What's the correct grade of oil for PRM Delta 30 gearbox?

[MyLady]

Can anyone give a definitive answer to this?

 

The answers I've got from various chandleries, etc. have ranged from "most people just use engine oil" to, "15-40", but the oil the latter sold me, was actually 15W-40 engine oil for petrol engines, according to the label.

 

Back in the day when I did my own car maintenance, gearboxes used special 'Hypoid' oil, IIRC, but those gearboxes didn't fail to give drive if they didn't have enough oil (which my boat gearbox did, then regained drive when oil was added), they eventually seized up, if you didn't give them oil to drink!

 

A term which came to mind was 'fluid flywheel', but that was in the context of a launch tow winch for gliders - again, IIRC - so may not be relevant.

 

Can someone lighten my darkness and explain what I need and why?

 

TIA,

 

Roger

 

PS The oil is invisible on the steel dip-stick; all I can, reliably, see is a drop on the end, rapidly fading to nothing as it approaches the level grooves. Adding more oil doesn't change that, no matter how rigorously I wipe the dip-stck. Is there a knack to reading the level?

 

R

 

Ed to correct what I typed to what I meant to type...

Edited July 24, 2014 by MyLady

[nb Innisfree]

When I asked the manufacturers about our PRM 150 they said to use the same oil as the engine. Period.

 

Intervals? Same as the engine. Period.

[Flyboy]

Can anyone give a definitive answer to this?

 

The answers I've got from various chandleries, etc. have ranged from "most people just use engine oil" to, "15-40", but the oil the latter sold me, was actually 15W-40 engine oil for petrol engines, according to the label.

 

Back in the day when I did my own car maintenance, gearboxes used special 'Hypoid' oil, IIRC, but those gearboxes didn't fail to give drive if they didn't have enough oil (which my boat gearbox did, then regained drive when oil was added), they eventually seized up, if you didn't give them oil to drink!

 

A term which came to mind was 'fluid flywheel', but that was in the context of a launch tow winch for gliders - again, IIRC - so may not be relevant.

 

Can someone lighten my darkness and explain what I need and why?

 

TIA,

 

Roger

 

PS The oil is invisible on the steel dip-stick; all I can, reliably, see is a drop on the end, rapidly fading to nothing as it approaches the level grooves. Adding more oil doesn't change that, no matter how rigorously I wipe the dip-stck. Is there a knack to reading the level?

 

R

 

Ed to correct what I typed to what I meant to type...

The 15/40 oil you were sold is fine. To see the oil easier on the dip stick you can use this method :- remove dip stick and hold horizontal, using a piece of tissue, wipe the stick from the knob end until it reaches the oil. I made mine easier to read by filing a flat on the stick up to the reference mark. Do not overfill.