Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Big Question IS how much do I need to order to do a gearbox oil change on my +2 S 130/5 ??

I'm presently overseas again so have no chance to look in the manual (and would you trust 'er indoors' )

Cheers & Beers

Peter

The 5 speed capacity is 1.7 litres. If changing the oil for the first time make sure you idnetify the drain and fill plugs correctly. They are the hex socket plugs not the dome head or hex head plugs.

Redline MTL make an even bigger difference to what was always a fairly poor change in the 5 speed than it does to the 4 speed.

Rohan

Steve

I run Redline 75W/90 Gear Oil in the diff of the Plus 2 and the Elan. For engine oil I run Redline 15W/50 for the Elan but use a more "normal" 10W/50 or similar synthetic ( Mobil1, Valvoline, Fuchs) for the Plus 2 and Esprit depending on whats cheapest in the store at the time. In Australia winter ratings are not really important so 5W, 10W,15W,20W I use interchangeably as long as it has a 50 hot rating

For road use at over A$100 an oil change Redline is over kill in the engine I beleive. For gear boxes and diffs given the extended change intervals and smaller volumes involved its affordable and warranted even in road cars.

regards
Rohan

Sean Murray wrote:Steve,

I use Castrol Driveline Syntrax 75W-90, API GL4/GL5. Widely available in this part of the world. Recommended to me by Lotus gearbox specialist Graham Boulton, Norfolk many years ago.

Sean Murray

Sean

You had better tell me where you get yours from !!

Redlines ONLY (supposedly) supplier couture-auto near Blanchards town want 21.78 euros / bottle + 12.10 euros P&P so I make that 67.76 euros for 2 bottles !!! S**T the Fekers are having a laugh

I would really like to try this redline but that's taking the P***

Cheers

Price sounds a bit steep. In Australia its around A$100 for a 3.8 litre container from my local distibutor or say 15 Euro a litre. Not cheap but not prohibitive

Rohan

Sean

You had better tell me where you get yours from !!

Redlines ONLY (supposedly) supplier couture-auto near Blanchards town want 21.78 euros / bottle + 12.10 euros P&P so I make that 67.76 euros for 2 bottles !!! S**T the Fekers are having a laugh

I would really like to try this redline but that's taking the P***

Cheers

About ?22 per Quart including VAT and postage direct from Redline here in the UK, two bottle for ?35, so your 67 Euros does sound expensive

A US gallon would be ?63. Try their European web site - http://www.redlineoil-europe.com/gearoi ... 90%5F00062

pmallinson wrote:
Sean

You had better tell me where you get yours from !!

Cheers

Deevys Auto & Marine Accessories 48 Parnell St Waterford, 051 874477
Castrol Driveline Syntrax 75w-90, ?12.50 /litre

I agree with the MTL crowd, did wonders for my Elan. I also used Redline ??? for my Esprit, once again did wonders. And now I use 75W90NS in my WRX which was like night and day comapred to dead dino oil and Royal Purple, Motul was better than the preceeding two, but nowhere near as nice as the Redline.

fasterbyelan wrote:

A US gallon would be ?63. Try their European web site - http://www.redlineoil-europe.com/gearoi ... 90%5F00062

Thanks for that this works out 92 Euro delivered with enough oil for 2 changes

Cheers and Beers

Just to update this very useful thread. it appears Redline have updated their MTL 75W-80, it is now called 75W-85:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-1015-red-li ... 5w-80.aspx

?16.69 for 1 US Quart (0.946 litres) with a member's discount from Opie Oils in the UK.

In case it helps anyone else, after recommendation on here I am buying this Hilka 500cc pump to fill my gearbox too:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HILKA-500CC-C ... 849wt_1398

Edit: I ordered the wrong oil, that link is for gear oil (differentials and the like). MTL is here:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-1019-red-li ... 0-gl4.aspx

And is ?15.59 for 1 US Quart (0.946 litres) with a member's discount from Opie Oils in the UK.

Gentlemen,

I read this thread and I keep asking myself what I'm not seeing. My gearbox is filled, as my cars have always been filled, with bog standard EP80 or 90 gear oil and it's a typical Elan box, quiet, with a nice slick "snick snick" action. So what exactly am I missing by not buying fashionably expensive oil?

I'm not trying to be an agent provocateur here, I would really like to know what limitations everyone seems to suffer with the gear oil we have used for decades?

nebogipfel wrote:Gentlemen,

I read this thread and I keep asking myself what I'm not seeing. My gearbox is filled, as my cars have always been filled, with bog standard EP80 or 90 gear oil and it's a typical Elan box, quiet, with a nice slick "snick snick" action. So what exactly am I missing by not buying fashionably expensive oil?

I'm not trying to be an agent provocateur here, I would really like to know what limitations everyone seems to suffer with the gear oil we have used for decades?

I had to smile when I saw that because I was reading this thread and wondering if I was missing something because mine's basic EP80 and I've always thought it works ok. I'm not anti the multigrade oils (use them in our other cars) but wonder if it's overkill on a simple box like the Elan one ?
Brian

Try Demon Tweeks for redline.. Not sure what ? is but I think it's well worth it..

Don't put it in a G/box or Diff' you are running in though. I thought that was a good idea and had to take it out again as leaving it in meant the box just would not 'wear in' at all.. So it was back to the recommended (for 5 speed by G Boulton) W 20 -50...

Red-line it turned out was way to lubrificius.. Errrr lubrifuticaus ...Emmm Lubrificantacious... Errr ... Good!!

It is back in its container for now.

Time does move on Guys. Sure, good old EP 80/90 will be fine but there is now much better available. That I am afraid is just a fact.

But.. Use what you like!!!

Alex..

Well I`ve got my Redline ready to put in the Voight box which does have, typically, notchy selection when cold. So would I be able to use the Silka pump to remove the existing oil out through the filler hole? there being no drain plug. Would it matter if I didn`t get the old oil out completely?
Jim

The Redline MTL ( not the 75W-85 gear oil shown in the photo with the changed viscosity rating) is worthwhile despite its cost in my mind as it does improve the gear change and will improve the life of the gearbox components. The gear change improvements are small as the fFord 4 speed box is very good to begin with but still noticeable especially when pushing the car hard on the track.

The gearbox component life improvement will be real but many people will never see the benefit given the low milage they do in the cars with relatively little stress on the roads.

cheers
Rohan