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Magnette / MGA Transmission Oil

Have a recently acquired a '59 Magnette which is mechanically the same as an MGA, but built up into a luxury sedan model. Relatively few were built and exist today.

No owner's manual but I do have the shop manual. It specifies the same oil for use in the transmission as for the engine (oils separated by the dry clutch & bell housing and don't mix).

My immediate thought is that a heavier oil intended for gears would be better, but who am I to argue with the folks at Abingdon on Thames in the late 1950s. Back in 1965, after using a good grade of SAE 30 non-detergent engine oil for several years in an identical car, I experienced a transmission failure. Ball cage on the input shaft bearing had disintegrated and also found wear on the layshaft.

What are other's using, comments welcome, & thanks ....

Reply to
Stephen G. Giannoni
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Same as MGB I do use a light gear oil in the box now as the additives in the newer engine oils play havoc with the gear box (found this out earlier in the piece with one of the first newer oils Castrol GTX - new out about 1974 - beut new motor and gearbox rebuild - new oil in both - motor started to knock and the gearbox bearings went blue after a very short time 2000mls - I monitored the oil pressure gauge and it acted differently to the old Castrol XL so I pulled the motor and box hence found the encroaching damage - had to replace the engine bearings and GBox bearings.

The oil I am now using is the lightest hypoid oil and this does work even with the overdrive unit.

Rm

Reply to
Rob

Now this is a quandary !!!

I did use SAE 30 engine oil in the transmission back in the 60s for years and maybe about 30K miles without problems after the mentioned repair.

What problems could later additives cause ? Additives only improve the lubrication provided by the oils and stabilizers for engine combustion conditions, etc. I believe that all the bearings in the transmission are rollers or balls which are inherently less demanding of the lubricant than the shearing engine parts.

The previous owner has informed me that he serviced the transmission oil about 3 years or 8K miles ago, with what was called for in the manual. Could be that the Magnette's transmission is (was) different than the MGB ? Sent an exploded view from the manual.

So far, I've topped up the transmission oil using Pennzoil HD SAE 30, better part of a quart to bring the level from the low to just over the high mark.

Time will tell ....

Reply to
Stephen G. Giannoni

My first MGB was 1968 model with overdrive. No I did not have problems with the oil at the time. Early 70's was the release of GTX oil. Maybe its detergent oil but it did affect the bearings. They produce an oil now for older cars. You may want to research this oil type and see what different.

Can't answer that one but diesels engines do not use a detergent oil either.

I do think that they were very similar.

That's a lot of oil in one go does it leak?

Yep guess so!

Reply to
Rob

Not sure about engine oils, but modern EP oils have an additive which is harmful to brass. My TC rear axle apparently has brass in some of the bearings/bushes and one is advised not to use modern oils. (My Land Rover capstan winch is the same).

Penrite do a range of oils for the older car, including what they call Mild EP which is suitable. Not a help to you of course, wanting an engine oil, but I'd have a look at their range. It might also be worth trying the "cooking" 20W/50 from Halfords etc. This, being cheap, presumably hasn't got the additives of modern oils, so won't be far off a straight SAE30.

Incidentally, a friend reckons that Duckhams 20W/50 is good for an extra 5 psi in his PB engine compared with anything else.

Gordon

Reply to
Gordon

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