What are you running for a lubricant?
Toploader Downshift Issue
I rebuilt a wide ratio TL last winter which is now in my car behind a new engine and clutch assembly. The trans shifts beautifully up through all gears at any RPM. It downshifts very smoothly fourth to third. It will not downshift third to second without grinding excessively or at all, or second to first. When I drop below say 10 MPH, it will downshift with no issues. Car not moving or not running, it glides into all gears up and down with no issues.
I spoke to Dan Williams where I bought the kit from and he suggested driving for 500 miles, changing the gear oil and seeing if it gets any better. I have a couple threads here saying Toploaders really don't get any better than day one after a rebuild. It is what it will be.
Thoughts?
I spoke to Dan Williams where I bought the kit from and he suggested driving for 500 miles, changing the gear oil and seeing if it gets any better. I have a couple threads here saying Toploaders really don't get any better than day one after a rebuild. It is what it will be.
Thoughts?
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That's the wrong gear oil as it meets GL-5 specs. You need a GL-4 oil such as Red Line.
https://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=7
I rebuilt my T-10 and put GL-5 in it. No 3-2 downshift. Drained the GL-5 and installed Red Line. Shifts perfectly now.
https://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=7
I rebuilt my T-10 and put GL-5 in it. No 3-2 downshift. Drained the GL-5 and installed Red Line. Shifts perfectly now.
Well that sucks. I bought a case of it.
^^^ This.That's the wrong gear oil as I'd bet it meets GL-5 specs. You need a GL-4 oil such as Red Line.
https://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=7
I rebuilt my T-10 and put GL-5 in it. No 3-2 downshift. Drained the GL-5 and installed Red Line. Shifts perfectly now.
Note the "Limited Slip" label, which means the gear oil has an added "friction modifier". Lack of friction to drag on the blocker rings could be part or all of the issue.
Sell it to Barnett468!Well that sucks. I bought a case of it.
I run Redline heavy shockproof in my TL and rear. Good stuff.
Mark, I always ran that in my T-5 as well.
I guess I will be hitting the local stores tomorrow to see if I can find GL-4 ONLY.
I guess I will be hitting the local stores tomorrow to see if I can find GL-4 ONLY.
Not to high jack my own thread, but can the GL-5 LS gear oil be used in Trac-Lok rears safely? If so I'll use it for that.
Patrick: I buy my GL-4 from Napa or Amazon. If I need it now, I get it from Napa. If I can wait a couple of days, I get it from Amazon. It's the Sta-Lube brand, and I get it in the gallon size.
I found this last night. NAPA closed all of there local stores here. We used to have a hub less than a mile from my house too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000M8RYMC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505044957&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=gl-4+gear+oil&dpPl=1&dpID=41yKSMlBnuL&ref=plSrch
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000M8RYMC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505044957&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=gl-4+gear+oil&dpPl=1&dpID=41yKSMlBnuL&ref=plSrch
That stuff is jacking up in price. I bought some back in July and it was about $26 for the gallon.I found this last night. NAPA closed all of there local stores here. We used to have a hub less than a mile from my house too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000M8RYMC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505044957&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=gl-4+gear+oil&dpPl=1&dpID=41yKSMlBnuL&ref=plSrch
Yes.Not to high jack my own thread, but can the GL-5 LS gear oil be used in Trac-Lok rears safely? If so I'll use it for that.
BTW, There are many many people using a GL-5 lube in the toploader s and T-10's with great results. And no etching of the brass components either ( another myth left over from WW-II era lubricant history).
I've been using synthetic Mobil 1 75w-140 LS in toploaders and T-10's for nearly 20 years now. No shifting issues, shifting fast, or slowly is perfect. not all GL-5 lubes are created equally. It's a mistake to lump them all together. Maybe there is a HUGE difference in the performance of the conventional and synthetic lubricants.......
Personally, i always try the synthetic Mobil 1 75W-140 first, because I want the wear protection that quality systetheics offer. If an owner complains that the transmission doesn't shift properly, then I'll change to a non- synthetic lube. So far I haven't had to change the lube due to an owners complaints.
I reccomend heeding the advice of David Kee, who know more about toploaders than anyone, with the exception of Dan Williams:
copied from the D Kee website:
".....SYNTHETIC GEAR LUBE
Synthetic oil is very popular in the automotive industry today. The way a Toploader is designed it needs a certain amount of friction for the blocker rings to synchronize shifts. We have had people try synthetics and say it works great and some say it doesn't work at all. Everyone agrees that standard gear lubricant does work. The biggest determining factor as to whether it will work or not is the driver. If you drive your car normally and shift it normally synthetic would be a great choice. If you drive aggressively or want to shift fast then synthetic may not work well. If you try synthetic gear lube and it does not work for your driving style drain the transmission and try standard 80W-140 gear lubricant....."
Oiling Specifications
Z
Z you just took the wind out of my sails. I found one NAPA left in town this morning. They had one gallon of GL-4 in the store. No other chains in Huntsville stock it. Anyway, I swapped it in this morning. Might test this afternoon. Depends on how lucky I feel to drive around with no exhaust again.
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Nothing wrong with your choice. There are many "right" solutions. The wrong answers are those that won't work.
Z.
Z.
Probably going to test it this afternoon. I installed the passenger seat so my wife could ride. She doesn't know it yet. Her feelings were hurt the other day when I drove it and she couldn't ride.
Well just took it for a quick spin (yes with my wife this time, biggest smile I've seen on her in a while). Changing the gear oil did not cure the 3/2 or 2/1 downshift. So it looks like the trans will be coming back out. Not sure what I did wrong. It shifts really nice up and 4/3 down.
Also discovered it has a slight miss above 4500...at least that's where I was shutting it down. Will post that on my other thread.
Getting the exhaust put back on tomorrow hopefully, so I can start getting some longer runs on it.
Also discovered it has a slight miss above 4500...at least that's where I was shutting it down. Will post that on my other thread.
Getting the exhaust put back on tomorrow hopefully, so I can start getting some longer runs on it.
Triple checked free play and full travel clutch pedal travel. Both adjusted exact to within spec per Ford shop manual. No springs on yet because my temporary partial exhaust is in the way.
Tried blipping throttle and without. I must have done something wrong on the 1/2 side because the 3/4 works effortlessly.
Tried blipping throttle and without. I must have done something wrong on the 1/2 side because the 3/4 works effortlessly.
Sorry to be out of answers that should help without any disassembly. Wish I was there and looking over your shoulder
Z
Z
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