clearthinker

I'm sure similiar topics have been discussed but I searched the forum and still couldn't find a suitable answer....

I need to change every fluid there is in my FD:

manual transmission

rear diff

coolant

engine oil

brake fluid


question: what should I use??

what about motul 5.1 brake synthetic...$$$ = worth it?
what about redline coolant additive...wetter?? stuff?
rear diff...motul 300 synthetic??

just need some honest opinions please...also...what are some prices for these synthetics..

Mr. Mahtab

I changed all of the fluids to Redline and brake fluid to dot 4 super blue. Make sure your rear diff fluid has friction modifier, if not buy a bottle. I even run Redline synthetic engine oil! And water wetter in the coolant too.


http://www.myoilshop.com/AutoPrds.html

f2racer

iTrader: (1)

ATE Super Blue or Motul 600 is highly recommended, but if you don't drive hard all the time, Castrols Synthetic DOT 3 formula won't have you changing the brake fluid all the time (since it doesn't mix as well with water). I haven't taken my car AutoXing yet, so I'm currently using over the counter STP DOT 3 ($0.99 a pint) in my car (just flushed the entire system), and it really firmed up the braking... But then again, I don't know when the last owner flushed the system and I'm pretty sure that the stuff won't make the grade if I drive hard for a prolonged period of time. If/When I go AutoXing, I intend on switching over to Motul 600. I used to use it on my motorcycle and it works VERY well in conjunction with street/track pads.

Use Redline for diff(75W90 Gear oil) and transmission(MTL-90). Just changing out the diff made my car "react" to throttle faster. Changing the transmission fluid will make shifting easier.

Coolant use Prestone standard green stuff and distilled (de-mineralized water) but change it often (at least once a year). Some debate over whether or not Redline Water Wetter breaks rotaries, I've used it and it didn't make any difference with my cars (although it did drop operating coolant temp about 10 degrees F on my 302 Mustang). Use more coolant if you live in an area that has 4 seasons (like 50-50 Coolant/Water). Less if you live somewhere that has 3 or less seasons (30-70 Coolant/Water works well for me in the summertime). Make sure you have at least some Coolant in the mix (even 10%) since there are certain lubricating properties that distilled water doesn't have.

While you're at it change out the filters (oil with oil change, fuel, and air). Oil and air filters are easy. If you have a stock airbox go with the K&N dropin. No real performance increase, but it's washable and therefore not throw-away like stock filters. Use only genuine Mazda oil filters (made by Nippon) as they are better than most aftermarket and just as cheap. Fuel filter is a real PITA to change out. I accomplished this feat last week and cursed nearly the entire time (while not drowning in gasoline), but it's a necessary evil at least every 20k miles.

Also change the plugs yearly. Some debate over whether or not to spend the extra $3 on Platinums. I get 'em, but I've run both in my cars and have never seen any difference when changing them. While you're at it, it's probably a good time to change the plug wires as well. Get a good set (Jacobs, Taylor, MSD, or even the OEM NGK).

You'll get a hole bunch of opinions on engine oil. No real consensus here between synthetic vs. dino. Only thing people seem to agree on is changing the stuff regularly (at least every 3k, but you'll find most owners do it even more frequently). I use Castrol GTX 10-30 and change every 2-2.5k (with oil filter change).

Learn to do the work yourself, you'll save a ton on labor.

clearthinker

I thought I would get more responses especially concerning motul....anyone out there with more experiences????

SanJoRX7

Here's my $.02...

I just changed my tranny and diff oils this past weekend. The problem was not which fluid to buy (I went with Redline), nor whether I needed to do it (don't know when they were last changed), but once I had drained the fluid, how in the hell I was supposed to get that stuff back in there.

Now, I'm sure other 3rd gen owners can testify to this...adding the fluid is a chore. What I did to make the job easier and faster (after realizing that I needed this, of course) was I ran down to the auto parts store (Kragen around these parts) and picked up a siphon pump. The one I got looks like a basketball pump, and comes with all kinds of hoses. Slap that thing together and you'll have the job done in minutes with very little spillage. It's only $15, so consider it a very good investment.

So far the new Redline fluids (MT90 in the tranny and 75W90 in the diff) seem to all be staying where they're supposed to. I can't really say that I've noticed a huge change in performance of shifting or anything, but since I just got laid off (today ) I'm considering this work a pretty good piece of insurance against needing to spend any money at all on the car for repair purposes. *sigh*

Mr. Mahtab

Did any of you guys put the Redline friction modifier in the Rear diff. fluid?

whitekingsnake

Don't you mean the 75w90 in the tranny and the mt 90 in the diff.

