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Transfer box oil

5K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  Dulac 
#1 ·
Anyone know if it would be beneficial to change the oilin the transfer box as it is not mentioned on servicing details about changing it.
 
#2 ·
Because of the reported catastrophic failures of a few transfer boxes and that they seem to be ignored or taken for granted with regard to care and attention I am certainly going to have the oil at least checked at the next service. Bear in mind that Antara transfer box oil can only be bought from GM - no other oil from anyone else will serve in terms of compliance with the manufacturer's instructions. Whether the oil gathers swarf from general wear and tear, I don't know but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 
#4 ·
Sure, there are plenty of gear oils out there. You can put sewing machine oil in your engine if you want to. However, when I last looked a few months ago I couldn't find one actually described as suitable for a later Antara. So, I'll use the GM stuff and if the transfer box fails I can approach Vauxhall with a clear conscience for some financial input. The correct oil will show up on my GM service record. Use anything else and they are likely to tell you to p**s off.
 
#5 ·
No other oils meet the spec Vauxhall want, the proper stuff is about £25 per litre, read somewhere that Vauxhall recommend changing the transfer box oil every engine oil change and given how fragile it seems to be its worth doing, did mine a couple of months ago, not difficult.
 
#6 ·
According to various parts catalogues, be they Vauxhall, Opel or Chevrolet, this "special" oil is nothing more than Texaco Multigear 75W90R GL4/5. I'm pretty sure you can find an alternative that not only equals this specification, but exceeds it.

Changing the oil every major service would be sensible IMO, what oil you use is up to you, but i'm not sold on the "special" oil argument. Go with whatever you're comfortable with, I think the problems with these transfer boxes runs deeper than just the lubricant.


Dulac said it perfectly regarding warranty, however, if you're out of warranty, who cares? Vauxhall won't!

Edited by: Dave501
 
#9 ·
Yes indeed, but then surely they would all fail. Modern cars are made up from many bits made by a variety of companies from around the world. I am pretty sure that someone makes transfer box oil for GM in the same way that the people who made Andrex toilet rolls made them for Sainsburys and other supermarkets as well. But, given the complexities of moving metal parts at high revolutions under controlled limits of fit, the dissipation of heat and the different coefficients of expansion of different metals in contact with each other (e.g. a hardened steel bearing pressed into an alloy casting) all sorts of things could happen. Luckily, the great majority of transfer boxes appear to be OK but there must be a reason why some fail in much the same way, with the casting being destroyed in the process. Is it a matter of incorrect lubrication? I don't know, but seeing that using the specified oil is an easy option and under my control then I will follow the maker's instructions and spend the extra few quid every now and then. I bet McLaren don't use any old leftovers that happen to be lying around the workshop and say "that'll do"!

Clockmakers say that the only oil to lubricate a clock with is clock oil - nothing else is as good for the purpose.
 
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