I have a mazdaspeed 3 (mazda 3 2.3 turbo) and am most confused as to what is the best tranny fluid to use.
The tranny is a six speed AFAIK an Aisin six speed Bg6:
http://www.aisin-ai.co.jp/english/products/ff.html
It has syncros and a "cone type" LSD whatever that means.
Any way from what I have read LSD's and syncros are a tough pair to match with a fluid.
My owners manual calls for GL-4 75W90
The new 2010 model MS3 (same box different ratios) calls for 75W80 GL4
Very different viscosity's.
So maybe you get my confusion.
Some comments I have read from owners of the same car are:
Quote:
Redline mt90 is a good choice but it causes a little lsd noise when its cold.
When i switched to mt-90 my car started to make humming noise when turning. I hate it. Next fluid change i am going back to stock.
My local speed shop was out of Redline MT-90 so I got the same weight Amsoil which was supposed to be "just as good". It's not. The Amsoil does not contain friction modifiers that the LSD needs. My LSD was making a loud "whah-whah" noise when I made sharp turns. It took some research and to figure out the problem.
The MT-90 cured most of the LSD noise. Now it's only when the car is cold, and much quieter. I can live with it. But the MT-90 does not give the best shifting when the trans is cold. When the weather is cold (under 45) and the car is cold, 1-2 shifts are not happy.. there is some grinding for the first couple shifts. I can get around it by shifting to 3rd instead but that it clearly not right.
Ford makes a great fluid for the Mazdaspeed 3 and it is readily available at most Ford dealers. The part # is XT-M5-QS. It's made in Germany and the stuff is not cheap - I paid $19.25 a quart for it! Here's a link directly to Ford's chemical and lubricant site:
Full Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid
If you can't go directly to the site, copy and paste it to your web browser.
I had big time problems with a cold weather 1-2 shift grind. I tried everything I could find in search of a solution. The best was Redline MTL which is a 70-80 wt mtf but it was clearly out of spec. The MTL was thin enough to allow better cold shifting but I was worried about wear with it being too thin. I ran it for about 9,000 miles before I discovered the XT-M5-QS. The MTL held up really well for being out of spec ( I was scared [censored] I'd find "silver soup" when I drained it).
The XT-M5-QS transformed my Speed's shifting! It shifts [censored] near like a Honda and grinds of any kind are a thing of the past. I also have zero noise from the LSD or anything else for that matter. Take the time to google XT-M5-QS and I think you'll find it is the best kept secret in all of transmissiondom.
So I am leaning toward the Ford stuff, but I am more than open to suggestions.
The tranny is a six speed AFAIK an Aisin six speed Bg6:
http://www.aisin-ai.co.jp/english/products/ff.html
It has syncros and a "cone type" LSD whatever that means.
Any way from what I have read LSD's and syncros are a tough pair to match with a fluid.
My owners manual calls for GL-4 75W90
The new 2010 model MS3 (same box different ratios) calls for 75W80 GL4
Very different viscosity's.
So maybe you get my confusion.
Some comments I have read from owners of the same car are:
Quote:
Redline mt90 is a good choice but it causes a little lsd noise when its cold.
When i switched to mt-90 my car started to make humming noise when turning. I hate it. Next fluid change i am going back to stock.
My local speed shop was out of Redline MT-90 so I got the same weight Amsoil which was supposed to be "just as good". It's not. The Amsoil does not contain friction modifiers that the LSD needs. My LSD was making a loud "whah-whah" noise when I made sharp turns. It took some research and to figure out the problem.
The MT-90 cured most of the LSD noise. Now it's only when the car is cold, and much quieter. I can live with it. But the MT-90 does not give the best shifting when the trans is cold. When the weather is cold (under 45) and the car is cold, 1-2 shifts are not happy.. there is some grinding for the first couple shifts. I can get around it by shifting to 3rd instead but that it clearly not right.
Ford makes a great fluid for the Mazdaspeed 3 and it is readily available at most Ford dealers. The part # is XT-M5-QS. It's made in Germany and the stuff is not cheap - I paid $19.25 a quart for it! Here's a link directly to Ford's chemical and lubricant site:
Full Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid
If you can't go directly to the site, copy and paste it to your web browser.
I had big time problems with a cold weather 1-2 shift grind. I tried everything I could find in search of a solution. The best was Redline MTL which is a 70-80 wt mtf but it was clearly out of spec. The MTL was thin enough to allow better cold shifting but I was worried about wear with it being too thin. I ran it for about 9,000 miles before I discovered the XT-M5-QS. The MTL held up really well for being out of spec ( I was scared [censored] I'd find "silver soup" when I drained it).
The XT-M5-QS transformed my Speed's shifting! It shifts [censored] near like a Honda and grinds of any kind are a thing of the past. I also have zero noise from the LSD or anything else for that matter. Take the time to google XT-M5-QS and I think you'll find it is the best kept secret in all of transmissiondom.
So I am leaning toward the Ford stuff, but I am more than open to suggestions.
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