Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

[Rich C.]

I'm planning on changing the transmission fluid in my ZF transmission. I've seen suggestions for both Amsoil and Red Line, however I wanted to try the Castro, as recommended by ZF.. At any rate, I picked it up at the BMW dealer. The packaging looks different though. Now the packaging reads "Castrol EDGE PROFESSIONAL, TWS 10W-60 full synthetic" anyone know if it's the same stuff. I don't know what TWS stands for.

1973 LS-4 454 coupe, owned 24 years
1996 LT-4 CE coupe owned 10 months
Time for an Anchor Porter

[Jim T.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

I'm planning on changing the transmission fluid in my ZF transmission. I've seen suggestions for both Amsoil and Red Line, however I wanted to try the Castro, as recommended by ZF.. At any rate, I picked it up at the BMW dealer. The packaging looks different though. Now the packaging reads "Castrol EDGE PROFESSIONAL, TWS 10W-60 full synthetic" anyone know if it's the same stuff. I don't know what TWS stands for.

1973 LS-4 454 coupe, owned 24 years
1996 LT-4 CE coupe owned 10 months
Time for an Anchor Porter

How many miles are on your LT4's six speed?

[Joe L.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

I'm planning on changing the transmission fluid in my ZF transmission. I've seen suggestions for both Amsoil and Red Line, however I wanted to try the Castro, as recommended by ZF.. At any rate, I picked it up at the BMW dealer. The packaging looks different though. Now the packaging reads "Castrol EDGE PROFESSIONAL, TWS 10W-60 full synthetic" anyone know if it's the same stuff. I don't know what TWS stands for.

1973 LS-4 454 coupe, owned 24 years
1996 LT-4 CE coupe owned 10 months
Time for an Anchor Porter

Rich------


The 1989-96 ZF transmission did not specify the use of a 10W-60 fluid. The fluid specified was 5W-30 and of GM #1052931. That fluid is no longer available but there may be a new number.

[Bill H.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

I have 45k miles on my ZF with Castrol TWS, shifts beautifully.

Check with Bill: www.zfdoc.com , there's no one better on ZF's.

[Rich C.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

It just turned 40,000. It appears I have a cracked housing extension. Figured I'd swap out the fluid while replacing. Located a new tail-housing, and Bill supplied me with the gasket and seal. He recommended the TWS 10W-60, but when I googled the Castrol, it turned up 2 different packages. Absolutely LOVE that transmission though, it's an absolute blast!

1973 LS-4 454 Coupe owned 24 years
1996 LT-4 CE Coupe owned 10 months
Victory Hop Devil Ale- currently on tap!

[Duke W.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

Rich------


The 1989-96 ZF transmission did not specify the use of a 10W-60 fluid. The fluid specified was 5W-30 and of GM #1052931. That fluid is no longer available but there may be a new number.

SAE engine oil viscosities range from 0 to 60. SAE gear oil viscosities range from 70 to 140, and the absolute viscosity of a 70 gear oil is in the same range as a 20-30 engine oil.

Gear oils have different additive packages. They don't have detergents/dispersants (or maybe a very low concentration), but they may have EP additives that engine oils lack. That's why they are two distinct families of oils with different additive packages. Current common API gear oil service categories are MT-1, GL-4 and GL-5. Most manufacturers specify manual transmission and axle oils by viscoisty and service spec.

It appears that the original GM recommendations is a 5W-30, which would be an engine oil. It's uncommon for a manufacturer to recommend engine oil in a transmission, but not unheard of. The five-speed manual in my Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.6 calls for ATF or 20-20W non-detergent engine oil. Just try finding some of that nowadays. I use Redline MTL.

If the GM recommendation is 5W-30, then my recommendation would be to use any current 5W-30 API service category SN engine oil.

Duke

[Dick W.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

Duke, ZF has some very strict requirements. I have had their transmissions in other vehicles and they were very specific about the type of lubricant used. In the last case, it was synthetic ATF. I have seen the results of using conventional gear oil in those transmissions, one turned into a large pile of parts and pieces uncontained by the transmission case.

[Larry E.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

FWIW: Would you believe the new 2014 Silverado's Automatic and Manual transmissions and Manual Transfer Case take the same identical fluid/lubricant namely:

DEXRON-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid as printed in my owners manual. Larry

[Dick W.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

FWIW: Would you believe the new 2014 Silverado's Automatic and Manual transmissions and Manual Transfer Case take the same identicle fluid/lubricant namely:

DEXRON-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid as printed in my owners manual. Larry

It seems that every manufacturer is requiring their specs, which may be different from all other manufacturers. Case in point, the motor oil specs in you manual call for GM EOS or equivalent. Every oil I find that has that label is synthetic.

[Duke W.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

Duke, ZF has some very strict requirements. I have had their transmissions in other vehicles and they were very specific about the type of lubricant used. In the last case, it was synthetic ATF. I have seen the results of using conventional gear oil in those transmissions, one turned into a large pile of parts and pieces uncontained by the transmission case.

I believe we agree. My recommendation is to always to follow the manufacturer's recommended oil spec. In this case, 5W-30, which is an engine oil appears to be the original recommendation. That can be fulfilled by using any currently available 5W-30 SN engine oil.

The original T-10/Muncie spec was Mil-L-2105, which was the original axle oil with EP additive developed for hypoid gear sets back in the forties, if not the thirties. The mil-spec was cancelled at least 10 years ago and replaced with API GL-5.

It appears that a lot of guys are using GL-4 in T-10/Muncie transmissions due to all the internet hype about "yellow metal corrosion" if GL-5 is used. Such corrosion will only occur at temperatures well about the normal operating temperature, so it is a non-issue, and the vast majority of these transmissions had good service lives with Mil-L-2105 or GL-5.

IMO using GL-4 in a T-10 or Muncie is a pointless experiment that may have bad results.

Duke

[John G.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

Rich, when I refreshed my 93 w/zf my local GM parts buddy crossed the original fluid to replacement GM syncromesh transfluid #12345349 GFL 8.800
But that was back in Mr. Goodwrench days

John G.

[James W.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

I'd recommend a visit to ZFDocs site www.zfdoc.com. Very well known in the ZR-1 community for his knowledge on the C4ZF 6-speed

jim

[Rich C.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

I'd recommend a visit to ZFDocs site www.zfdoc.com. Very well known in the ZR-1 community for his knowledge on the C4ZF 6-speed

jim

Yup, that's what I did, he recommended the Castrol TWS 10W-60, sold at BMW dealers! Apparently Castrol has repackaged all their oils to the "Edge Professional" branding. Can't anything be easy??? It appears I have what Bill suggests!

1973 LS-4 454 coupe owned 24 years
1996 LT-4 CE coupe owned 10 months
Victory Hop Devil Ale-currently on tap!

[Bill H.]

Re: Has castrol tws 10w-60 synthetic for zf transmission changed?

I'd recommend a visit to ZFDocs site www.zfdoc.com. Very well known in the ZR-1 community for his knowledge on the C4ZF 6-speed

jim

He also builds a great short throw ZF shifter.