Which 75/90 gear oil for AWD ATS?

Dd3

Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Messages
52
Location
Louisiana
Hi guys. I have a 2014 ATS AWD. It's time to change the front and rear gear oil. I don't THINK I have LS due to it being AWD. Can I use off the shelf stuff like M1 or Valvoline 75/90 that contains the friction modifier or will that be a bad thing if I, in fact, do NOT have LS? I didn't know whether I could use Mobil 1 or Valvoline or if I HAD to get the Delco stuff from the dealer.
Thanks
 
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Your owners manual should have recommended fluids listed. If you don't have the manual, check on the tag on the driver's door column. It's the one with tire pressures and should have other information about the car. It should have a bunch of codes including ones for the axle type. If you can find that, you can google for it to see if you have limited slip.
 
Originally Posted by ripcord
Your owners manual should have recommended fluids listed. If you don't have the manual, check on the tag on the driver's door column. It's the one with tire pressures and should have other information about the car. It should have a bunch of codes including ones for the axle type. If you can find that, you can google for it to see if you have limited slip.

I had this saved to my phone already to have the vin handy, lol. Is this the one?

18982B03-9780-4DD4-9C19-AFAAF1E07638.jpeg
 
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Thank you, sir. Yes, good idea while it's up in the air. I'm at 65k or so so I'm just in between the "normal" and "severe" conditions schedules.
 
Thanks guys. I'm thinking about having this done at a trans shop only bc it's so tight to get under my car even on ramps. I'd imagine those guys have the correct fluids being that they do this all day long, but do you guys think I should grab all the fluids from the dealer and take it to them?
 
I did actually read that the synthetic Valvoline Gear oil met an even tighter spec than did the M1.
 
Originally Posted by Dd3
Thanks guys. I'm thinking about having this done at a trans shop only bc it's so tight to get under my car even on ramps. I'd imagine those guys have the correct fluids being that they do this all day long, but do you guys think I should grab all the fluids from the dealer and take it to them?


It a nice car. I would take it to a GM Dealer. Its not like you have to do this every 6 months.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted by Dd3
I did actually read that the synthetic Valvoline Gear oil met an even tighter spec than did the M1.


Source?
 
Just get brand name gear oil should be sufficient for your ATS.

For sensors and electrical parts, you need to buy ACDelco OE parts but not necessary for oil.
 
As far as the source of where I'd read about the Valvoline gear oil meeting a certain spec that the others didn't cant find it now that I'm looking for it, but it was a post somewhere on this forum about it, actually.
 
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Originally Posted by Dd3
As far as the source of where I'd read about the Valvoline gear oil meeting a certain spec that the others didn't cant find it now that I'm looking for it, but it was a post somewhere on this forum about it, actually.

MIL-PRF-2105E?
 
It was another thread about gear oil or someone changing their gear oil. Can't remember which one. But a guy said that Valvoline met spec number *}^}% and the others did not meet that spec. He mentioned the spec by number but I can't remember, sorry.
 
Dont bring it to a dealer for the rear diff. The dealer will charge you 220+ . All that is required is a 3/8 ratchet, extension, and pump to get the gear oil in there. I didnt even use a ramp or jack, just put some thicker pieces of wood under each tire to get it up a little higher.
 
Originally Posted by Dd3
It was another thread about gear oil or someone changing their gear oil. Can't remember which one. But a guy said that Valvoline met spec number *}^}% and the others did not meet that spec. He mentioned the spec by number but I can't remember, sorry.


I am guessing SAE J2360.

Valvoline has Synpower gear oil that is approved J2360.

M1 does not (as far as I can research based upon labels & published info) and one would have to select Delvac 1 gear to get SAE J2360 approval.

There are some P66, PP, Motul, Fuchs, Delo Syn that are J2360 approved.

(I will not install a gear oil that does not hold J2360 approval in differentials.)
 
Yeah, that is pretty steep for for a rear diff fluid change. Thanks for that.
Ok so as per my my original question.....would those other brands that do carry that spec (Valvoline, p66, motul, etc) be ok for the front and rear diffs in my car? I'd assume all those brands have the LS friction modifier in them.....but I'm not sure my vehicle has LS (still need to figure that out)
In the event that I find out I do not have LS, (I am pretty certain thenAWD's do not because the Delco branded fluids show different part numbers for the LS models and the AWD models) can using one of those products HURT anything, or do I need to find a synthetic gear oil that does NOT contain friction modifiers? Is there such a thing, lol?
Thanks
 
Ok. Just got off the phone with Valvoline. I don't speak "mechanic" too well and can't explain exactly why but was assured by them I CANNOT use their stuff (I'm sure the same thing would apply to M1, etc etc) in my ATS. They said in my case I need to use dealer stuff (AC Delco)
Problem solved. Lol.
 
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