I am thinking that i should change my 5 speeds gear oil in my95 3500 4X4. Looking for suggestions as to what would be best. I was thinking of going synthetic. Any help would be great. Thanks in advance.

 

Stick with the OEM oil.

Do a search on the NV 4500 and you will find alot of different posts on oil. The only oil that goes into that transmission is right on the tag. The MOPAR oil is Castrol Syntorq NOT SYNTEC. It is a specially formulated oil for the syncro's and bushings in the tranny.

Some guys use AMSOIL with good results also.

For me I stuck with the OEM stuff.

J-eh

 

Yes, Syntorque can be had at Chevy dealers also. different bottle,same stuff for $24 a quart as opposed to $32+ at Dodge. One of the vendors here? sells it per gallon for $60? or so. I also talked with Redline and they say a 50/50 mix of thier MTL and 90wt gear works? no guarantee though. The deal is as I read is the dodge syncros are carbonfiber I think and the additives in GL5 rated oil will eat them up. The syntorque is GL4. The oil is rated as a "lifepack"?

 

I would only use Syntorq. Best price, $13.50/qt, bottom of this page
http://www.standardtransmission.com/dodge.html

 

thanks for the replies. any idea on how many quarts i need to have on a drain and refill?

 

If I remember correctly mine took 4 quarts.

 

"lifepack" as in doesn't need changed...

 

Thats what they say, but if its anything like my 95 the trans oil will get changed regulary everytime it craters, 3 times in 130K for me.

 

""lifepack" as in doesn't need changed..."


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care to explain what lifepack means??

 

AMSOIL 120K flawless miles..........porven product but to each theyre own

 

I'm just not sure I buy into the whole "lifepack" thing... Something in me say the fluid needs changed. I mean if your working the truck pulling a load (like most of us do) then there has to be something in the fluid that breaks down then is no longer usable... Humm which reminds me I have not changed mine yet and I don't know when the last time it was changed (purchased used last fall with 177k on the ticker)...

 

I have been running Lucas oil stabilizer / lucas 75 /90 . 50 / 50 mix. for over 100,000 miles . Trans, rear, & transfercase. Truck still gets 19 miles per gallon. Change every 35,000 miles.

 

I think when they say lubed for life it's under the assumption that most folks only keep their rigs for around 100k miles. The tranny lube should be good for a very long time though since it's not contaminated by products of combustion like motor oil and rarely will reach temps high enough to alter it especially since the recommended fluid is synthetic.

Heck I have the same tranny fluid in my '82 Toyota PU as it had when it came off the dealer's lot 320k ago. Of course it's never towed anything though.