How does this plug look?

[GH85Carrera]

I changed my transmission grease today. The old plug had what I consider a normal amount of metal on it for 3 years and 12,000 miles. What do you guys think is this normal or excessive?



One thing that I am curious about is what is the changeover point from oil to grease? Transmission "grease" is 80 / 90 weight. Besides the lovely aroma of transmission grease what makes it grease and not oil?

The one thing I do KNOW is that if Swepco could make the stuff not stink so bad I would pay $100.00 per gallon.

[Zeke]

I've never heard of it being called grease. Gear oil is what I'm familiar with. Your plug doesn't look that great, but aren't you glad that stuff is on the magnet and not still floating around?

[Por_sha911]

That's a bit much for only 3 years. I would consider changing the trans fluid out again in 6-12 mos to see what it looks like. Are you getting any noise or have a hard time shifting?

[RWebb]

oil pours; grease doesn't

more to the point grease = oil embedded in a binder like clay

[stevemfr]

and grease doesn't smell as bad as gear oil...

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

That's a bit much for only 3 years. I would consider changing the trans fluid out again in 6-12 mos to see what it looks like. Are you getting any noise or have a hard time shifting?

Ok now you have me worried.

I drove my 1974 914 for 150,000 miles and the plug always looked like that. I have changed the gear oil every three years on my 911 and it has always looked like that even after I had the synchros on 1st to 3th replaced. I bought this car with 80,000 miles and the 1st gear synchro was pretty much shot.

I do hear a very slight whine when I am slowing down with engine braking. I have had two trusted mechanics listen to the whine and they both said don't worry about it. I am paranoid enough to get a second opinion but both professionals said the same thing. The shifting is totally normal.

I am driving to Charlotte NC for Parade in a few months. I will change the oil after I get back.

[EarlyPorsche]

Mine looked 8 times worse than that and its been fine so far.

[RoninLB]

routine bs is routine bs.

I'd wild guess that the older and more worn the tranny the more metal you'll find?

And a screaming wild guess is that the higher the quality of the rebuilder the cleaner the plug will look?

[MOMO3.2]

This was my drain plug after going 40,000 miles and 5 years between fluid changes. It is a 1987 G50 using Mobil 1. I thought it would be much worse. The total miles on the tranny were 170,xxx!



Mike

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by MOMO3.2

I thought it would be much worse. The total miles on the tranny were 170,xxx!

yep..

I don't know enough to figure it out. I just had a high end rebuild and almost nothing after initial break in and then after 10k miles. And I'm often a sloppy shifter.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I do hear a very slight whine when I am slowing down with engine braking.

Wouldn't that be differential noise?

Don't know, just wondering.