[AC.Bolens88]

Hey everyone I just did a transaxle flush on my bolens 1000 and was just wondering if their was a safe cleaning solvent or solution to flush out the old sludge and grime without harming the brass parts? I know I have to use GL-1 mineral oil (which is the hardest Crap to find! Lol) so I don’t harm anything but will something like Varsol or simple green, or even diesel or kerosene be harmful to the brass parts? If anyone can help me with this it would be awesome. Just would like to get that old sludge outta there! Thx a lot guys

 

[Bruce Dorsi]

We always used kerosene in our shop. ...Any kerosene remaining in crevices will mix with the new lube, while water-based products will not.

....Diesel fuel will do the same thing but have more stink.

You may possibly find the GL-1 lube at Canadian Tire. ....It is used in a lot of older farm tractors. ....Straight 90W is preferred, but 80-85-90w is acceptable if it is GL-1 or marked "safe for yellow metals."

 

[29 Chev]

GL-1 gear lube is extremely hard to come by in small quantities in Canada - still offered for sale in the U.S. at various tractor and automotive suppliers - NHF65201 Napa for example. Most auto parts stores can order it but usually only in large quantities (18 L and up) which would be a lifetime supply. Given the present border situation you may be able to find a supplier in the U.S. that may be willing to ship it to you but given the exchange rate and shipping restrictions that may become expensive very quickly. Royal Purple offer a 75W90 gear lube (Max Gear) in one liter containers (part # 1300) that is on their web site and the description states -"It is noncorrosive to both ferrous and nonferrous metals".

https://www.royalpurple.com/product/max_gear/

It should be available from most auto parts stores. Another product that would probably work is Pennzoil Synchromesh Manual Transmission fluid as the synchros in most manual transmissions are made from brass or other soft non ferrous metals but it is probably only rated at a 40W-50W so it won't be as heavy a viscosity rating.

https://www.pennzoil.com/en_ca/products/other-oils-fluids-fuel/manual-transmission-fluids-axle-oils/synchromesh-manual-transmission-fluid.html

Just some options you might consider

 

[SteveinFL]

I have always used diesel fuel. It is easy to obtain and works well. Just drain the oil, fill it back up with diesel, make a lap around the yard and drain it. When you drive it a short time the gears turning in the diesel and the sloshing around cleans the system really well.

 

[AC.Bolens88]

GL-1 gear lube is extremely hard to come by in small quantities in Canada - still offered for sale in the U.S. at various tractor and automotive suppliers - NHF65201 Napa for example. Most auto parts stores can order it but usually only in large quantities (18 L and up) which would be a lifetime supply. Given the present border situation you may be able to find a supplier in the U.S. that may be willing to ship it to you but given the exchange rate and shipping restrictions that may become expensive very quickly. Royal Purple offer a 75W90 gear lube (Max Gear) in one liter containers (part # 1300) that is on their web site and the description states -"It is noncorrosive to both ferrous and nonferrous metals".

https://www.royalpurple.com/product/max_gear/

It should be available from most auto parts stores. Another product that would probably work is Pennzoil Synchromesh Manual Transmission fluid as the synchros in most manual transmissions are made from brass or other soft non ferrous metals but it is probably only rated at a 40W-50W so it won't be as heavy a viscosity rating.

https://www.pennzoil.com/en_ca/products/other-oils-fluids-fuel/manual-transmission-fluids-axle-oils/synchromesh-manual-transmission-fluid.html

Just some options you might consider

Thx 29 chev!! I was reading the royal purple bottle and it says "synthetic" isn't synthetic oil a no no?

 

[29 Chev]

Thx 29 chev!! I was reading the royal purple bottle and it says "synthetic" isn't synthetic oil a no no?

Synthetic should be better than the original mineral oil I would think - less friction with synthetic which should allow the transmission to run cooler. About 5 years ago I talked to a technical person at Lucas Oil products as I was looking for some gear lube for my 1050 at the time and was running into the same issue - GL1 spec is not offered by anyone in small quantities here in Canada. He did not recommend their gear oil products as it had the sulphur (or similar) additive which works great at bonding to steel parts to become a sacrificial wear surface but can become corrosive to bronze parts. He recommended their manual transmission gear oil which is a synthetic product - said it would be around a 50W which would not be quite as heavy viscosity wise. I quizzed him about the fact it was synthetic and he said that it should work better at retaining the viscosity and other specs than a similar regular oil product since it was man made. As I was once told by an oil expert it is easy to make an oil that will match a certain spec when it is new. It is much harder to make an oil that will maintain those specs over the life cycle of the oil as it gets heated and cooled during normal use cycles and picks up contaminants through items wearing and moisture formation. I was going to go with the Lucas product but a friend was going to the U.S. about that time and picked me up a gallon of the GL-1 mineral oil and brought it back for me.

It was only a suggestion and use what you feel comfortable with - there are enough worries in todays modern world without adding any more stress into ones life over gear lube.