The Ford Barn

Automotive Stud · 03-14-2011, 10:08 AM

I have heard you cannot use a modern GL5 gear lube in the transmission or rear in these cars.

I want to order this but I am afraid it does say it has EP additives, which I thought makes it bad for the brass? http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/cont...S=Y&PN=SL24228

Any thoughts?

flat-v8 · 03-14-2011, 11:08 AM

Go here! I used SPO-288 it's 250 weight and real sticky, very very good gear oil for old rearends, trans, and steering box.

http://www.lubriplate.com/pdf/ads-ca...neDataBook.pdf

KGS · 03-14-2011, 11:11 AM

Sta-LUB API/GL4 is what I use in my '39 trans. and Columbia rear. Never had a problem with it. It states on the container that it is NOT harmful to yellow metal. I get it at NAPA in the gallon container. Ken

rotorwrench · 03-14-2011, 12:31 PM

All of the GL4/GL5 type gear lubes have high pressure additives in them. This is no problem on a standard rear axle since there are no bushings in there. I'm not sure if the Columbia rear axle has bushings or not since I have very little experience with them. All the old Ford transmissions have bushings that require the GL1 straight mineral type gear lubes to be safe. There are plenty of folks out there that use GL4/GL5 EP lubes and swear they have no problems but bushings don't corrode overnight either. You can use these if you can find nothing else but the yellow metal bushings will suffer from it eventually.

Flat-V8 has the skinny on the GL1 lubricants available. The Lubriplate SPO-288 is more closely related to the new SAE 190 rating and SPO-299 is the SAE 250 equivalent. Restoration Supply is a distributor and so is Purvis Bearing Corp if you have one near by. Most other lubricants are GL4 or GL5 and have the EP sulfur and phosphorus additives that can corrode yellow metals.

Kerby

expavr · 03-15-2011, 01:08 AM

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I was using a StaLub GL-4 85-90 wt. oil in the 49 Merc O/D trans in my truck. I had occasion to dump the oil to work on the trans and observed brass suspended in it. I sent an oil sample to CAT for analysis, which showed a high level (PPM) of brass. I'm now using NAPA GL-1 90 wt. straight mineral oil in the trans. I can't say that the GL-4 was the source of the high reading or whether it was the result of normal break in wear, but I chose to err on the side of caution and follow the 49-51 Merc Service Manual which called for 90 wt oil with no EPS additives.

03-14-2011, 10:08 AM	#1
Automotive Stud Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 832	What oil to use in transmission and rear? I have heard you cannot use a modern GL5 gear lube in the transmission or rear in these cars. I want to order this but I am afraid it does say it has EP additives, which I thought makes it bad for the brass? http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/cont...S=Y&PN=SL24228 Any thoughts?

03-14-2011, 11:08 AM	#2
flat-v8 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Magnolia Texas Posts: 586	Re: What oil to use in transmission and rear? Go here! I used SPO-288 it's 250 weight and real sticky, very very good gear oil for old rearends, trans, and steering box. http://www.lubriplate.com/pdf/ads-ca...neDataBook.pdf

03-14-2011, 11:11 AM	#3
KGS Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Schooley's Mountain Posts: 530	Re: What oil to use in transmission and rear? Sta-LUB API/GL4 is what I use in my '39 trans. and Columbia rear. Never had a problem with it. It states on the container that it is NOT harmful to yellow metal. I get it at NAPA in the gallon container. Ken

03-14-2011, 12:31 PM	#4
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,440	Re: What oil to use in transmission and rear? All of the GL4/GL5 type gear lubes have high pressure additives in them. This is no problem on a standard rear axle since there are no bushings in there. I'm not sure if the Columbia rear axle has bushings or not since I have very little experience with them. All the old Ford transmissions have bushings that require the GL1 straight mineral type gear lubes to be safe. There are plenty of folks out there that use GL4/GL5 EP lubes and swear they have no problems but bushings don't corrode overnight either. You can use these if you can find nothing else but the yellow metal bushings will suffer from it eventually. Flat-V8 has the skinny on the GL1 lubricants available. The Lubriplate SPO-288 is more closely related to the new SAE 190 rating and SPO-299 is the SAE 250 equivalent. Restoration Supply is a distributor and so is Purvis Bearing Corp if you have one near by. Most other lubricants are GL4 or GL5 and have the EP sulfur and phosphorus additives that can corrode yellow metals. Kerby

03-15-2011, 01:08 AM	#5
expavr Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hansville, WA Posts: 776	Re: What oil to use in transmission and rear? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I was using a StaLub GL-4 85-90 wt. oil in the 49 Merc O/D trans in my truck. I had occasion to dump the oil to work on the trans and observed brass suspended in it. I sent an oil sample to CAT for analysis, which showed a high level (PPM) of brass. I'm now using NAPA GL-1 90 wt. straight mineral oil in the trans. I can't say that the GL-4 was the source of the high reading or whether it was the result of normal break in wear, but I chose to err on the side of caution and follow the 49-51 Merc Service Manual which called for 90 wt oil with no EPS additives.