you, but psychologically its just off-putting lol. Needless to say Purple catchup did not last. After about 4.5 liters later (you will have some left over), once the fluid started to slowly spill out of the fill hole then you know that's all she can take. Tighten the fill plug back up and you are good to go, its that simple.
Driving Impressions:
I was NOT expecting results THIS good. I really thought Royal Purple was the end all king of gear oils which is why after trying every other gear oil on the market I have been using it ever since. However, in this very narrow specific application, I think there may be a new king on the block.
The warm performance is easily equal to Royal Purple in most cases. I cannot even feel the 3rd Gear syncro anymore, it just slides in with almost zero resistance. Also, the 3rd - 2nd downshift has never been smoother (not even RP was this smooth in the 3 -2 shift). Going into first from neutral is still notchy at times but not too bad. For some reason 3-2 is perfect every time, but 1-2 still has the occasional bind from time to time. 4-6 are butter in every scenario.
Although I have not yet tested the car on a few freezing mornings yet to give it a true cold test, I did notice driving straight out of the shop how much smoother it is (it was a warm day today so not a true test yet). I need more time to truly test its cold weather capabilities but so far it seems to be superior to even Royal Purple when cold. Give me a week or two of cold weather testing to confirm, but I have a feeling it should be proven the best in cold startup conditions given it is the thinnest of them all.
No gear chatter or any negative symptoms as of yet. They claim on the bottle that in some cases you need to add additional limited slip additives, however, after doing more research online forums I found out that this is mainly for offroad 4x4 & rock crawler applications that need extreme limited slip from one side to another. For our application I have not heard any gear noise or any add behavior at parking lot speeds & etc. Seems to be the perfect amount for the Graziano gearbox.
Cons: Its probably not the best transmission & gear oil for the race track. Typically thinner transmission/gear oils are not the best for track applications so this may be the one Achilles heel, but for street applications for 99% of us that will never track their Astons its not really an issue. Generally speaking... Thinner better for street, thicker better for track.
If you cannot find any of the other oils out there, and you don't want to have to pay for shipping and the hassle of waiting and would prefer to go down the local autoparts store, then this is probably the best gear oil for our application you can buy on the shelf for the price.
Definitely worth a shot if you are looking for a convenient option!
Hope that helps,
007
my DB9 service manual says for first one Shell ATFM 1375.4 fluid and needs 10 lt
for AT final drive oil , shell Transaxle oil 75W90 (which could also be Mobile 1 LS 75W90, need 1.7 liter.
so do I Need to change both fluids (2009 DB9, don't know if it was ever changed), whci fluid to use for ATF?
I think question is related so hope I am not hijacking the thread. also any DYI guide for both fluid changes? (P.S. there is one for transaxle differential fluid, I found it)
#12
05-18-2014, 09:24 PM
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,765
Rep Power: 95
Is your DB9 automatic or manual? the manuals all use just gear oil. However obviously in an automatic it runs different fluid. In your case based on what your manual says I would assume they are treated as two separate systems unlike the manual which is all one transaxle with shared fluids. In your case to swap out the differential fluid it's 2qts. The effects obviously won't be as pronounced because you are just changing the differential oil basically. If your DB9 is getting up their in age it's definitely time for a transmission fluid & filter service as well (might as well do it all at once).
Hope that helps
Hope that helps
Last edited by 007 Vantage; 05-18-2014 at 10:02 PM.
#13
05-18-2014, 09:59 PM
Is your DB9 automatic or manual? the manuals all use just gear oil. However obviously in an automatic it runs different fluid. In your case based on what your manual says I would assume they are treated as two separate systems unlike the auto which is all one transaxle with shared fluids. In your case to swap out the differential fluid it's 2qts. The effects obviously won't be as pronounced because you are just changing the differential oil basically. If your DB9 is getting up their in age it's definitely time for a transmission fluid & filter service as well (might as well do it all at once).
Hope that helps
Hope that helps
2009 Db9 with 19200 miles.
Have you come across Any guide or DYI for automatic transmission fluid change?
#14
05-18-2014, 10:03 PM
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,765
Rep Power: 95
No, probably have to go to dealership to do it. They usually have a special machine that pumps the old fluid out and replaces it with new fluid coming in. Usually transmission service is 4 year intervals so it would be recommended. You should noticed slightly improved shifting with new fluid & filter service
#15
05-19-2014, 01:50 PM
I got this reply from Dealer
Who says no need for ATF change, only AT Differential fluid change for automatic DB9.
To clarify, per the Aston Martin maintenance sheet:
Automatic transmissions, lifetime fill. (all current gen models)
Manual transmissions 4 yrs or 40,000 miles (all current gen models)
Automatic differential fluid 4yrs or 40,000 miles (we do this every 2yrs
otherwise the differential clutch plate chatter will become apparent)
Who says no need for ATF change, only AT Differential fluid change for automatic DB9.
To clarify, per the Aston Martin maintenance sheet:
Automatic transmissions, lifetime fill. (all current gen models)
Manual transmissions 4 yrs or 40,000 miles (all current gen models)
Automatic differential fluid 4yrs or 40,000 miles (we do this every 2yrs
otherwise the differential clutch plate chatter will become apparent)