I know there are some, but my co-worker wants to bet I can't name at least 3.

I know for a fact that late 80's Hondas and Acuras used motor oil in the manual gearbox. Can anyone else come up with some more?

'96 Dodge/Plymouth Neon

MGs MGB MG Midget Old Mini

Saab 900 (until 1993)

Chrysler ES (1988-1991)
Chrysler GTS, Shelby 2.5 T, 2.2 L4 (1988-1991)
Chrysler Daytona, Shelby 2.5 L4 Turbo (H-Cars)(1990-1993)
Chrysler Le Baron, GTC, 2.2, 2.5, Turbo, 3.0 V6
Chrysler GS Turbo 2 2.2 Turbo L4

Honda, all old Civic's (->1991)

Isuzu: old Troopers and Gemini's

Older Landrovers

Mg Maestro, Montego

Peugeot 305, 505, (older ones)

There a many more.

Next time I want also in on the bet ;-)

Now he claims to have worked at a Chrysler dealer in that period,(late 80s, early 90s) and says they used ATF, not Motor oil.....

Ehm...both can be right, but I guess your from the US so the AT is more common over there..:

Transaxle, automatic
Capacity 3,8 liter
OEM recommendation
year-round Dexron IID
year-round Mopar MS 7176 (ATF +)

Transaxle, manual 5/1
Capacity 2,1 liter
OEM recommendation
year-round API: SF SAE 5W-30

Add to that list the Chevrolet Luv pickups and their twin sisters from Izusu, as well as the Rodeo and Trooper

Don't limit Saab 900's to 1993. My 1997 Saab 900 was the last year to spec dino motor oil in the transmission.

It is interesting how in the real world there is so little understanding by those who do the work....
Just for the sake of trivia, gear oils use a different scale to that used for engine oil grades. I don't know why but probably to stop people thinking it is all the same and useing gear oils in engines and vice versa.(current subject not withstanding). Much the same way temperature is measured Degrees Celsius or deg. Fahrenheit. Water still boils at the same point regardless of the scale used.
The same with gearbox manufacturers. Some might recommend an oil of a particular viscosity from an engine oil chart, while others (most)recommend the same viscosity but useing the scale for gear oils. The interchangeability gets more tenuous when things such as API specifications, additive packages and the like are at issue. Not the league of the average mechanic.

Regards,
Roger M

quote:

Originally posted by prtdvl:
Now he claims to have worked at a Chrysler dealer in that period,(late 80s, early 90s) and says they used ATF, not Motor oil.....

Allison makes certian transmissions for heavy applications that require the use of an oil that passes a C-4 specification. It just so happens that Many engine oils pass this spec. It makes it easy in developing nations where transmission oil might be scarce.

The R380 box fitted to the later MGRV8s from 1994 to 1998 used "Dextron II" automatic gearbox oil.

The original and only true 'Mini', plus all its derivitives, eg Morris, Austin and MG 1100 and 1300, have a gearbox that forms the sump for the engine.
The recommended oil, when first introduced in 1959 was a range of standard, multigrade 20W50 oils from various manufacturers
Many of these cars are still running and mine is now filled with fully synthetic 15W40 Mobil 1 as it has been fitted with a Garret T3 Turbo. I don't use semi synthetic in any turbo engine as I beleive that with any mineral oil 'ash' is formed at super high temperatures generated in the turbo. The resulting deposits causing the turbine bearings to fail. I would be interested in any comments from you guys on my thinking about the use of semi synthetic in a turbo engine.
Regards
Kayball

I just recently switched to Delo 400 15W-40 from A** on my ZF 5speed which called for A** OEM, the reason is that in summers I just didn't' like the feel of the tranny, now the tranny is far smoother, way less heat, even reverse engages way better than before, sometimes its the user that knows the best and this case, nothing can be further than the truth, MB recommended A** for relatively colder Germany, I life in India where there is extreme summer as well as extreme winters, depending on the place, therefore, A** is not truly suited unless one can get high temp, high shear point synthetic A** which here at US$21 is truly a luxury, specially on 4WD vehicle used regularly off road and wading.