[016]

Hello,

I will change the oils in the engine, gearbox, transfer case and differentials soon.

Which oil should I use in transfer case and differentials (feeling a little confused)?

My car is a 2012, 2.4 petrol with manual transmission and had intended to use these oils:

Gearbox: API GL-4 75W-80
Transfer case: API GL-4 75W-80
Front and rear differentials: API GL-5 80W-90

Does that seem reasonable?

//016

 

[2013GV]

Refer to the owners handbook for viscosity, but as long as its gl5 in the diff and gl4 in the gearbox you will be fine.

 

[016]

Refer to the owners handbook for viscosity, but as long as its gl5 in the diff and gl4 in the gearbox you will be fine.

My problem is that it says different things depending on where in the books I look! 😒

 

[2013GV]

Specifation section near the rear of the book, by the maintenance schedules

 

[016]

Specifation section near the rear of the book, by the maintenance schedules

Do you mean this page?

 

[fordem]

That does not appear to be the owner's manual - at least, every owner's manual I've seen was specific to the vehicle it was supplied with, and did not list an entire range as that one does.

 

[016]

That does not appear to be the owner's manual - at least, every owner's manual I've seen was specific to the vehicle it was supplied with, and did not list an entire range as that one does.

This is at the end of my users manual. Maybe it's different because the car is sold in Sweden?

I order oil as below;
Gearbox and Transfer case: API GL-4 75W-80
Front and rear differentials: API GL-5 80W-90

What can go wrong ...

 

[2013GV]

75W-90 GL4 gearbox and transfer case
75W-90 GL5 differential specified in my handbook

 

[Chrissybabe88!]

Something is wrong here (or have I got the wrong end of the stick). The oil 016 has selected are not shown at all in the table he uploaded, or not for a GV anyway. Whereas the oil 2013GV selected are shown. So where did the values 016 show come from ?

 

[2013GV]

I don't know where he got those from either, they don't even match the table in his book.

 

[016]

Hi,
As I wrote before, there are different classifications depending on where in the book I look. That's why I asked the question from the start. This is what it looks like in another part of the owner's manual (sorry it is in Swedish but you can see the classification anyway)

 

[*Kiwi]

Gearbox: API GL-4 75W-80
Transfer case: API GL-4 75W-80
Front and rear differentials: API GL-5 80W-90

Your gearbox and diff choice is good. The transfer uses the same GL-5 oil as the diff. I used a 75W-90 GL-5 in the diffs and transfer just because it was on sale.
The transfer EP rating differs in the later docs for reasons unknown. But given the size of the tiny centre diff (2009+) I think a GL-5 is appropriate.

When you drain the gearbox, cover the nearby rubber mount to keep oil from splashing on it.

I tried a thinner oil in the gearbox but the 75W-80 shifts just as well and is quieter.

 

[Chrissybabe88!]

My book shows almost the same as yours. I don't know why they show slightly different oil viscositys but the suggestions at the rear of the book (and from 2013GV) are actually slightly wider ranges of fluids so can handle more colder and hotter climates. I suspect they will also be more widely available. Your 75W-80 fits within 75W-90 (the table above also shows 75W-90 as being an option) and 80W-90 fits within 75W-90. I suspect both owners manuals were rushed out the door and never changed. An example of attention to detail on behalf of Suzuki. And possibly a lot to do with the fact that the information is 15 years old. Your use of the word 'order' sort of suggests either you 'will' (future tense) or 'have' (past tense) rather than 'will order' or 'have ordered'. If you have ordered already, and could get those ratings, then they should be okay. If you haven't yet ordered then go with the wider rating (possibly easier to obtain and maybe cheaper).

 

[*Kiwi]

This is from the Dec 2015 edition of the manual.

 

[Chrissybabe88!]

My manual does not have an edition date. It is an English generic version prepared by Suzuki in 2008 (back page) and sold in NZ as a suitable owners manual. It covers 1.6l, 2.4l and 3.2l engines auto and manual. Note the temperature graph under the reco oil grades. So if you are running predominantly in very cold temps you would use the lower numbers. If operating predominantly in equator deserts then use higher numbers. If the numbers have a wide spread then the oil has been formulated to operate over a wider temp range. I suspect that manuals translated for a number of different areas might pick slightly different grades depending on climate. 75-90 would appear to work over a wider temperature range so would be my pick. I doubt that there is very much differences between say 80W-90 and 75W-90. I suspect that Sweden is somewhat similar in year round temps to NZ maybe a fractional colder so possibly slightly lower numbers might be more appropriate.

 

[*Kiwi]

... Note the temperature graph under the reco oil grades. So if you are running predominantly in very cold temps you would use the lower numbers.

But you would have seen other Suzuki charts of this type, some very old, where some grades have their own "arrows" with an upper or lower limit.
This is from a PDF of the 2010 US-spec manual. They didn't even bother to straighten this ancient graphic on the page before publishing.

I interpret all grades in the same arrow box to be acceptable over the temperature extent indicated by the related arrows, even if some weights may seem more preferable in parts of that range compared to other grades.

The most significant change to the 2015 owners manual is that the manual gearbox oil is now 80 instead of 85 or 90. I've tried the 85 on the 2.4 gearbox and it shifts nicer with the 80.
The only other variation going even further back is that the transfer spec is GL-5 where it was GL-4 in the workshop manual, the subject of several other threads.

 

[aquanaut20]

Although the viscosity is subjective, keep in mind there are YELLOW metals in the transmission so make sure you use compatible fluids..

 

[Chrissybabe88!]

So maybe next time you should try 75W-90 in the manual gearbox ? The bottom table for the Diffs is the same as mine. Theoretically every table should have been the same in all their manuals. They have been very slack. Makes you wonder what else might not be correct or at least optimal.
So I assume compatible refers to GL4/GL5 ?

 

[2013GV]

Ambient temperature certainly plays a part, my 2013 certainly shifts nicer when cold with 75w90 gl4 in the gearbox gets changed yearly and comes out clean

 

[016]

Thank you for the answers.

I feel a little confused ...
Does anyone know why different oils are recommended depending on which year the car was manufactured?

Did they make such big improvements or have they just discovered that other oils work better?