Peaklander Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 HI I've a quick question about my R380 oil. I don't know what was put in my gearbox at the previous oil change but I've decided to change and use MTF94 which I have bought from Smith & Allan. I've drained the oil (what a messy job with the cross member in the way) and just about to squirt the new stuff in but it's the consistency of water (almost). It's so different from what was in so I presume 1) previous is ATF and 2) MTF makes cold gear shifts easier because I've had some difficulty with 2nd on the first selection or two on a cold morning. Is the watery MTF94 OK??!! I've read-up so much before choosing it that I'm sure it must be but a second and third opinion would help. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 MT94 is pretty thin .... But I wouldn't say it has the same viscosity as water ..... It's still kind of ..... Oily .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted April 19, 2016 Author Share Posted April 19, 2016 Ha! Ok maybe not quite water but it is thin isn't it. Plenty of links in this forum and others get to the brand I've bought...so it's going in! Thanks for the quick reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Compared to ATF, it's more like water. I even found a video in the archives! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 It should be thicker than ATF. Most likely someone had put gear oil in there.... Hopefully your box is okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted April 19, 2016 Author Share Posted April 19, 2016 Yes - just like in the video. An oily water consistency or I suppose a watery oil It should be thicker than ATF. Most likely someone had put gear oil in there.... Hopefully your box is okay. MTF thicker than ATF? I was meaning that the new unused MTF94 is thinner than whatever was in my box which I presume was ATF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentoyne Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 I've used both and mtf is great but expensive, it's very thin! If you offroad regularly then stick with aft as you need to change your oil more than a road going motor. If you stick to the Tarmac then go for the mtf as it is a better oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Yes - just like in the video. An oily water consistency or I suppose a watery oil MTF thicker than ATF? I was meaning that the new unused MTF94 is thinner than whatever was in my box which I presume was ATF. Yes, ATF is a lower viscosity than MTF and thus should appear a bit thinner. Normal ATF is quite thin. If something thick came out of the box, it was the wrong fluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 So RED90 you are saying that ATF is thinner than MTF94? I was surprised at the MTF94 being watery but the ATF would be even more so? I can say that the first few miles with the MTF94 in the box appear to have made gear changes very easy. When I drained the old oil there was nothing at all on the drain magnet (and the oil had only been in for about 10K miles) so I think the box is fine. I will go to the garage that did the oil change last year and ask what they might have used. It was much thicker than the MTF94. It's strange as they know Land Rovers and drive them themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Easy way to tell ATF, it is normally red. when old it looks like cherry juice in colour, so black-burnt red. If golden, or dark honey coloured it was probably EP90. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentoyne Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 If it stinks it's ep90 lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I quite like the smell of EP now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentoyne Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 It's a case of having to now because every work top I own smells of it haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garrycol Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 MTF94 has been the LR spec for the R380 since early 1995 - prior to that ATF was used but it does not provide the lucricosity of the MTF. So the ATF should not have been used for a long time. Never never use EP90 etc as it is too thick for the oil pump in the gearbox. Use MTF 94 or its equivalent. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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