Swepco not available...what can I put in my 915 as my temporary fix?
 

I need to get the car across town today, and it's had a pretty good tranny leak all summer. I've driven it once about 1 mile, but I think I should top off my tranny fluid before I drive it 10 miles. I will, of course, get some swepco and flush it when it comes in, but I can't get ahold of it locally on labor day.

Any other suggestions?

Depends on what's in the trans now and how far down it is. If only half an inch below the fill plug, I'd drive it the 10 miles and not worry. You could do more damage by flushing and I really don't know what you mean by that anyway. Care to explain?

Meanwhile, if you don't agree with me, throw anything you can get in it and drain it completely when you get the chance if it's not the same brand and/or service rating as what's in there now.

Milt,

I just meant that...no matter what I put in it today, I'll drain it and throw some swepco in once I replace the leaky shift rod seal. I don't have time to do that today, and I'd hate to have to do it twice.

Honestly, I've never filled a tranny before...should I just use engine oil?

don't put engine oil in it.

if it has been leaking and you aren't sure of the level, you should top it up, even for 10 miles. For all you know, it might be totally empty, or close.

just put in it any gear oil that meets porsche specs for the 915. There are many different brands, available at any parts store, that will work just fine for what you are doing.

I'm sorry for my ignorance (I swear it's my first time doing this...) but what gear oil might meet porsche specs?

I believe it calls for a GL-5 gear oil. Anything that says its meets GL-5 specs is fine.

That's what I needed, thanks.

I've just put Castrol EPX in mine - it's mineral and GL-5, and I've heard it's excellent for the 915. I'm sure Swepco is good too, but I don't believe this "your tranny will explode if you don't use Swepco" stuff which people say. It's a bit like the "your engine will explode if you don't use Brad Penn" which people seem to be saying now!

I bet your mother told you a million times not to exaggerate! :)

I don't think anyone has said anything will explode if you don't use Sweepco. Lots of users have said they love the product. If you want to use something else, go for it. It is your car. Just because the vast majority of independent users all prefer Sweepco is no reason for you to believe them. It is not the only produce on the market. Good Luck!

Regular gear oil will work fine, available at any autoparts store. You're right though, Swepco is the best!

-Wayne

When I said, "throw anything you can get in it," I didn't mean motor oil just to be clear. And when I was concerned about a flush, I had visions of you running solvent through the trans. I would not recommend that. Simply draining warm fluid should be enough.

Do you have limited slip? If so, I believe you can buy gear oil with limited slip additive already mixed in.

Back in the mid eightee's we used plain old valvoline GL-5 gearbox oil at a street car shop I worked at. Same stuff you bought at any auto parts store.

When I worked at Gunnar Porsche Racing around that time thats what they put in the 935 and 962 for the florida races and won the 24 hours of Daytona and 12 hours of Sebring.
I don't remember them having any gearbox problems. Don't remember hearing that Bob Wolleck complained either.
You could buy it in a 5 gallon plastic bucket and use a manual pump that fit into the top.

I don't know if swepco was around back then.

Have the regulations reformulated gear oil since then, in the same way as removing zinc and phosphorous from motor oil?

I got some Valvoline dura blend and put it in...probably about half a quart or so. Took me about 5 minutes with the pump I bought for 7 bucks. Pretty easy to do!


Thanks all!