The Difference Between GL-4 and GL-5 Gear Oils by Richard Widman
The Difference Between GL-4 and GL-5 Gear Oils by Richard Widman
The Difference Between GL-4 and GL-5 Gear Oils by Richard Widman
by Richard Widman
Revision 6-2020
The original target audience for this paper was my group of friends in the Corvair world, but it applies
to all cars, and is particularly important for all classic cars. I originally wrote this in 2013. This is the
fifth draft of this paper, updating several areas, especially the section on viscosities, based on emails I’ve
received.
There is a lot of confusion about gear oils and the API classifications. In this paper I will try to
differentiate the two oils and clear up the mysteries that are flying all over the internet. It is extremely
common, or normal, for all GL-5 oils to claim they cover the API GL-4 requirements for gear oils. This
is a true statement. Does that make them satisfactory for synchromesh or synchronized transmissions?
NO! They meet the GEAR OIL specifications, not transmission oil specifications. The API GL-4 and
GL-5 categories do not mention or have anything to do with transmission synchronizers.
History:
The gear oils of a few decades ago had lead additives that were effective at wear reduction, but not very
good for the environment. A long time ago they began to be replaced by gear oils with a phosphorous
additive (in itself a decent anti-wear additive) with active sulfur to grip hold of the gears and create a
very solid sacrificial layer of material that could be worn off, thereby protecting the gear surface.
Eventually it was discovered that the active sulfur was causing corrosion of brass and other soft metals
used in differentials and transmissions.
Somewhere around 30 years ago a deactivated or buffered sulfur was developed that would react with
the phosphorous to create the protective/sacrificial layer in the conditions created in the gear boxes
(temperature and pressure) without being corrosive to the brass, copper, etc. This additive system is
used in most gear oils today.
The problems arise when we try or need to use the same product in the transmission that we use in the
differential. Many people have called oil companies and been told by the “Techs” that answer their
questions that their oils have buffered sulfur and therefore are not corrosive to yellow metals, so their
GL-5 oils can be used with brass components. While that answer is totally correct, it does not address
the question asked: Can I use your GL-5 in my synchromesh transmission?
Let’s take a look at the API GL-5 rating. It is a rating for EP (Extreme Pressure) protection. The higher
the EP protection, the higher the GL category. In the mid 60's, Ford needed better protection in their
pickup trucks and GM developed the front wheel drive Oldsmobile Toronado that had a differential with
a very high angle of contact for power transmission to the wheels so a higher category was developed
(later to be called GL-6) to offer the protection needed. This level of protection can still be claimed, but
can no longer be tested since the Toronado rig used to test it is no longer available. (Note: The 1966 and
1967 Toronados had sun gears between the axle shafts instead of spyder gears and a very high offset,
while suffering from the high temperatures of the engine compartment and very high pressures.) This is
why you will frequently see GL-6 listed as “obsolete”. The test is obsolete, not the car or its needs. Many
other high performance cars continue to spec this level of EP performance.
In normal operation, the sulfur/phosphorous additive forms a black sacrificial coating on the gears and
anything it touches with a little pressure and temperature. As the gears turn, instead of wearing, the
sacrificial coating of additives is peeled off or worn off. This is normal and acceptable in all steel gears.
But when one or more of the surfaces is brass or another soft metal, the sacrificial coating is stronger
A lot of study has gone into the development of oils that are more slippery, more protective, and more
efficient. The current emphasis on fuel economy has driven many new transmission designs and oils to
match them. The economy gains have come with gear and machining design (smaller synchronizers with
double sided contact surfaces fused onto the ring) in an assembly that not only permits, but requires,
thinner oils. They also cannot tolerate sulfur/phosphorous additives in the oil, depending on friction
modifiers and new compounds to achieve GL-4 or better performance. This can become confusing, as
For the most part these are SAE 75W-80 and 75W-85 oils, although the 75W-85 fits well in cars where
SAE 80 were required. Too thin for most classic cars, but necessary for modern cars. The additive
package uses magnesium or calcium sulfonate compounds and often synthetic base oil, and will give you
better EP protection than a GL-4 sulfur/phosphorous oil. Many of these claim GL-4+ performance and
pass most of the old GL-5 and SAE J2360 extreme pressure tests, but additionally pass manufacturers
tests for synchronization. The problems of where to apply them lie with the auto manufacturers, where,
for example, Toyota specifies in their owner’s manual, their SAE 75W without defining the rest of it. Oil
sales people will sell you 75W-90, but what Toyota is really asking for is 75W-85 without
sulfur/phosphorous. From the comments I receive, a standard SAE 75W-90 GL-4 does cause hard
shifting and grinding in these Toyotas in 70ºF weather.
