How to choose gear oil for a GAZelle car?

GAZelle Business is a Russian light-duty car produced since 2010 at the Gorky Automobile Plant. It is an updated version of the classic GAZelle, from which it differs in improved front design and more reliable components. The body design and engine range remained the same.

The manufacturer announces an increase in the service interval to 15 thousand km (previously it was 10 thousand), as well as an extension of official warranty service to two years or 80 thousand km. Thanks to minor design improvements, fuel consumption has been reduced by 5% and braking distance has been reduced by 8%. In 2011, the Business family became the Russian sales leader in the light commercial class.

When to change the oil?

GAZelle cars are operated in rather difficult conditions under high loads. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the operation of all units, especially the transmission.

Transmission oil, unlike motor oil, does not need to be changed every 10 thousand kilometers. Each car manufacturer sets a specific replacement interval. For Gazelles it is 75 thousand km. But car owners recommend reducing this interval to 60 thousand km.

First of all, this is due to the operating conditions of the car. If the car is used only in urban conditions, then the transmission oil will not “get tired” too quickly. But when traveling outside the city and in industrial areas, the driver should check the condition of the transmission fluid more often.

Reviews

Vadim, Ulyanovsk. I have been working on GAZelle Business since 2014, a car with a UMZ-4216.10 engine and a five-speed manual transmission. Although the transmission is noisy and causes a lot of discomfort, it reveals the engine’s potential well. The cabin is much more comfortable than in a classic Gazelle, and there is at least some sound insulation.

Boris, Stavropol region. I have a 2013 GAZelle Business, equipped with a UMZ engine with support for AI-92. Although the engine is voracious and suffers from the factory’s signature problems (overheating, oil burns, leaks, etc.), it has a good reserve of traction even on inclines – almost like a full-fledged diesel engine. Fuel consumption at 60 km/h is 13 liters in the urban cycle.

Oil level control

Checking the transmission fluid level in GAZelle cars should be done every 20 thousand kilometers. This must be done even if there are no visible leaks. If for some reason the oil level decreases, it must be added to the gearbox housing.

Before checking the oil level, you need to thoroughly clean the breather with the cap and the adjacent surface of the box housing. This is necessary so that when checking the level, dirt does not get into the gearbox. After this, you can unscrew the plug. Since the Gazelle box is not equipped with a hole with a dipstick, the level is checked along the lower edge of the filler hole.

Oil control is carried out as follows:

• Before checking, you need to warm up the gearbox; a trip of 10-15 km is enough for this.
• The car should be placed on a flat surface, as a slight horizontal tilt will not give an accurate result.
• The lubricant should drain from the crankcase walls to the bottom. At the same time, you need to clean the filler cap.
• Unscrew the plug and observe the hole. A thin stream of grease indicates an abnormal oil level. Then use a syringe to add fluid to the gearbox and check the level again
• If the oil stops leaking, the fluid level has returned to normal.
• Tighten the plug

You only need to add the oil that is already in the gearbox. For a while, you can use a liquid of a different brand, but with similar characteristics.

It is prohibited to operate GAZelle vehicles with a low oil level. This applies to all models. If the volume of fluid is insufficient, air pockets may form, due to which the amount of lubricant supplied to the gearbox bearings and gears is reduced.

Possible malfunctions and repairs

Repair of the GAZelle Next gearbox may be required in the following cases:

1. Noise, extraneous sounds near the node. If they occur when the clutch is fully depressed, the cause must be sought in the bearings. Noise while driving indicates gear failures. Wear of the primary and secondary shaft or its gears is the cause of extraneous sounds when driving in fourth gear. Regardless of the mode, the transmission is noisy when there is no oil.
2. Inability to turn off or change gear. First you should check the clutch and check the functionality of the pedal. Malfunctions of the clutches and synchronizer cause failures in starting 3.4 speeds.
3. Departure of speed.

In all cases, you will need to remove the box for diagnostics and inspect the parts and mechanisms. Having a diagram will allow you to carry out simple repairs yourself. Otherwise, it is better to contact a service center.

Oil selection

Let's look at how much oil is in a GAZelle box and which one is best to fill.

The manufacturer does not indicate the specific volume of transmission fluid in the vehicle's operating instructions. This is due to the fact that, depending on the modification, the amount of oil can be from 1.2 to 1.6 liters. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase 2 liters of liquid, and leave any remaining liquid for topping up.

The same goes for the brand of oil. The vehicle's operating instructions contain information only about the viscosity of the fluid. It should be 75W, but you can use 80W or 85W. When choosing oil, car owners give preference to Castrol, TOTAL, TNK, Mannol materials. Regarding the class, the plant recommends GL-4 fluids. You can also use GL-5 oils of similar viscosity. But they contain more sulfur and wear out the synchronizers somewhat faster.

Castrol Syntrax Longlife 75W-140

Fully synthetic fluid designed for differentials and final drives of passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles where API GL-5 oils are required.

The material provides excellent protection against wear and extreme pressure over a wide range of ambient temperatures under any load. The liquid increases the service life of units, reduces operating costs, and has excellent fluidity at low temperatures.

