Hot Rods Driven GL-4 Gear Oil Ate My Bronze Bushings !!

On-line info gave me the bright idea to change the gear oil in my Muncie 4 speed, which I did. The guy recommended that I use DRIVEN GL-5 Gear Oil and I did. I went about 5 miles still all smiles and decided to make a u turn and head for the barn Man, it shifted so much better and I was just real pleased with myself. Trouble started when I tried to engage first gear and it wouldn't go. It wouldn't go into third or reverse either. Sadly, I limped home having lost all my smiles and determined to find out what he heck happened.

I called a tranny guy and he explained that I should NEVER have used GL-5 in my Muncie because that stuff eats or negatively affects the bronze bushings in older Muncie's and basically stops the trans from shifting. bottom line. Tranny guy sez I shoulda-coulda-woulda have used GL-4 instead. Well hell ! Right away I closed the danged gate after the cow had already relocated and then after recognizing and accepting that fact I right away blamed it all on old age and then followed through and drained one tranny oil (GL-5) and dumped in another (GL-4) but to no avail. Here I sit, me and me dog with Little Lenny (my '34) up on jack stands (again)..................what to do ?

The other knee slapper is that my Muncie sits in a '34 Ford with an X-frame, so guess what ? The cab's gotta come off to get the trans out ! I'm stuck between a rock and a real hard place. Taking the cab off is beyond me as I'm nearing 76 plus paying someone to do it then on top of that the trans repair makes me afraid to close both eyes at night fearin' what that crazy old granny who lives with me might do with them kitchen knives I just bought her! Heck. I still gotta pee if nuthin' else.
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Any ideas will be welcomed. Craigslist crazies by appointment.

 

Title should be "GL5" ate my bushings !

 

I wonder what's really wrong with the thing? Maybe something on the shifter came loose? Maybe something happened to the clutch?

I've used GL5 in all the manual transmissions I've had in recent years, never any issues.

And the "eating bronze" thing takes years, from the rumors I've read. I have yet to see any photos anywhere of these allegedly eaten brass bushings or synchro rings.

Anyways, I hope you find what the problem is, and can fix it easily.

 

I agree with Squirrel, seems impossible that it could have junked the bushings that fast.

Heck I just saw a video where some goofballs drained the oil out of a car and refilled the crankcase with pump gas and ran 17 laps wide open before it locked up.

 

Used wrong lube in a T rear end, took time and miles miles miles, to have an effect.

 

I agree, I would think it takes a long time for it to do any damage. Mineral based Gl-1 is recommended for Old tractors but it is getting hard to find and I’m sure people are using Gl-4 and 5 because it’s the only thing available. I have heard that there is some Gl-5 that doesn’t react with bronze and brass but I don’t know the brand.

 

I was looking into it recently, some says safe for all metals, but most of them say for non-synchromesh transmissions and hypoid gears.

I gave up, and just got whatever they have on the shelf at walmart, 80W90. It continues to work OK.

Would be nice if the folks who say it's going to destroy old transmissions, would ever show us one that it destroyed.

 

If you need to clean out and can’t get under it and remove it. I’d raise off the ground level, I’d drain it, fill it with diesel or kerosene, start it in neutral, let it run a minute, turn it off, shift it into first, start it and let it run a minute, turn it off, put it in second, start and run a minute, do it for all the gears, drain the diesel/kerosene out and fill it with a 80-90 like squirrel said try again while it’s off the ground. All the bad stuff should be flushed out.
keep it in the air while you test it.

 

Get under there, disconnect the shift rods and try and shift by the levers.

 

I too say coincidence. Do like blowby suggested and/or at least look at the shifter, might be as simple as getting some lube in it..

 

Unless the transmission was already broken, NOT on its way out. But actually Broken ! There’s no way you kacked it in a few miles with the wrong fluid .

it’s the same with L.S.D fluid in diffs , I don’t know how many times I’ve seen it where the fluid either gets forgotten or the wrong oil gets put into a diff. Usually it’s a week or 2 later the customer would come back with a chattering on turns.
Drain and fill the diff with the.Correct fluid. Do some tight figure 8’s in the parking lot and problem solved. From what I was “ taught” not using L.S.D fluid in a locking diff was instant damage to the clutch plates . Simply not so.

I have seen gear and bushing damage when the wrong fluid is used in a gear box. It took 1 year . This was a gear box about 4’ x 4’ and drove a rotating aluminum smelting furnace ( think back of a cement truck but 4x the size and it processes 4 million pounds of aluminum a month!!!!!
So under SEVERE duty is an understatement in this particular scenario. But yes the bushings wore out and it damaged the drive and driven gear. BUT I’m sure if proper maintenance was done it would of been caught before this major damage.

yes different components require different fluids and oils etc but lube is lube at the end of the day. And as long as it’s not prolong use or abused something lubed is bette then dry .

do what @squirrel Said get under it and inspect the shifter and anything else that moves under there . I’m sure you’ll find something more then just the wrong lube .

good luck! Keep us posted .

 

GL-5 erodes yellow metal slowly over time. There is no way that it caused anything this quickly, unless you were perilously on the edge of failure, and this kicked it over.

Your transmission may very well have a defect, however, it is statistically improbable that it has anything to do with the oil.

 

Why wouldn't it go into reverse? There are no synchos for reverse... you have something else going on.

 

76?? That is young. Get out of bed, hide the knives and FIX the damn thing.

Ben

 

I'm in that "not the oil" line as well. 76? Hey, that's the spirit...

 

Today I am 78 and have a date tonight with a hot 72 yr old retired School Marm ….I am headed to Walgreens for some ‘personal’ lubricant…...

Ray

 

Get the right kind or be prepared to eat that bronze bush(ing)

 

The others have already covered the oil, the GL-5 did not cause those problems in just a few miles. Now, on to the trans removal. No need to pull the cab, pull the motor & trans out together.

 

Sounds like it needs a clutch adjustment, to me.

 

It could well be the clutch causing problems, but usually the adjustment doesn't change enough all of a sudden that you can't drive. But things do break or come loose.

 

^^^ the wear factor does take time, so Not to worry,
About a short run.

 

Remember "Clutch Lessons" when we were 'a bit' younger!

 

GL-1 is available on the shelf at Tractor Supply stores. It comes in a 2.5 gallon container.

 

Sta-Lube GL-4 at NAPA.

 

Everything breaks or breaks down all of a sudden doesn't it?

 

That's where I got my Gl-4. I had to order it in, but it only took a day.

 

That’s where I found mine. A company in Arizona makes it I believe. They only keep one or two on the shelf at a time around here. My Case takes 7 gallons in the trans. and another 2 in torque tube.

 

Stop that Ray! No mental
Pictures!

 

Don't use dl5, her bushings might get lose!!

 

@Hnstray , Happy Birthday!