Nissan has the same problem with 75W-90 oil, but their manual clearly states 75W-80 for 6 speed
transmissions and 75W-85 for 5 speed transmissions. It does not specify "non sulfur/phosphorous" oil,
instead referring to "Genuine Nissan Oil" (which does not contain those additives).
VW calls for 75W oil that meets their spec. They are looking for a viscosity on the low end (or slightly
below) of a 75W-80 and no sulfur/phosphorous additives.
With these new non-sulfur/phosphorous oils giving a minimum of GL-4 extreme pressure protection, I
believe manufacturers will stop specifying GL-3 when they revise their manuals. Recommendations are
also coming out from the additive makers to use these new formulations in place of the older
Synchromesh Fluids.
Transaxles
So, what do we put in transaxles where the transmission and differential are combined in one unit? This
is a good question, and the answer lies in the design and surface area of the gears. If the contact surfaces
of the gears are big enough to carry the weight and torque necessary, we depend less on the oil and its
additives. If the surface area is compact, we need to depend more on the additive's ability to handle the
boundary lubrication. When we have transaxles, we have to depend on the manufacturer to tell us what
product is correct.
When we have transaxles, we also need to be aware of whether the differential portion uses Limited Slip
“LSD” technology of some kind that limits the slipping of the wheels in mud and snow. This requires an
additive that lets a clutch bind the wheel movement together at a certain speed differential of the wheels.
This additive can be in any oil. Many GL-5 oils have a small amount. This is often enough for some
differentials as long as they were not rinsed out. Some systems need more additive than others. You can
usually tell if you need more additive by making a U-Turn. If the inner wheels click or try to lock up on
the turn, you need more additive. Often an oil that has a little of this additive will say it is satisfactory for
“service fill” or “top-off”.
How can you tell whether or not you have a limited slip differential? That is the easy part: Jack up both
driven wheels and spin one of them with your hand (transmission in neutral) if the other wheel spins the
same way, you have a limited slip differential. If it spins in the reverse direction, you do not. You can
also just jack up one wheel and try to spin it. If it refuses to turn, or turns with a lot of resistance, and the
car is in neutral, with no brake on, you have limited slip
Engine/Transaxle combinations
While not used in any Corvairs, there are cars where the same oil sump is used for lubrication of the
engine, transmission, and differential. With this design, the parts of the transmission and differential are
dimensioned for use of a GL-4 (or perhaps at one time even a GL-3). My 1975 Morris Mini is an example
of these cars. As far as I know, most have been fairly low HP engines, and where the higher HP (turbo
versions) were offered, synthetic oil was recommended. One caution that is not often mentioned in those
manuals: The multigrade oils used should be group II or stronger, or you should avoid extending the
interval beyond what is mentioned. The lesser quality multigrade oils tend to get their polymers ground
or sheered in the gears, just like some of the sludge prone OHV engines of today where gears are used
for synchronization of the cam and crank. Note: Corvair engines do not suffer from this sheer due to the
large diameter of the cam/crankshaft synchronization gears in the engine.
We can also note that the Chevrolet Luv pickups, as well as the Isuzu Rodeo and Trooper, many British
cars, and many others have recommended motor oil in the transmission for many years, even though they
have separate compartments. They only use gear oil in the differential, if it is separate.
The concept of using motor oil in these situations goes back to what I said towards the beginning. Most
motor oils can qualify for GL-4 (or at least GL-3) EP protection. As long as the torque on the gears in
low speed sliding action does not exceed what is covered by the GL-4, there is no benefit to
sulfur/phosphorous additives, but there is one for the synchronizers.
In the case of those single compartment motor/transaxle, there is an additional benefit of constantly
filtering the oil. The risk is that if you get gasoline in your oil you will thin out hydrodynamic film
protection in the gears. If you are running a mixture too rich, the additional soot (carbon particles) will
wear the gear surfaces as well as your camshaft. There is more information on these cars and oils in this
paper.
