# Ducato yr 2001 2.8JTD, which gearbox oil?



## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

Ducato year 2001 2.8JTD, which gearbox oil?

Original Fiat Spec was apparently to add 2 litres (later amended to 2.7 litres to better protect 5th gear cog) of: synthetic 75w85 GL4.

But I've seen elsewhere on line suggestions to use synthetic 75w90 GL5


Am finding it almost impossible to locate any 75w85 GL4, so am tempted to use the 75w90 GL5.............thoughts please from anyone with a specialist knowledge of gearbox oils?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

75w90 is the recommended upgrade for the earlier gearboxes along with the increase in capacity. I haven't got access to my oil spec books right now as I'm home recovering from an op but I think gl5 is the up-specced gl4.


----------



## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Go for the 75W90, it is a later/better oil, should also be synthetic or semi-synthetic.

We use it in our Discovery transfer box and axles front and rear.

Peter


----------



## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

Both variants are synthetic, and you would think that the 75W90 would be the better bet. But someone on the Fiat forum mentions that the GL5 spec actively attacked the bronze content of the synchro in early Ducato gearboxes. 
Anyone else got any further info on the suitability of either of these 2 alternative oils?


----------



## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

It will only attack bronze/brass if it is the EP type of oil, I am pretty sure the GL5 is not that type, although I see that Halfords brand their GL5 as EP.

Peter


----------



## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

listerdiesel said:


> It will only attack bronze/brass if it is the EP type of oil, I am pretty sure the GL5 is not that type, although I see that Halfords brand their GL5 as EP.
> 
> Peter


Would the diff gears not require an EP oil Peter?


----------



## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

eurajohn said:


> Would the diff gears not require an EP oil Peter?


Only if they are Hypoid, spiral bevel gears only need 'standard' gear oil.

Front wheel drive cars/vans generally have helical gear drives to the diff.

Peter


----------



## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

TheNomad said:


> Ducato year 2001 2.8JTD, which gearbox oil?
> 
> Original Fiat Spec was apparently to add 2 litres* (later amended to 2.7 litres to better protect 5th gear cog) *of: synthetic 75w85 GL4.
> 
> ...


Your van is just on the changeover period for engines and gearboxes. It was the earlier gearbox that had the 5th gear problem. That gearshift had reverse gear selected by moving right and backwards. The newer box was left and forwards for reverse. It did not have the 5th gear problem.

The oil required is probably the same spec but the quantity might be different.


----------



## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

The API GL and EP are essentially the same thing, from memory; GL-4 being for some hypoid gears so long as they only require moderate EP protection, and GL-5 being for all hypoid gears including those that require high EP, and it's the additives in GL-5 oil which creates the EP protective layer that can damage parts of the scychro if they contain bronze etc.

having said that; mines the 2002 to 2006 variant and the manual clearly states 2.7 litres 75-80 API GL-5 EP synthetic and when i changed the fifth gear a month or two ago, there were definitely parts of the synchro that were some sort of alloy but i don't know what.

if i was you i'd try to get what's specified, but i suspect you'll never know the difference if you use GL-5 instead of GL-4.

hope this helps
Lee


----------



## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

The newer (2002-2006) ones do/can suffer the fifth gear problem, mine goes left and forwards, and this year at the end of august returning through the south of france, it decided to strip every single one of the dog teeth from the fifth gear in one go/instant. the teeth ratios are different to the older box but the fifth gear is still external to the main gearbox, i was aware of the issue beforehand, drove accordingly (so i thought) and still lost fifth :-(

Lee


----------



## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

Still having problems hunting down 75W85 GL4 synthetic gearbox oil.

Several retailers now have each said just use 75W80 GL4 synthetic, as that's what their databases say is the right gearbox oil for a year 2001 2.8JTD Fiat Ducato. That's the grade that they reckon everyone/every garage uses for that make/model of van.

I'm rather minded to take their counsel and use the 75W80 GL4 synthetic rather than the elusive 75W85 GL4 synthetic.

Any thoughts on whether the difference between "80" and "85" in the grade would actually make a jot of actual difference in my 14 years old Ducato?


----------



## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

Hi Nomad

I'd go along with the recommendations you've had and i don't think you'd notice any difference with the smaller viscosity range, if you do it would likely be quickly and if it concerns you, you could always change it again. i think that would be preferable to putting something in that aligns with the original viscosity range that would feel normal for a long time, but then may feel problematic later if you have yellow metal sync hro parts and they have then been damaged.


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I'd agree with Lee, but there is plenty of the 85w online when Googled, so you do have the choice.

Oil:-
http://unipartautostore.com/gearbox...Yjm0splgx_USLfIWo4NHJp3mstVkSdWkBYaAvjL8P8HAQ

Search results:-
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=7...rome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

Just noticed you're in Spain so try a Google from there too.


----------



## DavyS (Jan 10, 2009)

Ducatos of that age do seem to suffer gearbox synchro failure if GL-5 oil is used. For that reason I bought some GL-4 oil for the gearbox, but changed the motorhome before I could use it.
Consequently I have two litres of unopened EP80W-90 Mineral and also two litres of SX75W-90 Semi-Synthetic which I can let you have at discount. Let me know if interested.


----------



## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

DavyS - many thanks for that offer, but we live here in Spain, so postage would cost more than a bit too much I fear.

In the end, I've gone for 2.7 litres of fully synthetic 75W80 GL4+, Renault brand gearbox oil (they didn't have any 75W85, so 75W80 will have to do). 
It's NOT rated as "EP", so being GL4 rather than GL5, and without EP additives I'm hoping it'll be kind to my syncro cogs


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

747 said:


> Your van is just on the changeover period for engines and gearboxes. It was the earlier gearbox that had the 5th gear problem. That gearshift had reverse gear selected by moving right and backwards. The newer box was left and forwards for reverse. It did not have the 5th gear problem.
> The oil required is probably the same spec but the quantity might be different.


Buqqer. Thanks for that news 747. Although I did change the oil for fully synthetic and add some.

Ray.


----------

