Why is it critical to change the oil in a manual transmission

The debate about whether to change the oil in a manual transmission has been going on for many years. Some drivers point to what is written in the service book, others are guided by personal experience. Portal "AvtoVzglyad" puts an end to this discussion.

In the service books of many models it is written that the oil in the "mechanics" does not need to be changed at all. Like, the classic transmission is more reliable than the "automatic". Therefore, it’s not worth it to “climb” there once again. Let's figure it out.

If the engine warms up due to the processes of fuel combustion, then the transmission is solely due to the friction forces that occur in the gears and bearings. Thus, the gearbox works much longer in non-optimal temperature conditions, especially in cold weather. This reduces the resource of the oil, as a result of which it gradually loses its protective properties, and additives in its composition are produced.

Let's not forget that during operation, strong loads act on the box, which leads to wear of transmission parts, because the smallest particles of metal chips get into the oil. And the design of the "mechanics" does not provide for the installation of a special filter or magnets, as on the "machine" and the variator. In other words, the "garbage" will be in constant motion inside the unit and act on the gears and bearings like an abrasive. Add here the dust, which gradually sucks through the breather. All this, sooner or later, will “finish off” even the most reliable box.

Now about reliability. Even manual transmissions have serious design flaws. For example, in the Opel M32, bearings and rollers wear out quickly, while in the Hyundai M56CF, the bearings are destroyed and the seals are leaking. The AvtoVzglyad portal has already written about problems in mechanical transmissions from other manufacturers.

Therefore, it is necessary to change the oil in the manual gearbox, and now some automakers have already begun to prescribe this in the operating instructions. Hyundai recommends changing the fluid every 120 km, while AVTOVAZ for front-wheel drive models indicates an interval of 000 km. The most responsible company turned out to be the Chinese Brilliance, which prescribes an oil change in the unit after 180 km, and then every 000-10 km. And rightly so, because after running the car, it would be good to change the lubricant.

With an oil change, any manual transmission will last longer. At the same time, over time, you can change penny seals. So the box will definitely not let you down for a very long time.