Viscosity:
First it should be noted that the SAE motor oil viscosity chart (J300) is different from the SAE gear oil
chart (J306). A SAE 40 motor oil has approximately the same viscosity as one of the thinner SAE 90 gear
oils, while the SAE 50 Motor oil is similar in viscosity to the thicker SAE 90 gear oils.
Viscosity has nothing to do with API Gear Oil classification (GL-4, GL-5, etc.). Some manual
transmissions specify an ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid), others a SAE 75W-80 (almost the same
viscosity as the ATF), others a 75W-85, 75W-90 or 80W-90. Some specify a SAE 50 motor oil or SAE
50 CAT TO-4 transmission oil. The oil viscosity should be chosen according to the manufacturer's
recommendations for the temperatures where you will drive.
• If it is too thick (viscous) it will not displace fast enough from the synchronizers and will heat up
your transmission and cause hard shifts. It will also fail to flow properly in the needle bearings
or other tight spaces. It will also consume power and fuel.
• If it is too thin it will not provide the hydrodynamic lubrication that is required between gears
and in the bearings or bushings. It may also leak.
If we look at the service manual for the Corvair, the one I have from 1960 recommends SAE 80 Gear oil.
You will note a huge range is possible between different brands within each range. The Red section on
the chart on the left the variation in viscosity for a SAE 90 gear oil, while the Blue portion shows the
variation allowable for a SAE 80 gear oil. On the right, we have the common viscosities. The 80W-90
that is shown is somewhat typical, running at the low end of the SAE 90 range. All are shown from
freezing to 60ºC.
SAE 80W-90 or 85W-90 oils are often referred to as multigrade oils. This is not true. They have no
polymers to modify their viscosity. They are simply SAE 90 oils with a normal (95 to 105) viscosity
index where the low temperature properties either meet the 80W or 85W specification. So, an 80W-90 is
at the low end of the SAE 90, while the 85W-90 is at the high end of the range for a SAE 90.
From personal experience and that of several friends who have tried them, I recommend staying away
from the 85W-90 in Corvairs and most other cars, since that puts it at the high end of the 90 scale. You
will notice a harder shift for the first few shifts of the day.
Remember, on the right, we are graphing an 80W-90 at the bottom of the range. In the following graph
we will compare them more closely, ignoring the top half of the SAE 90 range (85W-90), so this graph
is from the bottom of the red down. It still shows the same oils from 0ºC to 60ºC, but only from 2500
cSt down, eliminating all that white space in the previous graph.
In this graph we should be looking closely at the cold end of the lines (left), since that will show us how
In the next graph we can see those same oils more closely once they have warmed up in the transmission.
Note the thick black dotted line that is the SAE 80, often recommended for classics of the 1950-1970
epoch, including the Corvair.
I also hear that synthetics will cause leaks. That is not a true statement on its own. Older oil formulations
often used oils that had more aromatics and molecules non-saturated molecules. These expanded the
seals, and to start out with, do a better job of sealing leaks. But then, in time, the seal wears, and dries.
Recommendations
In general, you should use your manual. Nobody knows the vehicle more than the people who put it
together. The exceptions are cars like the Corvair and other classics, where oils have changed
dramatically since the manuals were printed. There are other exceptions where those who write manuals
have no idea how a transmission works and are guided by wrong information from oil salespeople.
You need to realize that an oil with GL-4/GL-5 on the label is a GL-5. It is not appropriate for
synchronized transmissions.
• For many climates, the SAE 80W-90 is a good viscosity for the Corvair, but as you saw in the
viscosity graphs, it is much more viscous than the original recommendation of SAE 80. There
are products available that cover that full range with a SAE 75W-90 rating, or even a 75W-85.
This would be even better especially in cooler climates. The trick in the synthetic formulation of
75W-90 is a very high viscosity index in the synthetic base oil. You should note that these graphs
start out at zero Celsius (32ºF). You might need to shift below the -20ºC shown as a starting point
in these graphs. In this case, the synthetic oil is your best bet. Most manual automotive
transmissions will run between 30ºC and 50ºC in normal operation. I have been using 75W-90
GL-4 for several years and have much better shifts. Morning temperatures here are normally in
the 65ºF to 75ºF range.
