Miata Mailing List: March 1994, Message #490
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   From: Andy Poling 
Subject: Redline oil (fwd)
   Date: Tue, 29 Mar 1994 15:45:07 -0500

More NETCOM bronken-ness...

-Andy

Andy Poling                              Internet: andy@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
UNIX Systems Programmer                  Bitnet: ANDY@JHUNIX
Homewood Academic Computing              Voice: (410)516-8096    
Johns Hopkins University                 UUCP: uunet!mimsy!aplcen!jhunix!andy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Subject: Redline oil

Herb Samuals writes:

> I was once told by one of the Redline chemists that 75w-90NS should
> not be used in manual transdmissions since it may not protect the
> synchros against corrosion.  I've tried both MTL and MT-90 in my
> Miata. The transmission shifts slightly smoother with MTL.  The MT-90
> did not seem significantly different than the stock gear oil although
> this might vary from car to car.

so I got on the horn to Redline (510 228 7576).

Redline says that all of their products have additives to protect the 
synchronizers (this comment was unsolicited).

As for recommended oil, they say that people who race their Miatas prefer
MTL (which is 80W) because it shifts smoother.  The consensus among Miata
drivers according to Redline is that there is still a little bit of synchro 
grind with the 75W90NS, and not so with the MTL.  Redline is puzzled since
the 75W90NS works better with other vehicle makes, but Miata drivers 
report better performance with the MTL (which Herb Samuals confirms).
I was going to put 75W90NS into my transmission this coming weekend...
Looks like it's going to be MTL instead.

Does anyone else have any opinions on transmission oil?

While on the subject of Redline products, I have recently used the Redline
SI-1 fuel additive which is supposed to keep injectors clean and keep carbon
from building up on the intake valves.  My "other car" is a 86 Toyota 4WD
(2.4L EFI engine) with 91,000.  The truck had been stuttering, hesitating,
and getting poor gas mileage - and it was time for the next California smog
check.  I ran two tanks of Chevron Premium which actually seemed to help 
things (of course the extra octane never hurts).  I then ran a tank with
the SI-1, and finally went back to using Regular.  The gas mileage has since
improved from 20 mpg to 22.5 mpg, and it runs as smooth as new (I'm very
pleased).

When I took the truck in for a smog check and got the results back I passed 
no problem (no tune-up either).  Out of curiousity I went back to previous 
smog check results.  In the past I'd always gotten a tune-up prior to the 
smog check.  Both the '88 and '90 smog checks showed higher hydrocarbon
output (3 times higher) and higher carbon monoxide output (50% higher).

Maybe SI-1 works... I'm now running it in my Miata (just a couple ounces
with each tank).  Anyone else try this stuff?

I'm also running Amsoil 5W30 in my Miata, it seems help the start-up valve 
chatter.  I plan on having the oil analyzed every 3,000 while changing
the oil filter every 3,000 at the same time - just want to see how synthetic
holds up.  I would like to do the same thing with Redline oil to see if there 
is any appreciable difference.

Anyone else using synthetic in their Miata?  What has your experience been?


Better living through chemistry,
-- 92 red B

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