What is the difference between gear lube and transmission fluid?

Question

OTHER THEN GEAR LUBE IF FOR A MANUAL AND TRANNY FLUID IS FOR AN AUTOMATIC.

Answer 1

Gear lube is usually used for differentials, in rear wheel drive vehicles. It's very thick usually 90 weight. Transmission fluid is not as thick, and there are different types of thicknesses. Transmission fluid does have additives and the different types do make a difference when using them.

And yes, some of the newer standard transmissions today do use ATF. Read your manuals. Some standard transmissions also use motor oil. Always consult your owners manual before servicing any standard or automatic transmission. And if it says use ATF III, use ATF III, if it says use ATF IV, you better use ATF IV, and not ATF III with an addivtive to try to bring it up to ATF IV. It doesn't work, and just spend the extra money for the ATF IV. If you don't have a manual to consult, call the dealership and have them verify what type of fluid to use, or some automotive shops have this available to them also.

Answer 2

Nope, a lot of newer manual transmissions take ATF. Gear lube is heavier duty - say if you want to pull something you do not want ATF. I put gear oil in a camaro (manual transmission - it's the only way to go :P ), in order to pull a trailer from WI to TX when my husband got back from Iraq. (Right on the tranny for the camaro - it's a '98 - says to use ATF) Otherwise you run the risk of it over heating, and then it gets thinner, which doesn't lubricate as well, and thus allows more friction between the gears, and then it gets hotter, the hotter the thinner, etc. The fluid can boil and ruin the tranny.

Answer 3

Gear lube is a grease or High Viscosity oil whose primary purpose is lubricating and cooling

Transmission fluid also cools but is required of auto transmissions alone and Power steering pumps as it has hydraulic fluid characteristics not needed in a manual and a manual has a higher stress level therefore a auto transmission fluid wont work (for long).
PHIL YOU DIDN'T NO SAY IT ISN'T TRUE.......

I've been wrenching over 30 years and I have never seen ATF in a real car. OK I had to research and some Peugot owners use it....Like I said a real car....

Answer 4

Gear Lube's sole purpose is a lubricant. It is usually very thick and used on your differential and manual transmission. The thick oil serves also cushions the teeth on the gears. This allows for smooth and quite operation of the gears while significantly reducing wear.

Transmission fluid is designed to flow fast and smooth. So it is very thin. It is also designed to have a high boiling point and is very compatible to rubber (does not affect rubber). It is actually very similar to brake fluid but has a higher lubricity so that the pump is also lubricated. Transmission fluid is pumped at high pressures to drive hydraulic transmissions or power assisted steering.

Answer 5

Gear lube is a 90 weight oil and its job is to prevent wear. As for transmission fluid it is more hydraulic and is under high pressure. used to in the converter to move fines and used to move levers for shifting.....used to hold the clutch packs together. And in in turn to lube and cool the trans.

Answer 6

transmission fluid is used in you transmission case only and gear lube is usually used in your differential.

Answer 7

http://buysinopec.com Shop gear lube

Answer 8

You don't state on which model or car's make.

Japaneses.5W30 for standard transmission.
most standard trannys in the states ,use same as the diff.carriers.

gear oil is for differencial carriers. 70W90 (I dont remember well) but very thick
for automatic is dexron ll. better know as ATF( automatic transmision fluid)

Answer 9

Ahhh some manual trans take ATF also. Gear oil is generally 80w90 weight alot thicker than ATF. ATF also has detergents in it.