P2 Gearbox Oil

Post Reply
achandler
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:45 pm

P2 Gearbox Oil

Post by achandler » Wed Mar 15, 2017 7:55 pm

What is the recommended oil to put in a 1947 Rover 12 gearbox, these days? The handbook says 40W, but that is only obtainable in 10 litre quantities at vast expense, on special order,here in New Zealand.
Any suggestions?

dhbuchanan
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 5:01 pm

Re: P2 Gearbox Oil

Post by dhbuchanan » Sat Mar 18, 2017 10:49 pm

Hello Adrian.
I always use Penrite oil. Even became an agent for them, with many repeat orders and excellent feedback. It's an Australian company, so it should be easy to get their stuff in NZ. For a 1947 P2, you need Penrite GB 40, specified where SAE40 oils were originally recommended and equivalent to a 90 weight gearbox oil. It's marketed over here at £7.95 per litre, in 1l. and 5l. packs. Perhaps cheaper down under?
For pre-1940 'boxes,use Penrite Transoil 90.
That said, the previous owner of my first Rover, a '37 10 acquired back in 1981, recommended cheap mineral engine oil for all P1and P2 gearboxes, provided the seals are ok. I took his word for it and used it for the next 10 years with no problems. He also reckoned that the same cheap stuff was best in the Luvax jar as it was less likely to lead to clogging.
1939 20 H.P. Salmons Tickford D.H.C.

achandler
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:45 pm

Re: P2 Gearbox Oil

Post by achandler » Sun Mar 19, 2017 3:12 am

Hi,
I will certainly check that out at our local Penrite agent. One thing I have leanrned since arriving in NZ, is that you might expect things easily obtainable in or from Australia would be on the shelf here in NZ, but it is far from the truth. I found that when looking for a suitable autobox fluid for my Borg Warner 35 gearbox in my P5B. Nearly all the recommended fluids were available in Australia, but not in New Zealand. Even Castrol could not say why that was the case!
I will certainly look for some Penrite GB40, though the existing gearbox oil looks nice and clean and is only a fraction down below the mark on the dipstick.

Post Reply