Rotary93

What about the Power steering fluid? How the hell do I change that?

psyco RX

OK anybody know where my air filter went??? I have PFS intercooler modification w/ cold air induction... looking at the service manual and my mods I don't see an air filter that I can get at....is it replaced by the mods....or is it somewhere that's covered up...??? HELP!

Alpine

mt90=manual tranny
redline 75 90 is for the rear diff

Mpressiv

what is the final cost for replacing all fluids? except oil....i already know how much that is to do. Thanks

whitekingsnake

I was just wondering because the manual says:

75w90 for the tranny
90 weight for the differential.

potatobbq

How much diff oil would I need to buy? And for the manual transmission, capacity is like 2.5 quarts right?

whitekingsnake

Is NEO and Redline that much better than Mobil 1 synthetic?

clearthinker

Wow...lots of great responses.

Here is what I did and what it cost...I probably got raped but I have NO time for maintaince with new twin babies.

LOF: Castrol nonsynthetic, mazda filter
Differential: Redline synthetic 75W90 w/friction
Manual trans: Redline syn MT-90
Coolant: Regular stuff...no redline water wetter
Brakes: Motul 5.1
Fuel filter replaced with OEM
Air filter with OEM
Spark plugs replaced with OEM

Obviously lots of stuff...a few more difficult than the others but nevertheless more time than I had to do it....

Local rotary shop that does TONs of work on 3rd gens...price: $590!!

Och...again prob got raped but o/w it would have never gotten done. Thats how I justify it. My FD only has 13K orig miles therefore I want to do all the preventive maintaince I can to keep her smooth.

Interestingly enough the labor was about 250 and all that expensive oil sh*t, fuel filter, air filter was the rest of the cost! REDLINE and esp MOTUL is NOT CHEAP!!!

f2racer

iTrader: (1)

Just an FYI to everyone out there, Redline's "75W90 Gear Oil" already has a non-limited slip friction modifier in it. If you add more you'll be double dipping which is bad.

Nathan Kwok

I went with Neo synthetic (the non-HD version) for both diff and tranny, and I could feel an improvement in the shifting. Oil I just use name brand dino oil, and coolant I use distilled water and generic green coolant (75/25), no water wetter. For brake fluid I used Valvoline synthetic, its DOT 4+ and nice and cheap, non-silicone of course. I have never changed the PS fluid.

f2racer

iTrader: (1)

Oils and other fluids --> 60-70
Filters --> 60-70
Plugs --> 35-40

So a little below $200 on the high side for parts, that would make over $390 in labor. Most shops are charging between $75-85/hour. No way it could have taken over 4 and 1/2 hours to do the work. Funny thing is that shops will mark parts up dramatically in order to make it seem that you're getting value. There is no way that the work that you described could have resulted in $340 in parts. The $250 in labor is OK, should have been closer to $150 though...

Alpine

ok i just got those stuff done last week here are the exact price

about 80 bux for redline gear/tranny/powersteering/water wetter

for brakes, just buy the ford high performance brake fluid, they are like 4 bux a can.

150 in labor for changing gear/tranny/powersteering/water wetter plus installing k/n panel air filter.

SanJoRX7

For pricing info...I paid just under $8 for each quart of MT90 and 75W90 Redline oils. I got them at Frey Racing in Milpitas, CA. Frey seems to be a good shop, and caters to racers.

clearthinker

Not to justify the high price I paid but I also had the plugs replaced and new air filter along with fuel filter...

What should I expect to pay for an OEM air filter? OEM fuel filter? OEM plugs?

These items added a great deal to my final bill...

plugs where like 11 bucks each, air filter 50 bucks (that seems really high) and fuel filter was around 50 bucks also...

f2racer

iTrader: (1)

You can get the spark plugs for less than $9 a pop and the air filter for $26 at www.thepartsbin.com which carries OEM parts. I got a fuel filter (Bosch) from the local auto parts store for $22. I know it isn't OEM, but I plan on changing it yearly and I've got an Autometer A/F meter (again Bosch $26 at local auto parts store), so tell me if it goes bad earlier. BTW, www.thepartsbin.com offers free shipping on any order over $50. If you got charged $50 for the air filter, make sure it's the K&N rechargable, otherwise ask if you can return it.