Gear Oil

[29Cabriolet]

Newbie question: Asking what weight gear oil most are using for transmission and rear end? Les says 600W. I drained the trans and refilled with what I had (85-90W) prior to reading Les' manual. What was in there didn't seem that heavy. 600 doesn't seem to be available anywhere locally, but of course can be ordered from any of the Model A parts vendors. How critical is this? i.e. is it not advisable to run at all until I can order some 600?

[Mike V. Florida]

600w is not a weight. 600w is the name. Mobile make a cylinder oil called 600w.

It's about 140 weight.

[Mitch//pa]

buy the oil from one of the vendors....that has always worked for me and many others...
as mike said 600w is the name not the viscosity

[29Cabriolet]

So the question is what's the difference between 600W sold by the A Vendors and modern 140(Weight)?

[Terry,NJ]

About 140 more points/degrees on the scale. As I understand it, 600w is actually about 280 weight.
Terry

Originally Posted by 29Cabriolet

So the question is what's the difference between 600W sold by the A Vendors and modern 140(Weight)?

[Mike V. Florida]

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Originally Posted by 29Cabriolet

So the question is what's the difference between 600W sold by the A Vendors and modern 140(Weight)?

You would have to look up the information on the various sites for the specifics.

All oil is not the same even if the weight is the same.

[Rowdy]

Meropa 680. Should be able to buy it from an industrial oil dealer. I bought 5 gallons for a decent price locally. Should be neatr a lifetime supply. Rod

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Terry,NJ

About 140 more points/degrees on the scale. As I understand it, 600w is actually about 280 weight.
Terry

I could not find the number on the Mobile site for regular 600W. 600w super is 460. I think the problem is they don't make straight 600w and make "super" now.

[Tom Wesenberg]

A couple months ago I bought a pail of Mobilgear 600 XP 68. This is the latest replacement for the 600W, and cost me $100 for a 5 gallon pail. I should have enough for the rest of my life now.

10 years ago I paid $55 for a 5 gallon pail, then parcelled it out in quarts. When I went to replace it 5 years ago the price rose to $75. I also sold that in quarts at my cost, and when I called 2 months ago to replace it the cost had risen to $140. I called the other bulk oil dealer and he sold me the same stuff for $100, but said the price would be going up in a few days. This one I won't parcel out.

[Rowdy]

I wasn't aware it had gone up that steeply. I bought mine in 2006, for $54. Still cheaper in bulk than what the parts dealers are selling it qts. I have sold off afew qts. to some of the local guys. Still have 16 galon drum of some of the old stuff out at the farm. As old as it is I wold guesse some of the waxes etc. that were once added might have seperated by now. Think I payed $4.00 for it in 1985. Rod

[Patrick L.]

What I have seen 600W is anywhere from 140 to 240 weight. From what I have found, 140 to 250 weight works just fine with little difference between the two. 90 seemed a bit to light for the transmitter but should be just fine for the rear.

I think it was the Brattons catalog I was recently looking at and their 600W is now listed as 140 weight.

[Allanw]

Based on this page:

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lub...nder_Oils.aspx

having a cold viscosity of 375 cSt, and a hot viscosity of 28cSt, puts it in the SAE140 rating catergory roughly (though it seemingly isn't tested to SAE), towards the lower end, - a multigrade would give easier cold shifts (or at least closer to when the oil is warm anyway), so a 90W-140 should work well.

[Bruce Adams]

A quart of 600 W costs about $8 and would be delivered to Connecticut in one or two days, so why go to lengths to avoid the easy path of calling one of the vendors and just ordering a quart?
The tranny only takes a pint of 600W.

[rocket1]

find a industrial supply oil dealer and drive your Model A there,they will probably fall over themselves trying to help you out with the weight oil you need.

[Kevin in NJ]

The weight of the oil is only one aspect.

The modern oils are designed for shearing gears. The modern gears have a shearing motion. The A gears are straight cut and are strictly high pressure. So the A gears need an oil that is not easily squished out and is very sticky. That is not what you get with modern transmission oil.

The oil used for the A is considered steam oil, like you would find on a huge locomotive where a connecting rod is pushing with tons of force on the wheel.

The oil also tends to coat everything and will act as a rust preventative. Ever notice the insides of the axle housings, trannies, and torque tube tend to be rust free? Even after sitting outside for decades.

[JohnLaVoy]

Lubriplate makes gear oil in the 280 range that works well.