MG Car Repair: 1976 MGB, automatic transmission fluid, clutch system

Question
What should we use for transmission fluid in our 1976 MGB ?
Please help we are lost.

Answer
Hi Stephanie,
For a long time we used engine oil in the earlier MGBs and it worked well, When BLM took over MG they notified us at the MG dealership that we should change to gear oil. As soon as we did we were covered up with customer complaints about gear clash shifting gears. What was happening was that as soon as the syncros (the cone shaped brass clutches that get the gear and the hub assembly spinning at the same speed so a gear can be engaged) were slightly worn the thicker gear oil would not allow the syncros to operate and the customer would get excessive gear clash every time he or she tried to shift gears even if the clutch system was releasing correctly. We were forced to ignore BLM and go back to engine oil.
Several other brands of cars experience the same problem (early 70s Dodge cars were forced to use automatic transmission fluid in their standard transmissions due to gear clash using gear oil).

I have used engine oil in all MGBs from the first "B" to the last "B". The syncros are going to ware out unless you learn and practice proper downshifting procedure, however, they will last much longer using engine oil than gear oil. Read my tech tip on how to prolong the life of a straight stick transmission on my web site at,
http://mg-tri-jag.net/tech4.htm

Howard