AX5 Transmission Shifting Problem - Which oil should I use?

[Captaintek]

I have a 1993 Wrangler with a 2.5 L engine and a 5 speed transmission (AX5 I think). I have been experiencing shifting problems with it. I have changed the transmission oil after purchasing it last year with SAE 75-90 API gear lube as stated in the Chiltons manuel I purchased. It seems to have gotten worse, and I have seen a couple of other post on this site mentioning that I should not be using that type of oil. I just drained it again and filled it with Valoline synthetic oil. When I did I noticed a lot of brass colored shavings in the oil. I was thinking that I might drain it again and I was wondering if I could fill it with a lighter weight oil such as ATF transmission fluid to flush it out before refilling it with fresh synthetic. Has anyone tried this? I need to know if the transmission oil also flows into the transfer case or if they are separate. Has anyone tried Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer in their transmission? The little gear display in Auto Zone really caught my eye and I don't have the spare cash to purchase a new transmission at this time.

Thanks,

Captaintek

 

[far_right]

uuho.... you may have caught your mistake in time, and changed to synthetic but if you had shavings it isnt good.... they were syncornizer rings.... best of luck

 

[Snitty]

you can head to autozone and get some pennzoil synchromesh.. or order some redline mt90

 

[Captaintek]

Do I need to drain the transfer case along with the transmission?

If they are connected, I think they both would have to be drained and refilled. I have not had any trouble with the transfer case so far.

Would it hurt to flush transmission with a 10W-30 motor oil before replacing it with Pennzoil or Red Line? I found that my wife's Honda just used 10W-30 oil in the transaxle.

 

[Snitty]

no need to drain the transfer case along with it... they are independent of each other... you should be safe just draining the transmission and filling it with better stuff

 

[KAYBONE]

AX5 and AX15 trannies can't use gl-5 and gl-6 gear lubes. There is
additives in them that eat the brass synchros. There was also a typo
in the service manuals ,owners manuals and probably chiltons
that says to use 75W-90 gl-5. What they meant was
75w-90 GL-3. If you go to the dealer and get the recommended
part number(fluid) they'll sell you "Manual Transmission fluid" at
about 15 bucks a quart, which is really GL-3 fliud. Problem is its almost impossible to find GL-3 only rated fluid.
So you have 3 choices redline MT90 or MTL90, Pennzoil
Synchromesh, or the dealer stuff.
I chose Pennzoil Synchromesh, safe for GL-3 and 4 applications.
I got it at autozone for $5.00 bucks a QT. But call around
not all autozones have it.
Do a little searching around on this issue, its been discussed ALOT
on different forums and I learned a bunch from everyone.

 

[KAYBONE]

Oh by the way, As goofy as it sounds the
transfer case takes automatic transmission fluid!
ATF+3 to be exact.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

The Penzoil Synchromesh will work, but the Redline is a full-synthetic and will improve shifting. MT90 or MTL.

Last AX5 I changed out for somebody had a lot of brass shavings in the fluid, and it would no longer shift at all. Hopefully you can get some more miles out of yours while you try to locate a used transmission.

 

[Snitty]

the synchromesh improves shifting as well... it is designed to do so... but... like bounty said, the redline is fully synthetic... the penn SM IS man made, but made from organic materials

 

[Captaintek]

I got some Penzoil Synchromesh from Autozone, but I still wonder how to flush out the shavings that are in the transmission. I was wondering if changing it a couple of times with a lighter weight oil, such as automatic transmission fluid would get the shavings out and then fill with the Penzoil.

By the way, thanks for the info

Captaintek

 

[Snitty]

atf should work as a flush.. not quite sure on it though... many transmissions can use kerosene... i'm not quite sure if anything in the ax is going to be hurt by it though, and not sure if the pennSM is good to go with it

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Just run some cheap gear oil in there, run it around the block, and drain. Then use the PS.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Those brass shavings are not going to hurt anything if you can't get it all out, too soft of metal.

 

[andy666]

Do I need to drain the transfer case along with the transmission?

If they are connected, I think they both would have to be drained and refilled. I have not had any trouble with the transfer case so far.

Would it hurt to flush transmission with a 10W-30 motor oil before replacing it with Pennzoil or Red Line? I found that my wife's Honda just used 10W-30 oil in the transaxle.

I've been researching on this since i'm going to change ALL my jeep fluids, I have all info I need but there are some guys talking about aisin aproved using full synthetic 10w-30 motor oil,
have someone used it? Does it worth the try?since it uses more than 3 quarts would be buying either 4 bottles of 75-90 gl3/gl4 or a gallon of 10w-30, anyway their cost are similar on full synthetic...

 

[JPNinPA]

Unless you got water in the axel or in the trans I wouldn’t flush with anything. Just swap it out old for new? If I did get water in a rear, Id open it and wipe as much as I could out. Trans or transfer case flush. Or take it to a shop to open if it is really bad.


Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up - Jesse Jackson