• Corvairs with automatic transmissions: This is much simpler. Just use a good Dexron III (Dexron
VI is fine, but not required) in the transmission and a good GL-5 in the differential, adding the
LSD additive if the oil manufacturer does not include it and if you have “positraction”. They
may or may not include it. You have to read the label or spec sheet. As an example, I stock:
To confuse things a little more, we have to read the literature and sometimes consult with the
manufacturers. In looking for a few GL-4 products that would meet our needs, I identified Redline MT-
90 as a candidate, but then saw this on their website. I
questioned them and received this response.
“In your Corvair manual transaxle I would recommend the 75W90NS as a GL-5 type
gear oil was originally called for. A GL-4 gear oil is suitable for use in a zero or low
offset hypoid gear application, where extreme pressures of a high offset hypoid are
present a GL-5 gear oil is required. In your transaxle where high offset gears are not
present, a GL-4 gear oil could be used though we would recommend a GL-5 as called
for.”
While he confirms that the Corvair does not have high offset hypoid gears (“In your transaxle where
high offset gears are not present”), he says he recommends his GL-5 product because the Corvair
originally recommended GL-5 (“a GL-5 type gear oil was originally called for”). There is a problem
with that statement: The GL categories are based on the ASTM STP 512 standards which were originally
developed in 1972, three years after the end of the production of the Corvair.
We will also note here that, although not specified in the 1960 manual, later Corvair manuals specified
SAE 80 that meets the MIL-L-2105B spec. This is an equivalent to GL-4, while the later MIL-L-2105C,
2105D, and 2105E are GL-5 gear oil lubricants.
Summary
Just remember that GL-4 and GL-5 are gear oil ratings, not transmission oil ratings. Transmissions
have gears and synchronizers. These seemingly conflicting requirements must be met differently.
When someone tells you that their GL-5 covers GL-4, remember they are correct as far as EP protection,
but that is only half the answer. When they say their Sulfur/Phosphorous additive will not corrode the
yellow metals, they are also correct, but if there are enough to meet GL-5 protection, they will slowly
peel away your brass synchronizers.
I have received comments from people who have used VW transaxles with 150 to 200 hp engines in
racing situations, where they say the synchronizers are expendable, but the gears are expensive and hard
to come by, so GL-5 is better. It will make for harder shifts, but if you are going to quadruple the torque,
you may be better off that way. It is a personal decision.
It is interesting to note in this explanation by Lubrizol how the new SAE J2360 (replaces the GL-5 rating)
is explained:
“SAE J2360 is a global quality standard specified by many North American OEMs and
by growing numbers elsewhere in the world. The rigorous approval requirements,
including controlled field testing and independent committee review, ensure that products
approved under the SAE J2360 Standard meet the very highest demands of axles and
non-synchronized manual transmissions.” (emphasis added).
Product possibilities
I hate to call these recommendations, but will list what I can of products that I know of and that are
available in the US. As always, this is as of this writing, and all information is gathered from the
Internet. Local availability will vary.
First let’s remember that the details are in the spec sheets. Some brands make it hard to find the
information.
I can applaud Mystic Oil's clarification when they start their spec sheet this way (although later in the
sheet they only mention the various GL classifications. Note how they say “and non-synchronized
manual transmissions.”
The list:
My list is a short one. If you want me to add something I can look at it if you send me a link. I've been
looking and don't see much. These are listed in alphabetical order.
• Amsoil Synthetic manual Transmission and Transaxle Gear Lube 75W-90 GL-4
• Mannol Basic Plus GL-4+, 75W-90. Although I had never heard of it, it appears to be widely
available.
• Liqui-Moly High Performance Gear Oil (GL4+) SAE 75W-90
• BMW MTF L-4 is a 75W-90 with the new formulation. I don’t see any GL claims by BMW.
• Citgo Citgear Standard XD 75W-90 GL-4
• Pennzoil Gearplus 80W-90 GL-4
• Pennzoil Synthetic 75W-90 GL-4 (from the spec sheet, the best overall viscosity curve)
In general, I recommend 75W-90 in a Corvair transmission especially if it is synthetic, there are some
very good GL-4 Synthetic 75W-90 oils in the market for Mercedes, Volvo and Mack truck and bus
transmissions that would be excellent, especially in colder climates. Really cold climates would be
better served with the new generation of Synthetic 75W-85 GL-4+.
I hope this clears up some of the confusion and avoids transmission damage. If you have additional
questions, feel free to send them to me at oil@asboman.com
If you have not read the report on motor oils, you can find it here:
Selection of the right motor oil for flat tappet engines.