Fidanzza flywheel and transmission 10W60 oil?

[Mika73]

I have Fidanzza aluminium flywheel at -90 ZR1 and that rattle sound sounds me nuts, mostly at highway.. Is it really ok use same Castrol 10W60 oli as ZF transmission as I use at LT5 engine? I ask this years ago at Corvette Service Finland and they said that they are not going to put engine oil to transmission.
Is this good idea and does it make a difference?

I been even thinking change orginal flywheel back, but I dont have this anymore and flywheel with change would cost a lot.

[Paul Workman]

I had what is apparently a common failure with the ZF transmission - the reverse gear seizing to the idler shaft due to (as Bill Boudreau of ZFdoc.com put it) lack of lubrication. One minute I was cruising down the highway, and suddenly I feel a tug, like someone applying the brakes. In a matter of seconds the rear wheels lock up and skid to a halt!

I ended up buying a new transmission, and Bill opened up the oil galleries to better lube that reverse idler gear, and he recommended the Castrol TWS 10W-60 synthetic oil. (see excerpt from his web page)

(Q.) I just bought, at the local BMW dealership, 3 liters of the Castrol TWS 10W60 oil. I was surprised to see that it is motor oil. Not being a lubrication engineer myself, who did the investigation and determination that this product is compatible with and good for our ZF transmissions? Jim ? Grand Sport Registry
(A.) Jim, the C4 Corvette ZF S6-40 6-speed transmission uses engine oil for lubrication. I was told by Jeff Henning, Warranty Administrator of ZF Industries North America, that Engineering of ZF Industries in Germany determined that the BMW imported Castrol (RS superseded by TWS) 10W-60 oil was the recommended alternative to the (GM P/N 1052931) factory-fill oil for use in the ZF S6-40 transmission. In effort to verify ZF Industries alternative lubricant recommendation, we ran our own test series on the BMW imported Castrol TWS 10W-60 oil. Independent testing of the transmission oil samples was sub-contracted out to CTC Analytical Services. The test series went as follows:
<1> Spectrographic analysis indicated that it is has full synthetic composition.
<2> After 2 hours of operation, approximately 100 miles, oil sample analysis tests indicated that the viscosity rating was reduced from 60 down to a 43 level. No need to worry, this is a normal occurrence for this heavier type of oil. I attribute this to microscopic-level lubricant-strand trimming through operational loading where all of the oil contents has been passed through gear pressure-loading regions at least a few times.
<3> At 200 miles, the viscosity level stabilized at a 42 level viscosity since the 100 mile oil analysis test results.
<4> At 5000 miles, the oil analysis test results indicated a 40 level viscosity.
The test-transmission was completely disassembled and checked for wear. There were no signs of carbon film like experienced with the factory-fill oil. The phosphor-bronze lined synchronizers had no glazing and experienced an average mass loss of approximately 4% based on reserve-wear-range mass equivalency between 0.062"(new) and 0.048"(spent)
gap wear/mass measurements.
<5> At 10,000 miles, the oil analysis test results indicated a 39 level viscosity.
<6> At 12,500 miles, the oil analysis test results indicated a 37 level viscosity.
<7> At 15,000 miles, the oil analysis test results indicated a 34 level viscosity.
The test-transmission was again completely disassembled and checked for wear. There were no signs of carbon film like experienced with the factory-fill 30 oil. The phosphor-bronze lined synchronizers had no glazing and experienced an average mass loss of approximately 17% based on reserve-wear-range mass equivalency between 0.062"(new) and 0.048"(spent) gap wear/mass measurements.
<8> At 15,000 miles the oil had enough phosphor-bronze particles suspended
in it that deposits began building up inside of the synchronizer sliding
sleeves from the normal centrifuge-like rotational occurrence.
In Conclusion, until someone invents a copper magnet, we recommend that the ZF S6-40 6-speed transmission oil be changed at 10,000 - 12,000 mile intervals so as to minimize the amount of deposits of the suspended spent synchronizer material from collecting in critical component contact surface areas.

I too had some rattle with my Fidanza, but Marc increased the idle speed by 100 rpm. That helped, but the biggest improvement came as result of replacing the injectors, due to 3 of my OEM injectors were going bad. The combination of the rpm, good injectors, and TWS 10W-60 oil, and I have no gear rattle at idle.

So, I guess my point is that manufacture recommends the Castrol TWS, (or the equivalent), and being a little paranoid (now) of oil-related (lack of oil) failure, I use the TWS 10W-60 synthetic and WATCH the level carefully!

FWIW,

P.

[Mika73]

I guess that biggest problem is at highway at cruise maybe 50mph and little uphill comes.. That sound isnt so nice.. So maybe I should get Castrol 10W60 next time if it makes difference to normal GM oil that is used with ZF.

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by Mika73

I guess that biggest problem is at highway at cruise maybe 50mph and little uphill comes.. That sound isnt so nice.. So maybe I should get Castrol 10W60 next time if it makes difference to normal GM oil that is used with ZF.

Well, I think we're talking about two different things... The Fidanza/ZF noise at idle is one thing, but noise on the highway - under load ? That doesn't sound so good, and I doubt it has anything to do with the Fidanza under the conditions you describe... Something else is going on there, I guess. I would suggest linking up with Bill B at ZFdoc.com

P.

[Mika73]

This started just after Fidanza years ago and I think I have read that single mass flywheel does this with low RPM when there gets more load..

?There will also be some low level growl from the transmission when accelerating lightly in the 750 to 2500 rpm range.?
http://www.zr1specialist.com/HAT%20W...eel-clutch.htm

[A26B]

I can maybe understand the possibility of the growl, but not the rattle under load. The rattle is due to the lash in the gear train and should only occur with the clutch out in neutral, NOT while driving under load.

I'm in complete agreement with Paul in thinking you have something going on besides the transmission.

BTW, I had the dreaded ZF "seizure" also and had Redline lube in the transmission with only about 2,000 miles. The transmission still had the original oil when I changed it at 59,000 miles & it looked like new oil when I drained it. I would not recommend Redline for the ZF. I've been running the Castrol from BMW in the new transmission.

[GOLDCYLON]

Originally Posted by Paul Workman

Well, I think we're talking about two different things... The Fidanza/ZF noise at idle is one thing, but noise on the highway - under load ? That doesn't sound so good, and I doubt it has anything to do with the Fidanza under the conditions you describe... Something else is going on there, I guess. I would suggest linking up with Bill B at ZFdoc.com

P.

I completely agree with Pauls statement above. Something else is going on and you need to talk to Bill Boudreau.

I also just recently learned that the Fridanza flywheels are not good to go right out of the box. They need to be drilled and Zero balanced before installation. Im getting ready to install one on my new motor and Polo-1 is getting mine zero balanced. Just FYI

[Mika73]

Maybe I was using wrong word. But it makes noise that disturbs me at highway. It isnt drilled/balanced, service just put it there when they changed Centerforce clutch. Problem is at low rpm and goes away if using lower gear.

[Paul Workman]

Something else...

When the transmission is installed, the alignment of the transmission has to be correct, or there can be some noise (and wear and vibration) issues. (Again, visit ZFdoc.com for the specific information. Just a thought.)

P.

[FU]

Bear in mind that the transmission will "growl" loudly with a single mass on the highway when your lugging the engine.
This is my experience at least.