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Fluid mix that 'may' help stubborn 5spd shifting


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often referenced is a 'cocktail' used to help with shifting, clashing synchros. This mix is ONLY recommended for Subaru 5spd transmissions that are a little balky. It will not repair a broken transmission. It should not be used in any transmission with a filter. If it is not helpful, go back to using Subaru Extra-S or equivalent.

 

 

25isso2.jpg

 

 

1qt. Redline Heavy Shockproof + 2 qts. Castrol Axle Lmited Slip 80W-90 +  APPROX 1/3 BOTTLE of Pennzoil Synchromesh MTF (1qt. size), after checking level, add more to complete the fill if needed.

 

more info available at the extensive thread here; http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=920674

 

 

Ibreakstuff
                      
            

            


                

    
    

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           Posted 11 June 2014 - 09:49 AM
                 
              


                

                    

I blew up the transfer gears, center diff, and reverse gear on
my 07 wrx using Scotty's cocktail @30k miles, I can't say it was the
fluid for sure but I do think it contributed to the heat and extra wear.


Personally I only use extra-S now, imho it shifts more smoothly anyways.
The gearbox has held up for 50k more miles after replacing the broken
bits and only using extra-s.

 

 

 

 

 

The center diff is sealed so, I don't see how fluid choice could affect
it. Still, no one is doubting you experienced a trans failure - all we
have to go on is anecdotal experiences. i think a lot of people
desperate to get their failing transmission to last longer try switching
fluids. If the trans is failing, vs just having a little clashing due
to stubborn synchronizers, no fluid will save it. Since you experience no problems now with Extra-S , you have no reason to try anything else.

 

 

ANY deviation from factory fluids/parts/procedures should be considered 'experimental' - but, that doesn't mean folks have not had good service from different parts/fluids/procedures. Lifting/lowering cars, different coolants, different oil types/viscosities, brake fluids/pads, etc.

Edited by 1 Lucky Texan
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  • 2 weeks later...

I blew up the transfer gears, center diff, and reverse gear on my 07 wrx using Scotty's cocktail @30k miles, I can't say it was the fluid for sure but I do think it contributed to the heat and extra wear.

Personally I only use extra-S now, imho it shifts more smoothly anyways. The gearbox has held up for 50k more miles after replacing the broken bits and only using extra-s.

 

Edit:

Just to add some clarification.. I purchased the car in 2008 with only like 13k miles on it. The shifting was super crunchy, I thought the transmission was going due to the previous owner so I switched to the cocktail. This per the advice of several subaru friends (who each drove the car) and my own research on nasioc and other forums. I did 4-5 changes with the cocktail and the last 2 I started seeing broken gear bits on the plug. In hindsight, the first thing I should have done was replace the suspect fluid with extra S when I first bought it.. As I believe it was not extra S in there to begin with.

 

This I know to be true: The transfer gears where crumbling months before the diff blew up (yes I know vlsd's are sealed). Subaru looked at it and told me basically to run it until it breaks. They didn't want to pay for the removal/demo/inspection. They also failed to acknowledge the problem during many test drives. Ironically, this is the only reason they honored the warranty repair on it later.. as I broke the center diff at an SCCA rallycross event (subaru sponsored even) and racing usually means they won't fix anything. I still believe the damage to the transfer gears and the diff to be unrelated, so I got lucky there with it all being repaired on their dime.

 

All this said.. I can't blame the cocktail. The damage or issues with the gearbox could have been caused before I ever used it. But I will say that it does turn extremely acidic after a few months, I had 2 buckets next to each other in my garage.. one with used extra S, the other with used cocktail. Its pretty impressive how jacked up some of the bolts/metal, I fished out with a magnet, that were on the cocktail side. If you change at regular intervals fine, but I wouldn't want to store a car for any period of time with it in my gearbox.

 

There is another cocktail floating around too, by Andrewtech (as an alternative to Scotty's):
3 Quarts Redline Shockproof + 1 Quart Motul Gear 300

Edited by Ibreakstuff
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