If you have a manual or stick-shift transmission and live in the Northern US or Canada, you may experience difficult shifting when you start out in cold weather. This common difficulty is not due to a design defect or mechanical problem with your transmission. It is due to inadequate transmission oil in your car or truck.
Why Do Conventional Transmission Oils Perform Poorly in Winter?
Most manual transmissions are filled with cheap conventional oil (otherwise known as petroleum or mineral oil) from the factory. Conventional oils tend to contain waxes and impurities that solidify in cold temperatures. That’s why your shifting performance is poor on cold mornings and normalizes as the transmission generates heat.
Synthetic manual transmission oil is designed and tailor-made to strict specifications, so it does not contain components that solidify as the temperature drops. The precise design of synthetic transmission fluids creates a uniform molecular structure which also decreases friction in cold or hot weather. Oildepot’s AMSOIL synthetic transmission fluids flow in temperatures down to into the -50’s and -60’s (F), so winter gear selection is dramatically improved.
Not only does AMSOIL synthetic manual transmission oil improve winter gear shifting performance, it lowers friction for improved shifting year-round. These synthetic lubes also reduce wear, resist thinning in extreme heat and deliver long service life. Synthetic oils improve every performance characteristic over regular transmission oil.
Visit the handy Oildepot Vehicle Lookup Tool to find the correct AMSOIL synthetic transmission oil for your car or truck. Here are the most commonly specified manual transmission fluids.
AMSOIL Synthetic Manual Transmission and Transaxle Gear Lube
This is the most commonly specified transmission oil for manual transmissions and transaxles* that require the API GL-4 specification. Despite the fact that it is a 75W-90, it boasts a stunning cold-pour-point of -54C (-65F)! Therefore, your car’s shifting will be buttery smooth on the coldest days. This a a very cost-effective upgrade to improve the operation of your manual transmission.
* A“transaxle” is a transmission that directly transmits power to the axles of the drive wheels such as in the case of front-wheel-drive cars. Manual transmissions are connected to a drive shaft that in turn transmits power to the axle of the drive wheels. This would be a common configuration in a rear-wheel-drive car. Transaxles and manual transmissions would share similar inner workings otherwise.
This synthetic synchromesh oil is a direct replacement for Honda/Acura MTF transmission fluid and is also commonly used in some GM, Chrysler, Jeep and other synchromesh transmission applications. The -46C (-51F) pour point allows for consistent wintertime shifting.
AMSOIL Severe Gear Synthetic 75W-90 Gear Lube
Some transmissions call for a GL-5 gear lube; the same type of gear lube used in differentials. AMSOIL Severe Gear Synthetic 75W-90 is part of AMSOIL’s high-end gear lube series and is formulated without compromise. Manual transmission service is a walk in the park for Severe Gear and a pour point of -48C (-54) means that winter shifting is effortless as well.
AMSOIL Signature Series Multi-Vehicle Automatic Transmission Fluid
Many manual transmissions actually specify the use of an automatic transmission fluid. For these cars, we look to a full synthetic ATF from AMSOIL’s elite Signature Series label. The Signature Series Multi-Vehicle Synthetic ATF brings lower friction, resistance to extreme heat, long service life and a pour point down to -53C (-63F). Winter shifting difficulties will officially be a thing of the past once you switch to AMSOIL Synthetic ATF in your manual transmission.
Oildepot is owned and operated by Marc Roden. We have been an authorized AMSOIL dealer since 2001. OilDepot offers AMSOIL products to customers in every corner of Canada and the United States. We ship from two distribution points in Canada and nine warehouses in the US.
A reader asks: We suspect that an oil change shop put the wrong ATF in our Dodge Ram transmission. Can your oil analysis testing determine if the transmission fluid that they installed is ATF+4 compatible? Answer: Let’s expand your question. Can oil analysis testing determine the type, specification or brand of oil submitted when this…
The video below shows how quickly Ski-Doo XPS 2-Stroke Fully Synthetic Oil, Polaris VES Synthetic 2-Cycle Snowmobile Oil, Arctic Cat CTEC2 Synthetic 2-Cycle Oil and AMSOIL Interceptor Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil flow when cooled down to -40°F. Video- AMSOIL Interceptor Cold Flow Test Let’s compare the cold flow capabilities of the three main OEM synthetic 2-stroke oils…
If you would like to improve the performance and longevity of your Harley-Davidson motorcycle for very little money and effort, we have a great deal for you! Purchase the Oildepot Harley-Davidson/AMSOIL Tune-up Kit and we can arrange for wholesale pricing! Get the best possible AMSOIL prices in either Canada or the United States. Each of…
Here is an AMSOIL “Product One Voice” Q and A on the new AMSOIL Diesel Concentrate plus Cold Flow (DFC). Here is an AMSOIL “Product One Voice” Q and A on the new AMSOIL Diesel Concentrate plus Cold Flow (DFC).
AMSOIL has released an advanced new Biodegradable ISO 46 Hydraulic Oil. The new “BHO” product offers improved biodegradability and lower aquatic toxicity while delivering superior oxidative stability and low temperature performance. It meets the tough Vickers M-2950-S and I-286-S hydraulic oil specifications as well as the U.S. Federal bio-based procurement guidelines as defined in Section…
Update- May, 2024 A reader asks: I use 5W-30 motor oil in my Infinti G35 during the winter and my owner’s manual suggests that it is suitable to use 10W-30 in warmer temperatures. Is there any real benefit to switching to 10W-30 in the summer and back to 5W-30 in the fall? Answer: There is…
