Interesting transmission oil information from the Yahoo Syncro Vanagon Forum
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/message/35028
[quote]Hi All, I happened to notice this thread and since Mendeola's name came up thought I would ask him about the subject. Mike and his family were guests at our house this weekend. He said Swepco was a good oil but in this day and age it is hard to find a oil that is not good. He likes Synergyn gear oil, a synthetic. Mendeola Transaxles will introduce a new gearbox specifically for on road sportscar use (like GT-40 replicas) and will use one quart of Synergyn and the rest will be Mobile One. He told me he had a blurb on the Mendeola website about oil. I have copied it below.
Southern Californian transmission shops that rebuild Mendeola and VW
Bus boxes have independantly settled on Swepco 201 (and another small
company's dino gear oil). Why? Because the R&Ps in off-road desert
race cars last more than twice as long.
2007-06-26 18:36:02 Whats the right oil for my transaxle?
One of the most frequently asked questions on our tech line concerns lubricant selection. Fortunately within the last decade, synthetic formulas have been produced that make them 'Top-of-the-Heap'. In years past, we had to recommend organic (petroleum) based lubricants in the heaviest weights (140 to 250) to afford adequate protection for our HD4 in unlimited competition. That is no longer true. Currently, all HD4's are shipped with a case of Synergyn-Syngear II 85-140 weight pure synthetic lubricant. Synthetics are the only choice, PERIOD! If you are in a pinch and the only stuff you can find is petroleum, go ahead and use it. It will work and will mix easily with present day synthetics. Do not miss a dune trip because you can not find synthetic oil.
FACTS
a.. Mid-engine transaxles will run 30-50 degrees hotter than similar rear-engine cars. Engine and exhaust heat blowover make it so.
b.. Lighter oils and lower oil levels deliver more horsepower and run cooler.
c.. Lighter oil makes syncro style gear boxes shift smoother and quicker.
d.. Synthetics have a much higher thermal threshold than petroleums. Upwards of 450 degrees. The average 3% nickel gear tempers (final heat treat stage) at 325% to 350%. The lubricant is stronger than your transaxle!
Within today's Hi-performance automotive market, technology has made great strides. Light years' better products are currently available synthetic lubricants among them. PAY THE PRICE, GET THE BEST
Mendeola Transaxles carries two brands of synthetic lubricants: Synergyn and Kendall. After 35 years in the gear business, we feel them to be 'reference' oils. They are the standard on which other lubricants are compared.