ok, bought 3 quarts of Dexron III ATF, now how the hell do I put it in? I've never drove a manual that used ATF, can someone give me a hand? Thanks.

Undo the shifter plate, unscrew the ****, and remove both

undo the lower shift boot (can be a PITA)

unbolt the shifter

remove shifter

pour in.

that's how i always do it... assuming a dry tranny, that is. Otherwise, climb under, and look on the passanger side of the tranny. You'll see two plugs. The top is the 'fill' plug (you want the tranny filled to there with ATF) and the bottom is the drain. If you need to drain it, put a 3/8" drive ratchet (no socket) onto it, and loosen. IT WILL BE VERY STUCK. I shoot it with PB blaster first....

Ok great, I havn't hooked my shifter back up yet so this will be no problem, I got a giant hole in my console . Anyways, thanks a lot doward, more than enough info.

Ok, one question, the hole that the shifter goes into, is it safe to pour in there or should I pour around that hole that holds the shifter?

won't matter. You should have a plastic cup piece that goes in there, to prevent the metal ball from wearing the metal in the tranny, as well as provide for a smoother 'feel' to it.

It's a little whitish yellow plastic cylinder-cup

Okie doke, thanks for the advice doward.

I hope this post is a "Joke"
You don't put ATF ( Automatic Transmission Fluid) into a manual trans. You need gear oil.

Nope... in the T5 of the Fbody, you'll see the recommended oil is ATF Dexron II. Putting full gear oil WILL blow your synchros (as I did with my first T5)

I guess the "joke" is on me. I couldn't believe it so I researched it- I just learned something new- The "world-class" T5 Manual transmisions DO require ATF- And I have just been schooled. This s one of those wacked things in life that one can loss big money on in a bet.

I could not believe it either. I changed the tranny in my 5 speed ranger, and of course filled it with gear oil.

Was talking with my dad on the phone when i was done, i told him what i had done, and he started laughing his *** off.

He told me that it took atf, i was like, okay old man you have no idea.

Sure enough, looked in the owners manual, it takes ATF.

I took a old washed out plastic milk carton, went to the hardware store and found a pump that would screw onto the jug. Filled it with fluid, now i can pump fluid on there with no mess.

Even the dealer will tell you to use ATF. Gear lube is just to thick.

[I think all new 80+ trannys use ATF]

BUt I am running straight 30w oil in my T5. I was told by the place I got my replacment trayy from to use straight 30w oil, that is if I wanted it to last forever. You must let the car warm up a tad in the winter but other than that it works great.

The problem in the T5 is the bearings which do not get enough protection from the ATF but 30w oil is still thin enough to get in there and provide much better cooling/oiling.

Matt

Gumby, are you talking regular engine oil?? I had never heard of that one.

I was surprised when I learned that too, AGood2.8... I actually got into an argument over at the old v6fbody.com (from 3 or 4 years ago) over it. I think it's something about ATF treating the synchros or seals better... seems to me you'd have to change the ATF more often then you would if it was gear oil, though.

I had used gear oil in my 83 t-5 and sure enough the synchros bought the farm, one day it wouldnt come out of 5th gear then it wouldnt go into anything but 3rd. I use dextron 3 synthetic now and it works awsome i can shift fast without any grinding.

why don't you just get under the car and undo the plug in the side and put it in there? That's what you are supposed to do, that way, when it comes out of the hole, you know that the trans. is full.

Well not really, straight weight 30w oil. They do use it in some lawnmowers.

Well considering I already had the shifter off I decided to do it that way and the hole was unpluged so i still knew when it was full. You ever tried to pour a quart of ATF sideways into a transmission? I sure as hell don't have a funnel and the way he described worked just fine.

Someone mentioned higher up that the WC T5 needed ATF. All T5's needed it, right?? one's with the V6's too?

Have you guys ever heard of mixing ATF and gear oil 50/50?? I was just told by a tranny shop that this would clear up gear clashing that is experienced only when the car is cold.

What about that Lucas oil additive that is supposed to be great for automatics....can you add this to enhance friction by the fact that the T5 takes ATF???

good question eddie

whoa back from the dead


the only thing i've heard is safe for t-5's is atf

Actually the way it goes is this. For a few years (like 83-85 ish, I don't remember the years exactly) GM said to use gear oil. Then by 87 (I am sure that 87 was this way) they said ATF. ALL of the World Class (as well as the Mustang & 300ZX) trans used ATF. It seemed that GM wasn't reall sure until about 87 when they figured it out. All of the tranny shops that I have been into, as well as my brother-in-law (certified tranny tech) say ATF only. FYI, the T-56 takes ATF as well.

Yep, use ATF. If you want to treat your tranny well, use Mobil1 Synthetic ATF, or Pennzoil Synchromesh - either has improved shearing resistance, which you encounter MUCH of in a stick shift!

BTW, I believe Royal Purple has a Synchromesh variant, too!

mobil 1 is the only thing i've ever used, well worth the 8 bucks a bottle, and makes shifting much nicer

lol I came in here all ready to say "easy....DONT."

But then I read some more. I am completely amazed. I think the T-5 on my 87 might just have gear oil in it, because I doubt the last owner knew about that, and whaddaya know? 2nd gear grinds sometimes... You learn something new every day..

and thats why this is such a great site, we all learn new things

Yep, that's right. I found out after eating the synchros in my old WC T5, after a reputable 'mechanic' filled it with 75w-90

this is why i do everything i possibly can to my car, saves all the bs wondering if he screwed up

I have heard of problems using synthetic atf on some of the LS1 sites, but maybe thats just with the later T56s. I have used synthetic in my (LT1) T56s with no issue.

As far as filling a manual trans, there are two easy ways to do it. If you are swapping clutches, or putting in a new trans, I fill it through the shifter hole (with the sight plug out, and a drain pan under it so I know when its full). Otherwise, that method is a hassle.
Go to a parts store and buy one of those gear lube pumps (I think mine was made by Valvoline). I cleaned out a gear lube bottle (they're longer, like the pump, and have the right threads for the pump), fill it with ATF, and pump it in since its practically impossible to use a funnel. Theyre great for filling rearends too, obviously.

Great thread, good to know!

Now I wonder if 3rd and 4th synchros are dead in my car for this reason?