You know how often to change your engine oil; but what about the gear oil in your standard shift transmission? Here’s a short guide, from Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl. Unless you’re lucky enough to own a car with a transmission dipstick, inspecting the gear oil in a manual transmission is a lot more inconvenient than doing so with an automatic, or checking your engine oil. The car must be jacked up, supported, and the oil checked from underneath. As a result, you may just want to change it when the time is right. But how do you know when that time comes?
The easy and simple answer is to check your owner’s manual. If you don’t have an owner’s manual, or aren’t sure when (if ever) the fluid was changed, you may not have that option. Here are some general rules to help you decide.
Most manufacturers recommend changing the gear oil at 60,000-80,000 miles unless the vehicle is used for towing or off-roading. Then, the recommended time drops to 20,000-50,000 miles. While some manufacturers like Ford suggest the oil never needs to be changed, this is highly disputed among technicians; in this instance, it’s a good idea to change it whenever the oil begins to look dirty.
Gear oil is far more frequently overlooked than engine oil or automatic transmission fluid. While it is true that most manual transmissions will last just about forever, often even if oil changes are neglected, this is not by any means a good practice. Your transmission relies more on quality oil than you may think - it’s essential to cushion gears, smooth shifts, and bearing life.
At the end of the day, remember you can’t change it too often. If you aren’t sure, it’s best to either have it inspected or simply have it changed. The process is fairly quick and simple with the right knowledge and equipment.
No matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, if you’d like your gear oil inspected or replaced, the professional technicians at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust have you covered. For all your other transmission repair and maintenance needs, and for the best transmission service shop in Buhl, call or stop by Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust today.
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