ST205 fluids

[ihavelift]

Hey just wondering what people recommend as fluids for the following in a 1997 ST205 GT4:

1) Engine Oil (currently use shell helix, can't remember exactly but think it's 10w40)
2) brake fluid
3) gearbox fluid
4) diff fluid

Cheers

[Akane]

Since the ST205 shares the same engine and almost the same gearbox as the MR2.

1) Castrol Magnetic
2) random DOT4, unless you go on the track, your fluid shouldn't boil on the street
3) Valvoline Duragear, but it ain't that great imo, my gearchanges are alright but they ain't spac-frigging-ticular
4) Same, since ST205 has a front and center diff in the gearbox, don't say?

[ihavelift]

i've heard castrol syntrax is really good for gearbox/diff?

[Heylin]

1) Valvoline VR-1 Racing (previously called Durablend), ive been using this in MR2 turbo for 8 years and 100,000kms with no issues. Also reccomend adding ProMa MBL8 additive to oil.

2) ELF HTX 115, synthetic level performance dot 5 rated fluid but not actually synthetic so you dont need new lines, resist moisture longer for extended brake fluid changes.

3) Syntrax, Valvoline Duragear or if gears still crunch use MT90 (MT90 is better but costs $130), yours is manual transmission correct ???

[ihavelift]

Yup mine is manual

[sergei]

I use the following in my ST205:

Engine: Castrol 10W60
Gerabox: Castrol Multitrax
Rear diff: Castrol Syntrax
Brakes: Castrol Performance (silver bottle)
Coolant: Toyota red long life
Power Steer: Castrol ATF (dextron 3)

[Akane]

I use the following in my ST205:

Engine: Castrol 10W60
Gerabox: Castrol Multitrax
Rear diff: Castrol Syntrax
Brakes: Castrol Performance (silver bottle)
Coolant: Toyota red long life
Power Steer: Castrol ATF (dextron 3)

^ Castrol fan boi

But then if castrol is good enough for the WRC cars, it's good enough for yours.

[RunningRich]

3) Syntrax, Valvoline Duragear or if gears still crunch use MT90 (MT90 is better but costs $130), yours is manual transmission correct ???

Only use MT90 if you want to $&#$% your gearbox! It is only GL4 and does not provide the wear protection you need for the highly loaded ring and pinion. You end up wearing through the case hardening.

Redline 75W90NS goes really well in the gearbox. There is no LSD so you don't need friction additive. The rear diff is Torson so again no LSD additive.

ATF also works in the gearbox, I know of many that have used it without issues.

[sergei]

3) Syntrax, Valvoline Duragear or if gears still crunch use MT90 (MT90 is better but costs $130), yours is manual transmission correct ???

Only use MT90 if you want to $&#$% your gearbox! It is only GL4 and does not provide the wear protection you need for the highly loaded ring and pinion. You end up wearing through the case hardening.

Redline 75W90NS goes really well in the gearbox. There is no LSD so you don't need friction additive. The rear diff is Torson so again no LSD additive.

ATF also works in the gearbox, I know of many that have used it without issues.

ATF is not GL5 as well, unless there is special ATF that is designed for hypoid gears.

Also auto Caldinas run separate oil for centre diff for a reason.

[FLAWLES]

It is only GL4 and does not provide the wear protection

?

gl4 is a good grade man and is a starting point, and i use it in alot of farm machinery that see's alot of abuse with zero issues

gl5 is for super hard wearing gearbox's like 6m long mowers that hang of the back of the tractor

90% of the time if its a gl5 oil it will have heavy duty on the side of it which gives a good indercation of its perpose

[sergei]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gear_oil

* API GL-1, oils for light conditions. They consist of base oils without additives. Sometimes they contain small amounts of antioxidizing additives, corrosion inhibitors, depresants and antifoam additives. API GL-1 oils are designed for spiral-bevel, worm gears and manual transmissions without synchronizers in trucks and farming machines.
* API GL-2, oils for moderate conditions. They contain antiwear additives and are designed for worm gears. Recommended for proper lubrication of tractor and farming machine transmissions.
* API GL-3, oils for moderate conditions. Contain up to 2.7% antiwear additives. Designed for lubricating bevel and other gears of truck transmissions. Not recommended for hypoid gears.
* API GL-4, oils for various conditions - light to heavy. They contain up to 4.0% effective antiscuffing additives. Designed for bevel and hypoid gears which have small displacement of axes, the gearboxes of trucks, and axle units. Recommended for non-synchronized gearboxes of US trucks, tractors and buses and for main and other gears of all vehicles. These oils are basic for synchronized gearboxes, especially in Europe.
* API GL-5, oils for severe conditions. They contain up to 6.5% effective antiscuffing additives. The general application of oils in this class are for hypoid gears having significant displacement of axes. They are recommended as universal oils to all other units of mechanical transmission (except gearboxes). Oils in this class, which have special approval of vehicle manufacturers, can be used in synchronized manual gearboxes only. API GL-5 oils can be used in limited slip differentials if they correspond to the requirements of specification MIL-L-2105D or ZF TE-ML-05. In this case the designation of class will be another, for example API GL-5+ or API GL-5 LS.
* API GL-6, oils for very heavy conditions (high speeds of sliding and significant shock loadings). They contain up to 10% high performance antiscuffing additives. They are designed for hypoid gears with significant displacement of axes. Class API GL-6 is not applied any more as it is considered that class API GL-5 well enough meets the most severe requirements.

If Toyota states GL5 you better use GL5, no question about it.
If you use GL4 you might be ok (depending how much there are additives to deal with hypoid gears), but there is a chance saying your crown wheel/pinion goodbye.

[ihavelift]

sweet well i think i've decided what i'll use, any ideas as to how much of each i'll need?

[sergei]

sweet well i think i've decided what i'll use, any ideas as to how much of each i'll need?

~5.1L for Gearbox (drained from centre diff and gearbox)
~1.2L for Diff.

[ihavelift]

cool, thanks mate

[Heylin]

Only use MT90 if you want to $&#$% your gearbox! It is only GL4 and does not provide the wear protection you need for the highly loaded ring and pinion. You end up wearing through the case hardening.

Strange as this is one of the most used \ reccomended gearbox oils for MR2, I assume the ST205 has the same gearbox components

Redline state the following for MT90

Safe for brass synchros, as it lacks the reactive sulfurs found in most GL-5 oils that cause damage

Ive been using MT90 for a couple of years now with no issues and alot of the UK MR2 owners swear by it.

[Akane]

Question:

Is that why gearbox oil smells like shit? Because of the anti wear addicitves?

[Crampy]

Question:

Is that why gearbox oil smells like shit? Because of the anti wear addicitves?

either that or someone took a dump in it while you weren't looking.

[ihavelift]

there are a few people on this forum that live breath and fart st205, what do they recommend for a st205 gearbox?

[Prymal]

redline shockproof ...

End story !

nearly all of us run this in ours and most of the aussie guys do as well

its VERY good

[ihavelift]

redline shockproof ...

End story !

nearly all of us run this in ours and most of the aussie guys do as well

its VERY good

i've never heard of that before ... where can you get it from / $$ ?