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Overfill Getrag Question

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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 10:05 AM
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Overfill Getrag Question

I accidentally put gear lube in my Getrag manual 5sp. I'm changing it out to 5W30 Synthetic motoroil since after reading the sticky and people's notes I realize (with surprise) that this transmission takes lighter weight oil. Also, overfilling the trany is suggested. Doesn't this go against the design? the level will be above the input shaft hole level and force fluid back at the clutch and increase pressure in there, maybe pushing oiil out the top? I don't know, just seems hard to fill it 1&1/4qts over. How, through the top where the stick enters the trany? Advice and knowledge sought gratefully.
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 10:15 AM
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Yes,(over)fill the tranny by 1L with synthetic 5w30 thru the top.
Your tranny will love you for it.
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 10:27 AM
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you can put a 90 degree pipe elbow on it to help you get that extra quart in there
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 10:46 AM
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Would it work for me to fill through the top or is there a seal in the way? I'm talking about taking the stick shroud off and filling where the stick enters the trany inside the cab.
Second question, I ruined a Getrag once (2001) by having the thicker gearlube in there, I think. Might this have been the culprit? Right after getting the Jiify lube dorks to change out the trany fluid, I destroyed my Getrag towing with a load up the Cumberland pass in MD. They probably put in 80w or 90w gear lube. The truck did have 290K miles on it at the time, but now I'm realizing that it could have been too thick lube that did it. The pressures inside these transmissions have to be enormous, so extra thick lube under stress could have done it???
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 10:58 AM
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i dont think you ca fill it from the top because of the seals in the way you would have to pull the top off the tranny to fill it but you have to drop it to do that
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by MountainBen
Doesn't this go against the design? the level will be above the input shaft hole level and force fluid back at the clutch and increase pressure in there, maybe pushing oiil out the top or through the terminal shft seal? Advice and knowledge sought gratefully.
I'm a little paranoid about this because my clutch (original at 193,000mi) seems fairly worn and I am not wanting to accelerate it's death. Won't fluid leak out if it goes above the normal fill hole?
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 10:59 AM
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it hasnt doen it on mine yet and its still goin
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted by stackx2
you can put a 90 degree pipe elbow on it to help you get that extra quart in there
I can do that easily, as long as it doesn't get whacked off by a big rock or something. Probably turn it up at least 2 inches above the top of the original fill hole? There is a picture of this kind of thing in the sticky with a temp probe added . . .
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 11:15 AM
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just remove the top PTO cover Bolt out and over fill from there...............I cut a coat hanger now check the level thru that same hole.........A little red touch up paint marks the new full level......it is attached to my wiring loom for the next time i want to check it.



"Normally" over fill is a bad idea........IT'S THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOU GETRAG........AND IT WILL RUN QUITTER TOO



Flash
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 11:24 AM
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I run 15-50 Mobil1 in mine. I just pull the shifter out and fill it through the hole, then put my shifter back in. Way easier than messing with that small pain in the *** hole on the side.
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by flashgordon
just remove the top PTO cover Bolt out and over fill from
OK, dumb question, but what is the PTO cover bolt and where is it located (obviously high up on the case somewhere) . . . I kinda like pullin the shifter out idea by 6BTA . I had to replace the shifter once. The stick broke off it while I was driving, kinda panicky but also hilarious, better than the steering wheel. Shifting with a big vise grip worked to get me home . . .
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by 6BTA STACKED
I run 15-50 Mobil1 in mine
Is this a synthetic?
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 01:17 PM
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There are probably more threads on ways to over-fill the Getrag than there are members on the forum.

There are also about as many preferred methods and lubricant choices.

I currently have three Getrags and this is what I do :

Replace the fill-plug with a 1/2"-NPT street-ell fitting oriented at an angle toward the firewall, to which is added a 1/2-NPT x 1/2-hose-barb, to which is attached a length of clear braided hose that proceeds in front of the fire-wall, terminating with a barb, sleeve, and plug.

A dip-stick is made of either a long dipstick from something else, a length of #9 wire, or whatever.

I use FIVE quarts of Mobile-One FULL-synthetic 5W-30.

Seeing as how internal combustion has no bearing on the oil, I figure Walmart store-brand full-synthetic 5W-30 would be plenty good enough in a transmission.

They had it on sale in 5-qt jugs for about thirteen bucks a few weeks ago, so that is probably the route I will go in the future.


I have never known of any leakage problems caused by overfilling the Getrag.
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 03:20 PM
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Originally Posted by BearKiller
There are probably more threads on ways to over-fill the Getrag than there are members on the forum.

There are also about as many preferred methods and lubricant choices.

I currently have three Getrags and this is what I do :

Replace the fill-plug with a 1/2"-NPT street-ell fitting oriented at an angle toward the firewall, to which is added a 1/2-NPT x 1/2-hose-barb, to which is attached a length of clear braided hose that proceeds in front of the fire-wall, terminating with a barb, sleeve, and plug.

A dip-stick is made of either a long dipstick from something else, a length of #9 wire, or whatever.
.
I wonder what would happen if you put some sort of breather filter on the end of your hose? Do you think oil would get pushed out?

Thats a good idea though.
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 04:14 PM
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Does anyone who overfills their getrag know how high the fluid level is relative to the PTO cover? I'm wondering if I'd have room to weld in a sight glass and a fill bung in the side of the cover. Filling through that bolt hole is a pain.
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