The Classic Machinery Network

Hello,

I would like to replace gearbox oil on my old 3cx 198X whitecab and I'm not sure which type od oil I should use.

I attached picture od my gearbox. Can Somebody help me identify what type od gearbox it Is and which oil should be there?

I found that older types called syncro shuttle have the torque convertor, the shuttle unit and the 4 speed syncro gearbox, where first two share same oil 10w.
Is this my case?

Thank you!

That is the Borg Warner type and originally JCB specified a 10w transmission oil that could in theory double as a light engine oil. The advice from the fitter who rebuilt the shuttle in both our old 3C111 and Sanderson was to stick to that rather than ATF Dexron type. I know some on here have used the latter without a problem. The most important points with that shuttle is to not overheat it by pushing to hard or labouring in to high a gear and to not make sudden/aggressive direction changes.

Thank you very much Essexpete!

I will put to syncro shuttle 10W.

What confuses me is fact, that there is only one dipstick. I do not see dipstick for 4speed gearbox.

I found on internet picture of complete assembly which correspond with mine.
Could you tell me where can I check and drain gearbox oil, where should be 90w gearbox oil?

Sorry yes the 4 speed synchro is separate. There is (I think) a square head level plug on the side and a drain at the bottom.

Run a check on one of the oil websites (eg Morris or Q8) you will be able to find the correct oil. It will need to be a gear oil or have gear oil properties suitable for synchromesh. From memory, a GL4 80w90 would do. Not a huge capacity either.
Going back to the shuttle was it mentioned about checking with the engine running at idle or immediately on stopping? Very easy to overfill.

Hello essexpete,

thank you for help! I also heard that shuttle should be checked with engine running.

What interesting is that I found service manual to this type of shuttle :
http://www.gbfoot.co.uk/downloadfolder/BorgWarnerT72shuttleBox.pdf

Here I found information about oil change and there is written this :

What do you think about it? Do you think I can also put there automatic transmission fluid?

Yes then I am sure that will be right. I think some of the board members on here have used ATF Dexron type oil. The GB Foot download will have been put there by a most knowledgeable man probably from the era when he dealt with Sanderson telehandlers using the Borg Warner as fitted to JCB equipment in the late 70s and early 80s.

ATF will probably be ok, but oils have come a long way since those fluids were released (they no longer contain whale oil for a start).

Type A Suffix A was released in 1958 and Dexron in 1967.

I'm sure there are vastly better oils to use.

Reading up on the history of ATF provides some insight
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_transmission_fluid#History

I had a 1986 3cx with the Borg Warner shuttle and it is most definately 10W oil that you should use in it. The Dextron red oils have additives in them that can cause problems with internals if they are used, i have had a few diggers that i have found to have the red atf dextron in them and i have drained it out straight away and refilled with the recommended 10w and afterwards i have noticed that the direction take up was much better after the change. I think later machines after about 2000 started to use the ATF although a lot of The later Fords and New Hollands use 10W in everything.

I've recently bought a 1984 grey cab 3CX with the same gearbox as yours. I got it from a farmer who had been running the SS and TC on red ATF as in his words : "it was cheap and all I could get because it has a bit of a leak".

I've discovered that his "bit of a leak" really means that the torque convertor drains itself over the course of a days work so I now have the pleasure of dropping the gearbox and refurbishing the TC over winter, so another project for my ever expanding list.

I don't have enough experience to know if the leak happened because he was using ATF rather that 10W but I would stick to whatever spec fluids JCB recommend just to be safe.

Good luck