where can i get the 10-60 castrol in so cal and can i use...

[bradslt5]

4-30 mobil one in the interim? or sould i use only gm synth. 5-30 trans oil . i have on the shelf some royal purple sncro max tranx fluid would that do until i get the castrol? your thought very welcome

[XfireZ51]

4-30 mobil one in the interim? or sould i use only gm synth. 5-30 trans oil . i have on the shelf some royal purple sncro max tranx fluid would that do until i get the castrol? your thought very welcome

The stuff for the ZF is only available thru BMW dealers. $9/litre.

[tomtom72]

I switch between the GM synchromesch fluid and the Castrol/BMW/M5 10-60 stuff. But I do mine every winter, so say at less than 10k intervals. If I get close to 10k then I start to think about changing it again.

I find that the GM stuff, (I forget the p/n's) as the original GM stuff is superceeded by the fluid you buy @ dealer now, seems to take less warm up time than the Castrol oil. I bassed my change interval on the results of a lubricity test zfdoc.com did on both oils....@ 12k the lubricity falls to about 40% of new oil....therefore using that info I do mine at or before 10k/1 yr intervals.
JMHO
:cheers:
Tom

[Aurora40]

I'd think in SoCal there'd be a BMW dealership on every corner...

[bradslt5]

I was hoping i could get it somewhere else . i get a rash if i go near a bmw dealership:-D

[XfireZ51]

I was hoping i could get it somewhere else . i get a rash if i go near a bmw dealership:-D

Better get some Lotromin then.

[bradslt5]

I'll get a big bottle today ,thanx dominic . good call:) :)

[bldavis11]

From my understanding BMW is the only importer of that weight oil, so you're stuck dealing with them. The TWS is apparently the oil of choice for their M-series class of cars. I can't imagine paying 9 bucks a liter for an oil change. You gotta pay to play I suppose.

[PhillipsLT5]

www.zfdoc.com
he has it & no rash

[blackjack]

thats a whopping 18 dollars a year for a trans fluid change...i bet some guys here spend more than that on beer every w-e:)
bj

[karterdon]

I contacted the boy's at ZF ( Since they built the damn thing) to ask them their recommendation. They highly recommended the GM syncro-mesh lube. It is a 5-30 partially synthetic. They said that GM did alot of research & development on the lube because of racing. They did not say much about the 10-60 BMW lube.

I heard that some Z-owners also tried using Mobil-1 10-30 synthetic engine oil. ZF said absolutly not - It is not designed for transmissions - won't handle the shear loads demanded by gears. It also does not contain the additive package neccessary to protect the gear face and to prevent syncro damage and wear. I also contacted Mobil engineering - They confirmed what ZF said.

As a side note - ZF sold the trans division to Rockland Standard Gear some years ago.

ZF also recommended changing the gear lube every 10k to 12k to keep the trans shifting smoothly.

The GM lube is also about $9 per qt. You will need 3 qts.

So for what it's worth - I am going to use the GM stuff.

It just become a matter of choice and prefference !!

:confused:

Don Yoakem
91-#267 Dark Red Met.

[bldavis11]

I contacted the boy's at ZF ( Since they built the damn thing) to ask them their recommendation. They highly recommended the GM syncro-mesh lube. It is a 5-30 partially synthetic. They said that GM did alot of research & development on the lube because of racing. They did not say much about the 10-60 BMW lube.

I heard that some Z-owners also tried using Mobil-1 10-30 synthetic engine oil. ZF said absolutly not - It is not designed for transmissions - won't handle the shear loads demanded by gears. It also does not contain the additive package neccessary to protect the gear face and to prevent syncro damage and wear. I also contacted Mobil engineering - They confirmed what ZF said.

As a side note - ZF sold the trans division to Rockland Standard Gear some years ago.

ZF also recommended changing the gear lube every 10k to 12k to keep the trans shifting smoothly.

The GM lube is also about $9 per qt. You will need 3 qts.

So for what it's worth - I am going to use the GM stuff.

It just become a matter of choice and prefference !!

:confused:

Don Yoakem
91-#267 Dark Red Met.
You need to go read www.zfdoc.com. You'll see why we're all about the Castrol.

[bldavis11]

thats a whopping 18 dollars a year for a trans fluid change...i bet some guys here spend more than that on beer every w-e:)
bj
Right. $18 for a tranny fluid isn't a problem. BMWs specs 7-8 L for the M-series motors. Wanna get off $72 (+tax) just for the oil per oil change? That's what I was referring to.

[Aurora40]

I contacted the boy's at ZF ( Since they built the damn thing) to ask them their recommendation. They highly recommended the GM syncro-mesh lube. It is a 5-30 partially synthetic. They said that GM did alot of research & development on the lube because of racing. They did not say much about the 10-60 BMW lube.
While I'm not trying to dismiss the GM lube, I seriously doubt any of their "lots" of testing involved putting it in a ZF transmission. These things are all well out of warranty and I doubt GM cares. And as you said, ZF sold the rights off. So they probably don't care a whole lot either.

I also don't believe the stuff they suggest as a replacement lube for our ZF's is the same stuff used in the Tremec's in newer Corvettes. I could be mistaken though.

[Jeffvette]

I also don't believe the stuff they suggest as a replacement lube for our ZF's is the same stuff used in the Tremec's in newer Corvettes. I could be mistaken though.

The stuff in the Current T56 in the Vettes, camaros, GTO's is ATF.

[flyin ryan]

here's what the case & bottles look likehttp://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee142/flyinryan_ZR1/IMG_0757.jpgnow for the good news, you guys think $9.00 is expensive? look what i get the privelage of paying up here:censored: just rude.http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee142/flyinryan_ZR1/IMG_0758.jpg

[Aurora40]

Man, the price just keeps going up and up. Two years ago I got it for $9 a quart. The last time I changed it, it was $13 per quart. Now it's $19?? I'm glad I don't have to fill an engine with that stuff!

[Paul Workman]

I just last week changed oil to the Castrol 10W60 recommended by zfdoc.com. I don't know what was in the car before I bought it, but it was thicker when it drained out cold (not dirty, btw) than the 10W60 was that I replaced it with. I gotta tell ya, I didn't expect the cold oil problems I'm apparently having since. The shifting (cold) is suddenly "notchy", and over all less smooth. Once it warms up, shifting is smooth as it was when the previous oil was installed; i.e., no problems after it warms that I can tell from the drivers seat.

Since most of us are not experts on lubrication, we are relegated to trusting recommendations by those we feel are experts. When recommendations conflict among those that should know, it leaves us in a :confused: mode. I've had very good experiences in my dealings with Bill B of ZFdoc.com, so I trust his word. That said, it gives me pause as to what the heck is going on with my trans now that it has the recommended oil in it. For sure it shifted better when cold than it does now. (And, by cold, I mean from anywhere between 0 and 60ºF!) So...I have to wonder about the GM Syncromesh recommendation - coming from ZF.

More study needed, methinks.

P.

[Jeffvette]

Ryan, I suggest when you come in August you stock up on oil for the ZF and engine oil and transport it back.

[flyin ryan]

Ryan, I suggest when you come in August you stock up on oil for the ZF and engine oil and transport it back.ya not a bad idea all right & maybe sell it as well LOL. unfortunatly i'm used to getting bent over up here. with all the engines i do of coarse all the parts come from down south, well a $30,000-$40,000 engine will easily be another $5000-$8000 premium. price we pay for breathing clean air i guess:-({|=