What is GL-4+

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VW's spec for 75w-90 is 501.50 (G50) and when I search on that, I see alot of "API GL4+" that goes with it. I went to the API website but could not find anything about it. My guess is that it has to do with transmissions with integrated differentials. Alot of the oils that have this VW 501.50 spec have very high VI's. I have seen several over 200, the highest being 228. These are lubes like Castrol TAF-X which has a viscosity @ 40/100 = 73/14.4 cSt, which should give very good cold weather shifting. My car calls for the VW G52 oil, and I would love to know how it differs from the G50.

Thanks for any help!
 
Try our MTL-R which is a 75W90 with a GL5/GL4 protection rating. Many VW owners have had great success with this MT lube.

Never heard of GL4+.
 
Never heard of G52. 02A tranny calls for G50 (GL4) which is like $20 a quart at the dealership. Not sure what makes G52 different from G50. Getting VW to explain the difference would probably take about 20 phone calls, and then some.
 
http://community.dieselschrauber.de/contenttopic.php?t=3904

I did find an interesting little chart. Apparently there is a G51 as well.
rolleyes.gif
 
Thanks Guys!

Molakule, The MTL-R is what I'm leaning toward if I don't go with a factory VW replacement. I'm sort-of worried about my warrenty.

Bobert, I saw that chart as well. Since '98, the Passat has called for G52. There's a VW sheet that is for the Passat fluids and it specs the G52 as being the correct lube.

G50 is part # G 005 000 meets VW 501.50 spec
G51 is part # G 005 100
G52 is part # G 052 911 A

I know which oils will meet the G50, but I'm concerend with what G52 is all about. I may go by the dealer and see what I can learn.
 
The original G-005-000 was a PAO based product and has been used by Audi for > 10 years. I suspect the newer G51/G52 use less expensive Group III basestocks, or perhaps a blend of PAO/Group III. However all of these are GL-4 rated fluids with similar high/low temp viscometrics.

VW & Audi factory fill millions of units annually with these fluids. There are considerable cost savings to using a GP III synlube over a PAO.
 
The engines in the Passat and Audi A4 are mounted longitudinally. Due to this design, the differential requires a ring or hypoid gear to take the power from the crankshaft and turn it ninety degrees to rotate the driveshafts.(Think of how a rear differential works).

The lubrication requirements & gear tooth contact loads of these ring or hypoid gears are more severe than if all the gears are rotating in the same plane, as they would be with a transversly mounted engine.

Hence the need for an enhanced GL-4 lubricant in the diffs of the Passat and Audi's...The amount of torque generated by the engine would also be a factor here. The older VW's and five cylinder Audis really didn't have much torque.
 
Ted, I tried to PM you but it said your box was full so it didn't go.

Basically, what you just said is what I suspected - GL-5 performance is required, with the safty of GL-4. This means that not just any GL-4 rated oil will do. It needs to be dual (meet 4&5) rated or come from VW. Correct? I've heard stories of some gearbox's tearing up using aftermarket GL-4 lube, and this would explain why.
 
Wait, let me correct that. What is required to meet VW's 501.50 or GL-4+ is NOT a dual rated lube, but a GL-5 rated lube that is SAFE to use in gearbox's with white metals. Is that right?
 
Can anyone read German?

Volkswagen zaleca syntetyczny G50 SAE 75W90 (stosowany w większości manualnych skrzyń VW, G50 to ich marka). Jest to olej spełniający specyfikację VW 501.50. Inne oleje, które ją spełniają, to m.in. Castrol TAF-X, BP Energear SGX, Shell Getrieboil EP, Mobil VS 2000.
Jeśli ktoś nie chce lać do skrzyni oleju syntetycznego, na WWW można znaleźć informacje (tu i tu) sugerujące, że można zastąpić G50 olejem klasy GL-4 lub GL-4/5 (ale raczej nie samym GL-5).
Z kolei według informacji Skoda Auto (i zgodnie z instrukcją obsługi Felicji), zalecany jest olej spełniający specyfikację jakościową API GL-4, oraz jedną z następujących klas lepkości: 75W, 75W80, 75W85, 75W90.
 
Turns out it was Polish -

Volkswagen it recommends synthetic G50 SAE 75W90 (applied in the majority of manual boxes VW, of G50 this their water parsnip). Is this oil fulfilling specification VW 501.50 Other oils which her fulfil, this in particular Castrol TAF-X, BP Energear SGX, Shell Getrieboil EP, Mobil VS 2000.
If someone does not want to pour to box synthetic oil, on VVV one can find informations (here and here) suggesting that one can replace G50 with the oil of class GL-4 or GL-4/5 (but preferably not oneself GL-5).
From bouts according to informations Skoda Motor-car (and according to the order of the service of Felicia) recommended is oil fulfilling specification qualitative API GL-4, as well as one from following classes of stickiness: 75W, 75W80, 75W85, 75W90.
 
Went by the dealer. The G52, which is correct for my car, comes in 2 flavors, A1 and A2. There were two transmissions used, the '012' and '01W' that go with the A1 and A2, respectfully. The A2 was listed as an alternate for the A1. The G52 was $24 a liter and was not a stocked item and the G50 was $21 a liter and was stocked. All it said on the can was that it was made in Germany and met VW 501.50. Since VW uses a tamper proof plug on the drain, I'm guessing that the G52 must be a 'lifetime' fluid. My schedualed maintance never shows a change although the automatic trans requires a change at 105k.
 
Spoke to Darren in Amsoil tech services about these applications for about 15 minutes yesterday.

Amsoil recommends their new GL-4 rated,75w-90, Manual Transmission Fluid for all VW/Audi transaxle and transmission applications. It replaces both the G52 and older G50 products. Recommended service interval is 100,000 miles

Amsoil recommends the GL-5/MT-1, 75w-90 Severe Gear for all VW/Audi final drives and differentials, including center diffs on quattros and rear diffs on Quattros that call for GL-4 or GL-5. Recommended service interval is 100,000 miles....

Tooslick
Dixie Synthetics
 
I sent an email to a German oil company, www.aral.de, and asked for clarification on their advertised GL-4+, VW501.50 oil. Here is their reply-

A gear oil API GL 4+ exceeds API GL4, but it doesn not fulfill API GL 5. There are some special gearboxes (e.g. VW T4 all-wheel) in which an API GL 4 would not be sufficient but that do not need a gear oil according to API GL 5.
 
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