Can I get away with using gear oil instead of ATF in my '96 Ranger?

[HankG]

I got my truck up on the ramps, took out the fill plug, grabbed the gear oil, and then remembered that these things take ATF. It's a 96 with 4.0L engine and 5 speed transmission. Since it is a manual, can I get away with using gear oil even though it calls for ATF?

If it matters, I'm not looking for serious longevity here. The transmission wasn't great when I bought the truck a few years ago, and now the truck itself is at the point where I don't want to spend money on it.

I don't have any ATF atm and if I can keep the transmission going with the gear oil I'd prefer to skip the trip to the store. Will it work, or is it just asking for trouble?

Thanks for any help.

 

[brinker88]

No. It's too thick for the bearing clearances in that transmission.

 

[straycat]

Good job, Bro. Now you got to flush it all out or else. Don't worry. Here's a good story....
Some years back while I was in the Navy I came home on leave for 2 weeks before going to Afghanistan. Disbursing did not cut me a check before I left my ship. I was told to pick up my pay when I get to the closest Naval base. My dad gave me his car to drive to the Orlando Naval base to pick up my pay and another set of orders. I left my 2 cars out in California since I was going back there after my brief tour in Afghanistan. My dad's car was a diesel Buick. I stopped to get gas with an old high school buddy who was coming along for the ride. I put in regular gas...not diesel fuel in it....duhhhhhhhhh. So much gong on. Good thing it was our neighbourhood gas station. They drained and flushed the tank and I then filled it up with diesel. They did not change me for the labor since they have known us for years and the gas they drained went to a farmer near us who buys from them all the time....got lucky on this one!!!! lol

 

[HankG]

I remembered before actually putting the gear oil in. I found some Lucas from when I originally changed the transmission fluid and dumped it in. Should keep it going for now.

Thanks for the reply, I don't know how much longer I'll have this truck, but best not to ruin it before it dies on its own.

 

[adsm08]

Gear oil will make it start shifting really hard once it warms up. After it gets to temp it will be all but impossible to get it in gear.

 

[87anger]

Good job, Bro. Now you got to flush it all out or else. Don't worry. Here's a good story....
Some years back while I was in the Navy I came home on leave for 2 weeks before going to Afghanistan. Disbursing did not cut me a check before I left my ship. I was told to pick up my pay when I get to the closest Naval base. My dad gave me his car to drive to the Orlando Naval base to pick up my pay and another set of orders. I left my 2 cars out in California since I was going back there after my brief tour in Afghanistan. My dad's car was a diesel Buick. I stopped to get gas with an old high school buddy who was coming along for the ride. I put in regular gas...not diesel fuel in it....duhhhhhhhhh. So much gong on. Good thing it was our neighbourhood gas station. They drained and flushed the tank and I then filled it up with diesel. They did not change me for the labor since they have known us for years and the gas they drained went to a farmer near us who buys from them all the time....got lucky on this one!!!! lol

Haha got lucky! I did that one time when I was hungover. Filled it up from some old gas pumps in a ghost town and accidentally used the diesel one. It was in my old 78 chevy. I was like "shit....." *flips gas tank switch* filled up the other tank and never used the other until I traded it.

 

[straycat]

Haha got lucky! I did that one time when I was hungover. Filled it up from some old gas pumps in a ghost town and accidentally used the diesel one. It was in my old 78 chevy. I was like "shit....." *flips gas tank switch* filled up the other tank and never used the other until I traded it.

Darn, Bro, you make me fell better. I thought I was the only in the world to have done this....lol

 

[87anger]

Darn, Bro, you make me fell better. I thought I was the only in the world to have done this....lol

My stepbro, halfway through pumping was like "hey this may be a dumb question, but doesnt that pump say deisel?".
I know a couple people that have done it.

 

[armadillon]

At least you weren't as dumb as me when I first started learning about cars. I wanted to change the oil on our F350 7.3L. After draining for about 3 min I asked my brother why F350 oil was red. Doh. Thats a lot of tranny fluid never made the mistake again but heard of two other cases from other idiots I personally knew.

One guy drained the tranny fluid and added 5 quarts to a full motor. Guess he thought the engine needed more lubrication

 

[straycat]

At least you weren't as dumb as me when I first started learning about cars. I wanted to change the oil on our F350 7.3L. After draining for about 3 min I asked my brother why F350 oil was red. Doh. Thats a lot of tranny fluid never made the mistake again but heard of two other cases from other idiots I personally knew.

One guy drained the tranny fluid and added 5 quarts to a full motor. Guess he thought the engine needed more lubrication

Haaa.....good one, Bro!!!

 

[adsm08]

At least you weren't as dumb as me when I first started learning about cars. I wanted to change the oil on our F350 7.3L. After draining for about 3 min I asked my brother why F350 oil was red. Doh. Thats a lot of tranny fluid never made the mistake again but heard of two other cases from other idiots I personally knew.

I've done that too. Subaru Outback. The oil pan and filter are hidden very far up behind a shield, but the trans filter is a screw-on type and the trans pan looks a lot like an oil pan. After getting it fixed we never saw that customer again. Two years later I was working at a different shop when the same car ame in for an oil change and I saw the lube guy going for the trans filter.


He argued with me about it for 5 minutes before I finally told him what I had done to the car and showed him where the right stuff was.

 

[Dugan]

I've done that too. Subaru Outback. The oil pan and filter are hidden very far up behind a shield, but the trans filter is a screw-on type and the trans pan looks a lot like an oil pan. After getting it fixed we never saw that customer again. Two years later I was working at a different shop when the same car ame in for an oil change and I saw the lube guy going for the trans filter.


He argued with me about it for 5 minutes before I finally told him what I had done to the car and showed him where the right stuff was.

ford mechanics.... bahaha sorry had to

I also just scratched my head like... mine takes gear oil.... or does it..oh well