Are synthetic oils and lubricants any quicker

[Todd Boyer]

Quite a few years ago, I read an article in a MuscleCar magazine in which they did a back to back comparison of regular and synthetic lubes in a '69 Hemi Charger with an A-833 4-speed and a Dana 60. IIRC the total difference between dinosaur oils and synthetics in engine/trans and axle was 3 tenths. Car went from 13.00 to 12.70 doing nothing but changing to synthetic lubes.

[Ed Wright]

My p.o.s. didn't show anything when I switched.

[8secchevelle]

Alan I had this conversation with mr. B about the gl6 lube but I have not been able to locate any , is it available in the Nashville area? Thanks .

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by 8secchevelle

Alan I had this conversation with mr. B about the gl6 lube but I have not been able to locate any , is it available in the Nashville area? Thanks .

Richmond synthetic gear oil is API GL-6. I suspect that Royal Purple synthetic is also API GL-6, although they say to use it where GL-4 or GL-5 is required, it is not actually API rated. Torco and Redline both state their gear oil is GL-6.

The GL-6 designation is no longer required by any major OE, and as such is considered "obsolete". However, GL-6 is precisely what is required for drag racing, as it is the oil required for high hypoid, high pinion offset, extreme impact, extreme load applications.

You probably will not find a GL-6 lube on the shelf at a typical parts house.

Note that the looser you run your gears, the higher viscosity you need for severe impact protection.

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

GL-6 is precisely what is required for drag racing, as it is the oil required for high hypoid, high pinion offset, extreme impact, extreme load applications.

I must have missed the memo, because to the best of my knowledge the Mobil 1 Synthetic gear lube that I have been using for over 2 decades and over 5000 passes in 2 cars is GL-5 and by some miracle the R&P in my 9" housing under my Firebird in which I 60 foot quicker(1.17 best) and runs quicker than most posting here survived weekly racing for 4 years and over 700+ passes before the pinion gear started to fail.

[buzzinhalfdozen]

[QUOTE=1320racer;416413]I must have missed the memo, because to the best of my knowledge the Mobil 1 Synthetic gear lube that I have been using for over 2 decades and over 5000 passes in 2 cars is GL-5 and by some miracle the R&P in my 9" housing under my Firebird in which I 60 foot quicker(1.17 best) and runs quicker than most posting here survived weekly racing for 4 years and over 700+ passes before the pinion gear started to fail.[/QUOTE
Man some things never change....first off you never stated, pro or street gear. If it's a pro gear I'll have to disregard your posts as they will not survive that number of runs they are way too soft. After assembling hundreds of gears of all types, 10 bolts 12 bolts, 8.8 & 9inch for every thing from a 12 second bracket car to 6 second top sportsman rides, the trick to making them last is proper gear prep and assembly. From my personal experience a pro gear at it's best will go a few hundred runs, it will eventually merely wear out very few actually break, unless the warning signs were ignored. Street gears now many hundreds of runs can be made on them and most meet their demise in the same manner....broken R&P teeth. A properly set up gear set will survive most any lube you chose to use (within reason) however the original question I believe was is there a performance gain to be had from synthetic lubes. Looks like a few responded with their actual experiences with different lubes and 1 response merely referring to how he thinks it should be done. BTW the first question I ask someone wanting a gear set up is "what's it being used in" the final assembly is different car to car.

[1320racer]

Richmond Pro Gear bolted to a MW aluminum spool in a MW "Pro Stock" 3rd member and it's a FACT, my gear set survived over 700 passes launching my 3144 lb. MPR built super stock car to low 1.20 60 foots and a best to date of 1.17 with 1 quart of Mobil 1 Synthetic gear lube in it's 9" housing and I expect the current gear set to do the same.

Making blanket statements like Alan and now you have are irresponsible at best, self serving at worst.