i have been looking at this site now for a year.. lots of good imformation.. but i have 1 burning question..i have gone thru 2 alfa fearboxs in the past 6 years..i have been useing reline transmission oil just like what you car for here, but these transmissions are very pricey to have rebuilt.. is there any other transmissions that will work in my car..bmw? maybe,, me car is a 1985 spider..red.. tan inside..
hello, new here
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Hi Subaruguy and welcome to the BB. If you can elaborate on how your Alfa transmissions are used, and how they are failing, there will be lots of information. FWIW I instructed a Subaru Legacy owner in a SCCA Autocross driving school last Sunday, and he was relating how the early Subaru WRX gearboxes were very fragile (I saw one fail completely at an autocross "launch" last year)
Hello Subaru guy,
Sorry to hear about all those transmission failures. Could you be more specific about what type and grade of Redline oil you have been using. Did you put the oil in yourself or have a 2nd party do it. The reason I ask is to determine if you are positive that is what went into your trans. The Redline 75W90 NS is what I have heard being used with success or the Shell Spirex 80/90.
Good luck.
Sorry to hear about all those transmission failures. Could you be more specific about what type and grade of Redline oil you have been using. Did you put the oil in yourself or have a 2nd party do it. The reason I ask is to determine if you are positive that is what went into your trans. The Redline 75W90 NS is what I have heard being used with success or the Shell Spirex 80/90.
Good luck.
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11,552 Posts
If I were you, I would stop using Redline! I use the most basic 90w oil in my boxes, and have never had a bearing go bad.
Hey Subaruguy,
Did you get any input from the re-builders on a possible reason for the failures? Were the bearings burned or showing a uneaven wear pattern or what? was/is there any possibility of a misalignment of any component's that may have contributed to the bearings failing twice such as a slightly bent shaft. I would have the run-out checked on them while apart this time.
Did you think of sending a sample to Redline for analysis. I would be very, very unhappy if I was in your shoes with a double failure. Hope you get it figured out.
Did you get any input from the re-builders on a possible reason for the failures? Were the bearings burned or showing a uneaven wear pattern or what? was/is there any possibility of a misalignment of any component's that may have contributed to the bearings failing twice such as a slightly bent shaft. I would have the run-out checked on them while apart this time.
Did you think of sending a sample to Redline for analysis. I would be very, very unhappy if I was in your shoes with a double failure. Hope you get it figured out.
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457 Posts
Hmmm.... the only Redline oil I know that is actually red, is their ShockProof series of xmission oils... ( or perhaps their auto-xmssion oils - but I've never seen them, and certainly ought not be put into an Alfa manual xmission ).
All the 75W90 that I have is, uhhh, oil color ( tan/brown/that color direction ) - but *not* red.
I've spoken to a Redline customer engineer,and asked about ShockProof for the Alfa ( it works great in the BMW motorcycle xmission, btw ), and was told in no certain terms, it is *not* a proper oil for alfa xmisions.
All that prologue for:
"i don't think redline transmission oil is good enough.. it looks alot like automatic transmission fluid."
I've been using the RedLine for ( uggh ) 27 years, and the tranny has never given me any issue.
Hence: Kinda scares me....
All the 75W90 that I have is, uhhh, oil color ( tan/brown/that color direction ) - but *not* red.
I've spoken to a Redline customer engineer,and asked about ShockProof for the Alfa ( it works great in the BMW motorcycle xmission, btw ), and was told in no certain terms, it is *not* a proper oil for alfa xmisions.
All that prologue for:
"i don't think redline transmission oil is good enough.. it looks alot like automatic transmission fluid."
I've been using the RedLine for ( uggh ) 27 years, and the tranny has never given me any issue.
Hence: Kinda scares me....
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14,956 Posts
Redline 75W90 did not kill your bearings.
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Redline 75W90NS is synthetic and somewhat less viscous than the Dino Shell Spirax 80W90.
You will note that the Redline meets API GL5 spec, same as the 80W90. It is not red.
Perhaps what you think you are using is not what it is in fact.
There may be some differing opinions regarding Redline 75W90NS versus 80W90 but if it eats bearings as you experienced, them there are many incipient Alfa boxes out there that are going to fail.
TTFN Elio
You will note that the Redline meets API GL5 spec, same as the 80W90. It is not red.
Perhaps what you think you are using is not what it is in fact.
There may be some differing opinions regarding Redline 75W90NS versus 80W90 but if it eats bearings as you experienced, them there are many incipient Alfa boxes out there that are going to fail.
TTFN Elio
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