INTJ

Torsen: http://www.torsen.com/fsae/fsaefaq.htm

Not only run on atf, but have better lockup (torque bias ratio or TBR). Fine for the diff not so hot for the gearset as you explain.

I have always wondered why track guys don't use the FSAE tricks on the washers. It would seem like exactly what they need. I'll experiment when I get a chance. Autocross not great since there have been concerns about shockloading if a wheel gets lifted then comes down at a high TBR.

Bror Jace

Went shopping for gear oil today ... couldn't find anything I liked in this area. Phooey!

Since I've already decide to go with Honda MTF in the tranny, I'd rather not go mail order for a single quart of gear oil

I'll see what NAPA carries this week. I'm not exactly hopeful.

Just so I'm sure, we can use any XW-90 gear oil? It does not have to say it is suitable for LSDs?

FISH22

I would say just order from Ricks2k.com. I paid about $41 shipped for 2 quarts of LE 1605. That should hold me over for the next 2 years.

The major thing with gear oil is that it has to be a GL5.

INDYMAC

The Honda MTF is a good choice.

If you limit yourself to OTC gear oils, then I think M1 is your best choice. LSD adds don't seem to have any benefit nor adverse effect with the Torsen LSD. The 75W-90 is the most popular gear oil, but you aren't really limited to it. If the made a 75W-110, I would recommend that or a 140 too. If you don't plan on driving during the winter, then LE 1605 Duolec would be a great choice (Internet order as mentioned previously).

If you have OEM type summer tires, then driving below 40F is not a good idea. You might be sorry!

Good luck and enjoy your new car Bror!

Bror Jace

Thanks Fish22, I will probably look around a little more.

"The major thing with gear oil is that it has to be a GL5."

Luckily, that's the most common rating. GL4 used to be really hard to find. Nowadays? Not too bad.

Anyone here take a good wiff of LE's gear oil? Smell of sulfur? I am hoping to get a more advanced add-pack than the traditional sulfur-based anti-wear compounds which is why I'm hoping to find some Delo 400.

If I have to go mail order, I'll get Amsoil Severe Gear in 75W-90 from "Pablo" at BITOG.

INDY, I think the Amsoil MTF is probably the best year 'round ... but
this car will rarely see temps below 50F ... just an occasional cool fall morning. I expect to have it on the road about 7-8 months per year max. Once we get sleet, snow or freezing rain, she's staying in her garage and not coming out til all the salt is off the roads.

I have an '06 Civic that is my utility "mule" and I shod it with Nokian Hakkapelita tires for winter duty.

The Honda MTF seems the best in warm and moderate temps, though. The big downside is that it shears down quickly ... but I expect to change it every 15,000-20,000 miles.

Back to rear ends, I'm gonna comb the Capital District looking for this stuff:

http://www.deloperformance.com/products/ge...ts.aspx#gearesi

Conventional or synthetic, I don't think it matters as I won't be leaving it in for more than 15,000-20,000 miles.

INDYMAC

Bror,

The Delo gear oils sound interesting. I can't find the PDS though.

The LE 1605 does have some sulphur, but it's not as obnoxious as other gear oils that I've smelled. Duolec is their proprietary additive, and I believe it to be an ester based liquid crystal type additive for EP and AW.

If you order from Pablo, just get the AMSOIL MTF and SVT 75W-110 on one shipment. You will need 2 qts MTF and 1 qt SVT.

If you can get 15-20K out of any MTF, you will set a new record. OCI's for MTF are not programmed or written in stone for the S2000. They are very subjective. One day you'll just say to yourself that I need to change the tranny fluid...it just isn't shifting as well as it used to (notchy).

If your dead set on trying the Delo gear oil, try a truck stop that sells Chevron products. They probably have shelves full of the stuff.

Don't forget to freshen up the clutch and brake fluid too. DOT 3 or 4 will work.

Good luck.

Bror Jace

INDYMAC, I just got the Honda MTF this morning ... and stopped at a local NAPA store where they sell Lubromoly synthetic 75W-90 for about $11 per quart. That's my fall-back option.

http://www.autosportcatalog.com/liqui-moly...ic-gear-oil.cfm

Funny you should mention truck stops. I found a couple local ones on-line that (supposedly) carry Chevron products and will run out there in the next few days to see if they have either Chevron gear oil. Having been a Chevron fan for a decade, having seen some really incredible UOAs using their ultra-cheap motor oils and hearing glowing reviews of their gear oils with an innovative, borate-based add-packs, I really want to try it.

Nice to know that about the LE gear oil. ester-based EP and AW works well ... as evidenced by UOAs that have some Schaeffer's #132 additive in the mix:

http://www.schaefferoil.com/specialty/132.html

They sell it on the moly additive ... but there's not that much moly in it. MolaKule at BITOG said it contained an ester which is the real secret of this stuff's success.

OK on the MTF interval ... I'll scale the plan back to 10,000-12,000 miles.

I'll post a UOA of both fluids ... but the way I (don't) rack up the miles, it'll be years from now before that happens.

"Don't forget to freshen up the clutch and brake fluid too. DOT 3 or 4 will work."

Thanks ... did that Friday night when I changed the oil. I used Castrol LMA.

SpitfireS

Bror Jace: you are aware that Honda recommended the SAE 90 GL-5 / GL-6 to be used in the S2000 diff from the moment it was introduced, in 1999?
And.. you know about the change in the SAE J306 gear oil spec?

1 + 1 = 2

SAE (xxW-) 110 gear oil is THE replacement for old school SAE 90.

Btw.. the GL-6 recommendation points out (IMO!) that Honda was well aware of the high offset ring & pinion setup and the oil recommendation that comes with such a setup.

Bror Jace

Thanks SpitfireS, for the heads up on this … I was not aware of the SAE update. Last time I was in the market for a GL-5 gear oil was when I was buying some for Dad’s Ariens snowblower.

But I think I’m going to need a bit of help following the path that leads me to a 75W-110.

I looked up the SAE J306 gear oil specification and found a piece of narrative on Lubrizol’s website. Basically, they said that the range of both 90 and 140 were too wide … and a weight was needed in between the two to allow manufacturers to better fine-tune recommended weights of lubes for various applications (balancing protection, fuel economy, shift performance, etc …).

Makes sense to me … although 110 weight gear oils are still pretty rare animals five years later.

However, with the Honda manual still calling for a 90 gear oil (or do the manuals from 2006-2009 call for a 110W?) what makes you say they really want something heavier? Do you have a target viscosity in cSt to shoot for … say a 22 or 23 (which used to be the upper limit for an SAE 90)??

The conventional Delo 85W-140 is a cSt 25 according to their own data sheet while their 90 weights are cSt 14 and change.

Bror Jace

"The Delo gear oils sound interesting. I can't find the PDS though."

INDYMAC, sorry … I didn’t see where you said you couldn’t find the Delo gear oil PSD sheets until I re-read your post.

Conventional:
https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/PDSDeta...9&docFormat=PDF

Synthetic:
https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/PDSDeta...1&docFormat=PDF
And both sheets were updated earlier this calendar year.