Top loader 4sp

[beechkid]

Originally Posted by 65mustang

I have a top loader 4sp in my 65. For some reason it does not like to down shift from 2nd to 1st. Some times I cant get it into first until I make a complete stop. Down shifting in other gears it works just fine.
Any ideas?

Syncro rings are tired.

[Fast68]

What transmission oil are you running?

If your using a fully synthetic I can see that causing problems with the synchro rings or adding to an existing problem with them.

The toploader was designed for GL-4 spec and its hard to find in your regular auto parts store. A Ford service desk should be able to get the Motorcraft 75W-90 GL-4 spec gear oil. It is part # XT-4-QGL which is 1 quart, I believe you need 2 quarts. As a heads up if the person at the service counter tells you that part # is listed as "ADDITIVE - OIL - FRICTION MODI" you can tell them Motorcraft needs to fix the description in their system

Transmission fluid chart showing XT-4-QGL is listed as "SAE 75W-90 API GL-4 GEAR OIL (QUARTS)":
https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubrican...f/mantrans.pdf

[zray]

Originally Posted by Fast68

What transmission oil are you running?

If your using a fully synthetic I can see that causing problems with the synchro rings or adding to an existing problem with them..........."

I can appreciate that people want to use the oil Ford specified back in the day. But I can testify that all the issues one hears about as a result of using a GL-5 synthetic, or a synthetic engine oil, are greatly overblown. And the benefit of greatly reduced friction when going synthetic is a huge plus, that cannot be overstated. I drive my classic cars in the real world, not in a laboratory. In a lab there is always an issue with a stray electron that left it's orbit and went astray. The sky is falling the sky is falling and our synchro rings have lost their way, or some such BS.

In my little corner of the real world I drive the pi** out of my machines because thats what makes me grin. I use all synthetic oil products, the engine oil, transmission & rear end lubes, etc. They work just fine, if they didn't, or if I had ANY measurable wear in the engine of transmission, I'd drop them in a flash.

Z.

[supershifter2]

do not use synthetic. the Shell rotella 80-140 gl5 works great. castrol 80-140 gl4 is seems to be the ultimate if you can find nos somewhere. yes 80-140 works better then 75-90.

[Fast68]

I was under the impression 75-90 for most climates and 80-140 for hot climates...?

[zray]

Originally Posted by Fast68

I was under the impression 75-90 for most climates and 80-140 for hot climates...?

I've zero issues using Mobil 1 75w-90 or Mobil 1 75w-140 in Texas, driving in temperatures from 25 degrees to 110 degrees.

Maybe I'm just lucky


Z.

[supershifter2]

Originally Posted by Fast68

I was under the impression 75-90 for most climates and 80-140 for hot climates...?

75-90 was the norm for all climates until Dan Williams and a few others started trying different oil to see if it any made the trans shift easier. the 80-140 is easier to shift for some wild reason. even if you use 75-90 in cold weather and park the car outside its best to leave it in neutral. i lived in Clinton Iowa for a year and had to park my 66 outside. the trans had 75-90. when i came out to go to work at 5 a.m. with it snowing and the temp 30 or lower the trans was hard to shift. i started leaving it in neutral and after about a minute(iirc) after starting the engine the oil was warm enough to shift it.

[Fast68]

I took a poke online on Toploader transmission oil and this page is summarizing everything we are all saying, just in different contexts:

Oiling Specifications

It seems to point out though if your having trouble with your transmission you can't go wrong with standard 75W-90 gear oil on the syncro's.