The oil has high oxidative and thermal stability, prevents scuffing when driving off and has an extended replacement interval.

TOTAL TRANSMISSION GEAR 8 75W-80

Mineral gear oil for manual transmissions. Designed for units that require the use of fluids with a viscosity of SAE 75W-80 and API class GL-4+ (GL-4/5). Recommended by PSA (Peugeot, Citroen) as an oil with an extended replacement interval (250 thousand km). Contains a special modifier required for manual transmissions of PSA cars.

The oil has increased anti-corrosion, anti-wear and extreme pressure properties, increased fluidity at low temperatures, facilitates cold starts and reduces fuel consumption. It reduces vehicle maintenance costs and is highly stable in operation.

TNK Trans Gipoid Super 75W-90

Semi-synthetic gear oil for cars and trucks. Also suitable for hypoid gears, and fully meets the requirements of domestic and foreign manufacturers of such units. Can be used in transmissions where API GL-5 class fluids are prescribed.

The oil has high mechanical, thermal and oxidative stability, effectively protects synchronizers and gears from wear and corrosion. It ensures trouble-free engine starting at sub-zero temperatures, increases the service life of transmission components, has good anti-foam properties, and is compatible with any structural seal materials.

MANNOL Extra Getriebeoel 75W-90

High quality synthetic gear oil. It is used in differentials, rear axles, steering mechanisms and other transmission components where GL-4/5 class oils are required. Thanks to its composition, it can be used in synchronized gearboxes and highly loaded gears.

The oil has high performance characteristics, reduces wear of mechanisms, prevents the formation of corrosion and deposits. It improves the performance of the gearbox, has high thermal stability and excellent friction properties.

Replacement instructions

If the required volume of transmission oil for replacement has been prepared and the location for the operation has been selected, then you can change the “transmission” in the box.

Required Tools

To replace you should prepare:

• container for collecting “working off”;
• a syringe for pouring new lubricant;
• cleaning material;
• new oil to fill.

In some cases, flushing the gearbox housing will be necessary. This will be indicated by the presence of metal shavings on the drain plug magnet. Then you should additionally prepare approximately 1 liter of flushing oil.

In the video from the channel Gazelists of Ukraine you can watch about changing the lubricant in the Gazelle gearbox.

How often does a Gazelle gearbox need to be replaced?

In addition, how many liters of lubricant need to be poured into the Gazelle gearbox, you need to know how often this lubricant needs to be changed. Practice shows that there are a number of points during the operation of the machine that make it possible to determine the frequency of replacing the substance, namely:

• the more intensely the driver switches gears, the faster the lubricant used becomes clogged;
• Sooner or later, abrasive contact is created in the system, which means metal shavings begin to enter the liquid. Yes, it is very small, but over time there is a lot of this component, and it harms the operation of the gearbox;
• the lubricant poured into the system loses its viscosity, acquires a dark tint and ceases to perform all the functions assigned to it.

In order to notice the problem in a timely manner, it is important not to lose vigilance, but to regularly monitor the condition of the lubricant. If in appearance it no longer meets the standards or has been flooded for a very long time, you should think about replacing it

To help the driver, each container of transmission fluid indicates its service life. Experimenting and using the composition for a longer time is highly not recommended.

How the box works

GAZelles are equipped with 4- or 5-speed manual transmissions. Components of the device:

• 2 aluminum crankcases connected by 100 bolts;
• speedometer drive gear;
• primary and secondary shafts connected to the cardan and crankshaft;
• an intermediate shaft on which the cut reverse and 1st stage teeth are located;
• pressed gear block;
• inertial synchronizers;
• reverse gear is provided by a gear block;
• clutch for engaging 3rd and 4th gears;
• system for blocking simultaneous launch of several speeds;
• spring-loaded balls for fastening different levels of the box;
• mechanism of the damper device of the lever and control elements.

The design of the unit allows for timely diagnosis of the first signs of malfunction to prevent more dangerous failures.

Specifications

Key characteristics of the gearbox of GAZelle cars:

• 4- or 5-speed transmission;
• 5 speeds - 1 reverse and 4 forward.

For the transmission, the following parameters can be noted:

• three-way lever located in the assembly;
• the mass of the part is 56 kg;
• oil tank capacity - 3 l;
• gear ratios for five stages - 6.55; 3.09; 1.71; 1; 7.77.
• The fourth stage in the gearbox is direct.

Basic models of the device assume the presence of synchronizers in the mechanism to ensure reliable operation.

Gear shift diagram

The gear scheme on the GAZelle is distinguished by the presence of a synchronizer. Moving the lever from the neutral position to the left side causes its lower part to move the shift rod and fork. This causes the first stage gear to move backward and come into contact with the first gear element located on the intermediate shaft. When the clutch is running, torque is transmitted through gears and intermediate elements to the secondary shaft.

The inclusion of the third speed is due to the movement of the lever from the neutral position, first to the right side, and then forward. Under the influence of the fork, the clutch begins to move backwards and the structure impacts the synchronizer. The torque follows in the direction of: the input shaft, the permanently meshed gears, the intermediate and secondary shaft of the gearbox.

