What type of oil for a O/D unit?

I just picked up a complete 3spd with O/D for my 60 Belair. The PO drained oll the oil out prior to pulling it from the car. I did a little bit of research on these OD units and aparently it is important that you use the correct type of oil in these or you will ruin them. Supposedly the roller bearings are made from "yellow metal"
I know there are a few folks on here that run O/D's. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Todd

 

Who is the maker? US Gear or Gear Vendors or... ? That too will make a big difference.
Normbc9

 

Same as the trany uses.

 

Back in the day when I had a '55 OD in my '54 Bel Aire, I ran whale oil as recommended by GM. Then those Greenpeacers stopped that, and I never had any luck keeping an OD together after that. Oh, and by the way, transmission oil, either gear lube or ATF, don't work well at all. Maybe some additive like Morey's or some such will help, I don't know.
The planetary gears would get hot and all the teeth would just kind of fold over flat. Scramble the whole thing! I had three or four fail the same way. I would think some new lube will solve the problem, but I gave up on BW OD's many years ago.

 

Mineral base gear oil. NAPA has it. I will get the exact info on it when I can get out to the garage.

 

The old designation is GL-1. You can get the mineral oil 90 weight gear oil at Tractor Supply, it is called "Old Ford Tractor Oil" or something like that. It is the same gear oil as used in the Ford 9N, 2N and 8N tractors. Comes in a 2 gal jug.

I have a 42 9N and at the time could not find the TS oil as there was not one close to me. I found out the Wal Mart 80W-90 gear oil is yellow metal safe. Check the back of the bottle and check it says yellow metal safe just to make sure before you buy it in case they changed formulation. That is what is running in my tractor now, but recently a TS opened up close by so I can get the real GL-1 stuff for next oil change.

Yellow metal means brass or copper containing parts.

 

Thanks buddy!! I know it has to be non hypoid oil. Todd

 

I have a Tractor Supply right down the road from me. I'll check it out. Thanks, Todd

 

Is this the stuff you are you talking about??

http://www.tractorsupply.com/travel...-mineral-90-transmission-fluid-2-gal--0806600

 

Are either of these similar to GM's factory posi lube? That is....The posi lube that sells, (or used to sell), in a quart bottle, not the small bottle of posi additive?

I was told once that the GM lube was mineral oil, with a big price tag.

 

I believe you need GL3 or 4. I bought mine for my 49 ford od unit from amazon. this oil will not attack the brass syncro rings good luck

 

I assume you are talking about a borg warner overdrive unit. If so,,
http://www.tocmp.com/manuals/trans/Borg-Warner Overdrive/
I am useing GL1 from napa.

 

Thanks for the link. It has all the info I'll ever need. I've seen that manual in reprint. I may pickup a copy. Thanks again, Todd

 

I just printed 20 pages just so I could read it. probably had all this but it's nice to have it all in one place