Old Man with an old truck Posted April 14, 2018 Share Posted April 14, 2018 What gear oil is,required,in a 1956 Mack 5 spd transmission with Tetrapoid gears & 4 sped Brownie & Duplex? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 14, 2018 Share Posted April 14, 2018 90W gear lube in all. I use GL-4 as that was what was available when those trucks were on the road. GL-5 has extreme pressure additives that is not, (or used to be not) so easy on brass parts inside of transmissions. I stay with GL-4 for this reason. Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-396567 Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlotpilot Posted April 14, 2018 Share Posted April 14, 2018 amalie used to produce a really vile smelling oil for those which i don`think is available anymore but as rob said any good brand 90 wt, gear oil will work just fine Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-396570 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HugeHugh Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 (edited) I drained the transmission and compound unit oil from my 1964 B61 5 speed. 1.5 pints of clean red oil came out. I can only guess why a prior owner or technician would do that. The oil looked unused. The magnetic plug showed signs of use as the photos show. The Mack operator's manual specifies SAE 140 Straight Mineral Oil where the ambient temperature is above 50 F. My local NAPA store carries a SAE 90 Mineral Oil but not the 140. I can get SAE 140 Mineral Oil online and maybe from a local oil supplier. I read online that the EP additives are not good for the yellow metals in the transmission so I'm staying away from that. Is there a modern gear oil that is as good as the mineral oil Mack specified back in the 60's? Thanks Edited April 29, 2018 by HugeHugh Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-397858 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 Run straight 90W GL-4 gear lube and you'll not have any problems. GL-5 will work in non syncronized transmissions but GL-4 does not have the extreme pressure additives that are corrosive to yellow metals. GL-4 was what the truck was filled with when new most likely. If you only drained 1.5 pints it was either short filled, or there is a leak. ATF does not belong in that transmission at all but they probably dumped it in thinking the trans was hard to shift rather than the linkages being corroded. Don't get "wrapped" around the axle with the terminology. Straight 90W is good, 85-140 will work also in your transmission. Fill it, drive it, allow it to cool, then top off the transmission oil. Watch for leaks until proven otherwise. 2 Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-397866 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HugeHugh Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 I tend to takes things literally and that's why I was asking. I figured 50 years of lubricant development may have created suitable substitutes to a 1960's SAE 140 mineral oil. The red oil that came out of the transmission was much thicker than any ATF I've seen, but the color was similar. Thanks Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-397869 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 There is a company called "Red Line" lubricants and some of their oils are red in color. Usually their stuff is quite "sticky" in consistency too. However, only 1.5 pints is not near sufficient to both lubricate, and cool that transmission. Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-397874 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HugeHugh Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 I bought a 5 gallon bucket of SAE 90 and started filling the transmission. In about 10 minutes the leak appeared in the PTO assembly on the side of the transmission. One of the drain plugs was missing from the PTO and the other one was only 1/2 way screwed in. I replaced the missing drain plug and secured in the other one and finished filling the transmission. I checked the rear axle and it was empty too. I suspect someone in the past needed gear oil and decided to drain it from this truck as it sat unused. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-398089 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 I've never seen a PTO with a drain plug. Is this a Chelsea, Muncie, (same thing) or other branded unit? Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-398131 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayseed Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 3 hours ago, Rob said: I've never seen a PTO with a drain plug Here in Australia, I've never seen a PTO without a drainplug... Quote "Be who you are and say what you feel...Because those that matter...don't mind...And those that mind....don't matter." - Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-398139 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HugeHugh Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 On 5/2/2018 at 9:16 PM, Rob said: I've never seen a PTO with a drain plug. Is this a Chelsea, Muncie, (same thing) or other branded unit? It is a Chelsea. The model number plate looks bare of numbers. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53093-mack-5-sped-with-tetrapoid-gears/#findComment-398421 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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