To start the fourth speed, you will need to move the selector to the right and back relative to neutral. The forward movement of the clutch helps to engage the synchronizer locking ring with the input shaft. After balancing the speeds, gears are engaged. Reverse speed is started by moving the lever to the right after overcoming the resistance of the safety system.

The synchronizer is a mechanism in the form of a hub mounted on the secondary shaft of the box. The coupling moves along the splines located outside under the influence of the fork. Other key elements of the synchronizer:

• retaining springs;
• "blocking" parts;
• side bronze rings for locking the mechanism;

About the order of the operation

We found out how much oil is in a GAZelle box, let's talk about how to replace it. This operation is carried out only on a warmed-up car gearbox, as this allows the “working off” to be completely drained.

1. The machine is installed on an inspection pit or overpass. Stops are placed under the wheels.
2. Thoroughly clean the drain and filler caps from accumulated dirt.
3. Unscrew the drain plug, having previously placed a container under the crankcase to collect the “working off”.
4. Drain the grease; this will take about 20 minutes.
5. The drain plug is inspected for the presence of metal shavings. If it is noticed, you should flush the gearbox housing.
6. The cleaned cap is screwed back into place and the filler is unscrewed. Depending on the vehicle configuration, it can be located on either the left or right side of the gearbox.
7. Add the required amount of lubricant to the open filler hole using a syringe. Continue pouring until oil flows out of the hole.
8. The plug is wiped and replaced.

If you don’t have a syringe at hand, you can change the oil without it. In this case, new lubricant is poured through the hole for the gear shift lever. Dismantling it will not be difficult. To do this, remove the protection in the form of a cover, and then turn out the lever. The required volume of liquid must be poured into the resulting hole in the crankcase, observing its appearance in the control hole.

Hole for gear lever

About the order of the operation

We found out how much oil is in a GAZelle box, let's talk about how to replace it. This operation is carried out only on a warmed-up car gearbox, as this allows the “working off” to be completely drained.

1. The machine is installed on an inspection pit or overpass. Stops are placed under the wheels.
2. Thoroughly clean the drain and filler caps from accumulated dirt.
3. Unscrew the drain plug, having previously placed a container under the crankcase to collect the “working off”.
4. Drain the grease; this will take about 20 minutes.
5. The drain plug is inspected for the presence of metal shavings. If it is noticed, you should flush the gearbox housing.
6. The cleaned cap is screwed back into place and the filler is unscrewed. Depending on the vehicle configuration, it can be located on either the left or right side of the gearbox.
7. Add the required amount of lubricant to the open filler hole using a syringe. Continue pouring until oil flows out of the hole.
8. The plug is wiped and replaced.

If you don’t have a syringe at hand, you can change the oil without it. In this case, new lubricant is poured through the hole for the gear shift lever. Dismantling it will not be difficult. To do this, remove the protection in the form of a cover, and then turn out the lever. The required volume of liquid must be poured into the resulting hole in the crankcase, observing its appearance in the control hole.

Hole for gear lever

Step-by-step instructions for replacing the lubricant

Changing the oil in this vehicle yourself is not easy. Special procedures will need to be followed, but it is important to know how and in what order. So that readers can understand how this happens, I will give a step-by-step algorithm for general actions:

1. Before changing the lubricant, you will need to check its level in the system. You need to clean the neck of the container from dirt and wipe the crankcase with a rag. All that remains is to unscrew the lid. It is necessary that the car is parked on level ground and wait until the oil drains into the crankcase.
2. If, after unscrewing, the lubricant begins to flow in a trickle, then this is a signal that the oil is below the normal level.
3. The lubricant will need to be replaced. To do this, you need a bucket or canister for working out, a syringe for adding lubricant, rags and new oil.
4. The lubricant is drained through the drain hole, and then a new product can be poured into it. It is important to ensure that the normal level of the substance is achieved.

Shift algorithm

Before you start replacing the oil product, you need to warm up the vehicle. This will increase the fluidity of the gear lubricant that is already filled. Then you need to install the car on a ditch or overpass.

Now you know what the volume of oil should be in the Gazelle gearbox and how to properly pour fresh consumables. Do not delay the replacement procedure. The longer you drive with old lubricant, the more the gearbox parts wear out.

The performance of the transmission depends on the quality of the oil.

What kind of oil should I pour into a Gazelle box when replacing it myself and how to do it correctly? For normal operation of this vehicle, the transmission must be filled with a suitable lubricant that will not disrupt the operation of the mechanism.

What is included in the diagnosis?

Diagnostic work is carried out using modern and functional equipment. Experts pay attention to:

• general integrity of the hull;
• the presence of various oil leaks from the transmission;
• the presence of noise in the box;
• current oil level;
• condition of bearings (main, needle);
• level of production of the axle and satellite gears;
• technical condition of synchronizers;
• shaft wear;
• seal tightness.

Over many years of work in this market segment, we have accumulated considerable experience and won the trust of consumers.