Technically, Redline MT-90 is a 75W-90 which exactly meets the factory spec. MTL is a 70W-80 which is close but still works fine which would probably be fine for cooler climates. I'd rather use MT-90 in a warmer or hot climate.
I use Redline MTL but I have used MT-90 in the past. I have experianced issues with 75W-90 during the winter months (Northern Minnesota, Michigan, & New York). You can't go wrong with MT-90 if you don't spend a lot of time driving around in sub-freezing temps. Amazon.com has some decent prices if you can't find it locally.
I just changed my tranny fluid to Redine MTL, this weekend and notice a distinct difference in how it shifts. I still have to pause when shifting to 2nd, but it's not as pronounced and the rest of the gears are very smooth. As an FYI... according to the Redline website, Redline MT-90 is equivalent to 15w40 motor oil and Redline MTL is equivalent to 5W30. 10w30 is what's recommended for the AX15. Meanmax quotes the Mopar specs in the following thread and includes a link to some statements from Jeep engineers that confirm the use of 10W30. Seems like either is fine (according to the Redline webite, both meet viscosity requirements for 10w30), so it's a bit of a pick'em. Some people who switched to MT90 to clear up notchy shifting, report additional improvement when switching to MTL, so if you AX15 shifts rough, you might consider going straight to MTL.
Use some folded aluminum foil to make a "chute" for the fluid to leave the drain hole and travel to your drain pan. That way you won't end up with oil all over your transfer case skid plate, and everything is real clean. Someone else posted that here once, and I used it, worked great and I have used the aluminum foil trick for several other projects since.
I did the same thing, only with a piece of thin sheet metal that I cut and bent up to a shape that worked very well. Not a drop spilled.
Of course, when I did the transfer case the following week, I opted not to drop the skid plate and let it all drain through the holes. (I figured I'd rather clean up that mess vs. deal with spinning nutserts.)
When I bought mine it had a real bad shifting problem going into second. Gears would grind and it was very difficult to get it into second. Especially being here in Alaska when it gets real cold. Drained the very chocolate shake looking water contaminated oil and replaced with 10w30 and have been extremely happy witht the result. The synchros freed up and now it shifts like a dream. So if you are wary about putting 10w30 rest assured that it worked very well for me. Bought some redline mt90 but have been so happy with the 10w30 that I have postponed putting the redline in until the late spring fluid change.
well crap, i have some tough shifting issues and just recieved my order of 4 qts. of Redline MT-90 but now you guys are saying the MTL is better, i cant win lol
Redline MTL definitely improved my tranny's shift from 1st to 2nd. It still shifts rough, from 1st to 2nd. I've tried the high rev shift and it helps, but I can't get used to letting the engine rev to 3K rpm, in 1st gear.
ok really quick im not up todate on this lingo and i need to do my trans fluid TODAY being i was submerged in water less than 24hrs ago!! haha
Ok MTL???? what does that mean??
And when you say 10w30, do you mean like normal motor oil????
10w30 normal motor oil is what mopar recommends. i used the cheapest 10w30 full synthetic i can find. walmarts super tech is about $4 a quart. you need almost 4 quarts.
Yep, Jeep's official recommendation for the AX-5 and AX-15 is now a synthetic 10W-30 engine oil. Mopar's official recommendation used to be 75W-90 GL-4. I dunno if that is any better than the usual Redline MT-90, a synthetic GL-4 75W-90 gear lube. Maybe it's just that 10W-30 is easy to find and works ok but a GL-4 75W-90 is not.
To prevent any viscosity confusion, 75W-90 gear lube is similar in viscosity to 10W-30 engine oil. Engine oils and gear lubes use different viscosity scales.
haha well i went out to the store and the only GL4 oil was royal purple HAHAHA!!! ya so already 100 in the hole from all the other fluids i needed to change now im 100 more....
And another question, in this same thread there is an example of how to drain and fill it and the guy pulls a plug from the driver side right above where the clutch line goes in...
Now on this website it says DO NOT PULL OUT PLUG anyone knwo if it matters or not because in the pic on the moab jeeper article it shows a fill plug on the passenger side, but i dont have one... theres just nothing there no hole or anything
haha well i went out to the store and the only GL4 oil was royal purple HAHAHA!!! ya so already 100 in the hole from all the other fluids i needed to change now im 100 more....
And another question, in this same thread there is an example of how to drain and fill it and the guy pulls a plug from the driver side right above where the clutch line goes in... I linked some info on the AX-15 for you below.
Now on this website it says DO NOT PULL OUT PLUG anyone knwo if it matters or not because in the pic on the moab jeeper article it shows a fill plug on the passenger side, but i dont have one... theres just nothing there no hole or anything
I think you're being confused by the AX-5 "Do Not Remove" plug controversy. I also addressed this myth as well.
The specs are wrong if you are using anything with the GL5. The GL5 actually erodes the brass syncros. If you call the dealer, the fluid is specific and if the dealer follows all the supersetions, it will state to use 10w-30 oil. I know this because I had a hard time shifting my tranny after being rebuilt. The shop said nothing was wrong. I calledthe dealer and was told this is a comon problem when using the 75w-90 ith GL5 fluid. The correct fluid to use is the 10W-30 oil.
While that is a very true statement for most GL-5 gear lubes, not all GL-5 gear lubes have that problem any more. The ones that don't are usually some of the more modern synthetic GL-5 gear lubes that specifically say they are "Safe for yellow metals" which includes the brass synchros. I'm no fan of Amsoil or Royal Purple, but they are two manufacturers among others who now make GL-5 gear lubes that are specifically noted to be safe for our transmission brass synchros.
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