Oil for ZF 63A

[micky]

What would you use, ATF or 15w40? The manual says ATF but Tony Athens recommends 15w40. Right now they have 15w40 but I haven't run the engines.

[Amberjack]

Mickey-I’ve been running Mercon II ATF for 22 years and it’s worked for me.

[Carl]

Short answer first, Authorized dealer here told me ATF is specified by ZF. BUT oil works perfectly fine too with one advantage, oil is quieter.

The longer answer, my gears were filled with oil by a shop that swears that’s all they ever use. My buddy helping me is very much by the book and had me change to ATF. Maybe I didn’t get all the oil out or maybe they had water..,but I found myself with Pepto-bismol in the gears shortly after getting the motors started and loosing gears. Multiple fluid changes were needed…then a couple to be safe.
Point being, if I have one, If you decide to switch..,.get ALL the old stuff out.

FYI- I think the gears are quiet with the Cummins 6, my buds Yanmar 4 cyl make a racket at low idle and see were oil may be a better choice for him. But he’s by the book and oils NOT going in his gears.

[scenarioL113]

15w40 to ATF is def very different stuff. (I think it is anyway...) I am surprised both work well in the same application

[Carl]

Your right Frank, but a step up from the 63A gears is the ZF220's and those 15w-40 IS the recommended fluid.

What that means...I don't know.

[Tony Meola]

Carl

When we put the 220A's in they recommended straight 30 Weight oil. When I blew a transmission cooler, I ran some 10 weight through it to help flush out the water.

[scenarioL113]

I am just thinking about the difference in weight when it is cold...you know on a cold start. 15w40 is more like syrup compared to ATF at room temperature.

I am impressed with that fact. I would have never thought would work in a transmission.


I remember back when the T5 and T4 transmissions were still fairly new we put gear oil in one I had and did not realize we did anything wrong. Borg Warner calls for ATF in the T4 and T5 manual transmissions. It worked OK but when the transmission was cold the shifter was stiff for about a minute during the winter when you started the car up. It survived but me and my laughed about it...that was back in the early 80's...

I think all the newer manual transmission call for ATF. My Tremec TKO-600 uses it as well

[Carl]

Frank,

I’m going to take back the 15w40…I just know it’s oil recommended not ATF in the 220’s. Could be straight as Tony mentioned.

[Carl]

Yup...Tony is right with straight 30W in the 220's unless a Tropical hot setting where 40W is recommended.

I'm not sure where I got the multi-grade from.

[micky]

I used 15w-40, will I be ok?? Remember, I'm in Puerto Rico.
Hot, beach day all year round.

[Tony Meola]

Micky

I know in some areas straight 30 has been difficult to get. Most cars today call for multi viscosity oil. I believe that ZF has said that 10w-30 could be used also, at least I think I read that, so I think in your environment you should be ok for now with 15w - 40. I believe they call for a change after the first 30 hours for new transmissions so you can switch it out then.

[Carl]

Gearboxs are not as cheap as oil, my suggestion is to call an Authorized ZF dealer and ask them. Its the cost of a phone call.

Best answer, they say not a problem, the worst answer you have to change your fluid.
If they are unsure...my suggestion is you change the fluid.

I say this as moving forward; if it was me...if anything went wrong with the gearbox fluid-related or not, I would be kicking myself believing it was due to the wrong fluid being in there. I'd rather toss the $100 bucks to change fluid than be kicking myself.

my .02.

[Tony Meola]

Carl

You are 100% right. I can still get straight 30 weight but right now some of the shelves are getting sparse. I just purchased two cases of Valvoline Blue at $20 a gallon. Was $12 a gallon last year.

[micky]

I spoke to one of the dealers mechanic and he told me you can use straight weight oil. But then I read on google that 15w-40 is almost the same as sae 30.

[Carl]

From Webster dictionary

almost adverb

al·​most | \ ˈȯl-ˌmōst
, ȯl-ˈmōst
\
Definition of almost

(Entry 1 of 2)
: very nearly but not exactly or entirely We're almost there. The work is almost done.


almost adjective

Definition of almost (Entry 2 of 2)
: very near but not quite an almost failure

[micky]

Tony Athens used 15w-40.
Merchanic says straight weight, the 63A can use oil instead of ATF, it runs cooler, oil is cleaner.
ZF says sae 30 or sae 40 for other models.
Manual says ATF.

SHIT!!!!!!!

[Carl]

LOL...if your Tony Athens says multi is good for the 63A, I'd be inclined to believe.

ZF says ATF...period. The Authorized ZF dealer I spoke with said it was fine to use oil...I'd be inclined to believe.



A mechanic says... I'd want to know what makes that person qualified to suggest an alternative. Has used and doesn't know of a problem? How many times did he use and did the customer come back to him?

[micky]

I'll run it the first few times with what it has and on the first oil change I'll replace with straight 30 or 40.

[micky]

To finish this issue yesterday I called the mechanic who repairs the zf transmissions on the local dealer and he told me to use Rotella SAE 40. So replaced the oil today with this one.

[Tony Meola]

Mickey

Probably a good weight oil for down where you are. Probably be a little too thick in cold weather up north. Most of us could run it as long as we are not going in earlier than April and coming out by Thanksgiving.