Cross contaminated my atf with gear oil.

[westcoastgrind]

Just wondering if I messed up or not.

Filled my diff with motorcraft 80w90, and then with the same oil syringe I put fluid in my transmission (6r80).

Since doing this I have been told that contaminating trans fluid is bad and that gl5 gear oil is especially bad.

Do I need to be concerned or not?

Thank you

 

[oldcodger]

Any idea how much gear lube you put in? Transmissions are not tolerant of foreign materials.

 

[westcoastgrind]

Any idea how much gear lube you put in? Transmissions are not tolerant of foreign materials.

The syringe was empty but not fully cleaned. Probably a teaspoon or two at the most.

 

[Lubener]

The syringe was empty but not fully cleaned. Probably a teaspoon or two at the most.

Don't worry about it. It's blended with 10-12 quarts of ATF. Most likely the residue is far less than the amount you mentioned.

 

[westcoastgrind]

Don't worry about it. It's blended with 10-12 quarts of ATF. Most likely the residue is far less than the amount you mentioned.

That is what I thought.

Afterwards, I was googling stuff and I ran across a post saying to never use the same hoses/pumps ect. And how gl5 is especially bad for transmissions and brass ect..

I was thinking about getting it flushed but sounds like it's not necessary.

 

[MolaKule]

A teaspoon is about 5 milliliters. 10 quarts is 9600 milliliters.

5mL/9600mL is a ratio = 0.0005.

I think you're ok.

 

[Donald]

In the old days with oil cans the gas station attendant would jam this spout opener into the oil can and pour the QT of oil into your engine. Same for ATF. When done they would hang the spout opener on the edge of a 55 gallon drum used as a garbage can.

How contaminated do you thing that spout opener was with oil, rain water, probably some dirt.

The less than honest places would fake the dipstick reading low by not pushing it in all the way after wiping it off and then pour in oil from an empty oil can.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Is the specific gravity of 80W90 more or less than ATF? Would the Gear Lube stay in suspension or be absorbed? Asking because I am curios if you let the vehicle sit for a while then did a drain and fill, if any small amount in the fluid would come out?

I agree, its likely not enough to worry about, just asking because I am curios?

 

[Pablo]

Probably helped the the AW package in the ATF.

Kidding kidding

You are fine they will mix and no one but us will know. We'll be here for your "My AT sploded" thread.

Kidding!

 

[Pablo]

That is what I thought.

Afterwards, I was googling stuff and I ran across a post saying to never use the same hoses/pumps ect. And how gl5 is especially bad for transmissions and brass ect..

I was thinking about getting it flushed but sounds like it's not necessary.

Yep and FTR modern GL5 is NOT bad for brass.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I mean if you put a full qt in 12 qts of ATF would funny things happen? Yeah MAYBE. Shifting might get slickery, odd, slip delay. But the metals would be fine.

 

[nwjones18]

Yep and FTR modern GL5 is NOT bad for brass.

This comes up everywhere. Even Supertech GL-5 gear oil says yellow metal safe, but anytime the manual called for a GL-4 fluid folks swear you need to go out of your way to find a specialty oil meeting the spec.. I never have been able to 100% tell fact from fiction and did seek out GL-4 fluid for the trans in my Mazda, gearbox in a Troy-bilt tiller and transfer case/trans on my Samurai.. I really don't think it was necessary, but hate to mess something up.

 

[Pablo]

This comes up everywhere. Even Supertech GL-5 gear oil says yellow metal safe, but anytime the manual called for a GL-4 fluid folks swear you need to go out of your way to find a specialty oil meeting the spec.. I never have been able to 100% tell fact from fiction and did seek out GL-4 fluid for the trans in my Mazda, gearbox in a Troy-bilt tiller and transfer case/trans on my Samurai.. I really don't think it was necessary, but hate to mess something up.

Yeah that one has deep roots. But just look at the ASTM D130 data for the GL-5 oil you might be interested in. Plus many say can be used in GL-4 applications.

 

[dumkid]

Yep and FTR modern GL5 is NOT bad for brass.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I mean if you put a full qt in 12 qts of ATF would funny things happen? Yeah MAYBE. Shifting might get slickery, odd, slip delay. But the metals would be fine.

I sure hope so, i put traveler gl5 in my transfer case (it said safe for manual transmissions) everyone on the Internet said it would sound like a box of rocks soon. I was gonna change it someday soon but it's been 3000 miles and a year with no problems so I don't know what to do. Im pretty tempted to leave it but I was planning on changing it out for gl4 at the next oil change.

 

[Blueshound]

Probably helped the the AW package in the ATF.

Kidding kidding

You are fine they will mix and no one but us will know. We'll be here for your "My AT sploded" thread.

Kidding!

Now you've got me thinking. Would 2 oz of GL5 help the shifting in my 10R80?

 

[Pablo]

Now you've got me thinking. Would 2 oz of GL5 help the shifting in my 10R80?

Do it! no no no.

Take one for science?

 

[Pablo]

I sure hope so, i put traveler gl5 in my transfer case (it said safe for manual transmissions) everyone on the Internet said it would sound like a box of rocks soon. I was gonna change it someday soon but it's been 3000 miles and a year with no problems so I don't know what to do. Im pretty tempted to leave it but I was planning on changing it out for gl4 at the next oil change.

What does the Traveler site say about their GL5?

 

[tcp71]

The 6r80 generally has 17 quarts of fluid (in an F150, expedition, etc) so the dilution is even greater than you think. No worries at all.

 

[Oro_O]

Is the specific gravity of 80W90 more or less than ATF? Would the Gear Lube stay in suspension or be absorbed? Asking because I am curios if you let the vehicle sit for a while then did a drain and fill, if any small amount in the fluid would come out?

I agree, its likely not enough to worry about, just asking because I am curios?

If you are meaning viscosity, It’ a LOT more. ATF is about 7.1 cSt at 100C (DexIII, T-IV). Compare to this chart below. Gear oil runs about “50” more than engine oil - additive aside. It was labeled that way to prevent cross-use. That is also why many gear boxes run jut fine on 30w motor oil. I always thing of ATF a 15 weight, as that’s what I use in motorcycle forks in lieu of actual fork oil.

 

[dumkid]

What does the Traveler site say about their GL5?

that's the problem, its a tractor supply house brand. the TSC website says good oil use everywhere gl5 much cheap nice smooth quiet. other gear oils made by warren distributing are gl5 and mt1 rated, which means its suitable for unsynchronized truck transmissions.
www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/traveller-85w-140-gl-5-gear-oil-3-2-gallon

 

[Vitamin Yoda]

The syringe was empty but not fully cleaned. Probably a teaspoon or two at the most.

What kind of syringe was it? Can you post a picture? I don't think you have anything to worry about, and I don't think that you had even a teasloon of gear oil in there. That's why asked for a picture.