What is the difference between transmission fluid and gear oil

We remanufacture and sell transmissions, and we know firsthand how improper maintenance can destroy a good system. When you buy a car, be aware of the correct fluids it requires, whether you own a manual or automatic. While some manual transmissions now use automatic transmission fluid ATF , most manuals use a variety of fluids for optimal engine and gear function.

However, common sense prevails in all cases. If you have a manual transmission car, go get a bottle of gear oil. My personal favorite is always going to be a manual transmission. The first reason is the confidence factor because you have the gear shifting at your disposal. You know when to change the gear, especially if you are driving on a very challenging road.

I like to take control in my own hands, so, I am always going to prefer manual gearboxes over the automatic transmission. We have talked about viscosity in some of our previous posts.

Viscosity is the thickness of a fluid. When we talk about oils, the thickness density determines a few factors. I did a little experiment last week and mixed synthetic motorcycle oil with synthetic motorcar oil and used it on my motorcycle. The results are disappointing. Although the motorcycle engine sounds smooth, it does not respond too well to acceleration input.

Anyhow, wherever gear oil is concerned, viscosity matters a lot. Gear oil usually has low viscosity. When we talk about transmission fluid VS gear oil , many factors play their role to differ these two components. In order to understand the difference between transmission fluid and gear oil, aspects like viscosity, heat resistance, and pressure tolerance play an important role.

The viscosity indicates how thicker a liquid is. Transmission fluid has low viscosity. Transmission fluid is thin because it needs to flow constantly from the engine to the other parts in order to pass on the power. When talking about the viscosity of transmission fluid vs gear oil , of course, gear oil is the thicker one.

The reason for that is the function of gear oil to lubricate the entire gear train. It provides cushioning effect that protects gears to be damaged from the shocks. When should you check the oil level?

Transmission fluid performs as a coolant too. On the other hand, the viscosity of the gear oil is thicker. This is so because of the work performed by the gear oil, which is lubricating the whole gear train. It gives gears a cushioning effect, so they are protected from the damage that comes from shock. The transmission fluid also acts as a coolant. What it does is to transfer the heat that is generated as a result of friction from many internal parts.

However, though the transmission fluid is thin with the boiling point low, the life expectancy of the transmission fluid can be decreased by the heat. Alternatively, the gear can withstand the rising temperature that is in the gearbox. The heat affects the transmission fluid but the gearbox isn't affected by it, because of its thickness.

As the gear oil transfers heat that is from the gear train, it doesn't boil off. The thickness of the gear oil helps to extend its lifespan. The work the gearbox performs exerts a lot of pressure. So, it can stand the highest pressure with ease. The gear oil functions fine, even with the hypoid gears.