Symptoms
Crunching shifts, especially between second and third.
The fix, step by step
- Drain the gearbox and refill with GL-4 75W-90, which is what Unsealed specifies for the V8 trucks (confirm the grade in your manual, since some spec sheets allow GL-4 or GL-5).
- Unsealed warns that the extreme-pressure additives in GL-5 attack the yellow metal in the synchros.
- Pause briefly mid-shift and avoid forcing shifts when the box is cold.
- If it still crunches, plan a rebuild before the gear teeth get damaged, and do the clutch at the same time.
Tools & part numbers
- Drain and fill plug wrenches
- fluid pump
- GL-4 75W-90 gear oil.
Where to buy the parts
Red Line MT-90 75W-90 GL-4 gear oilRed Line ↗Amazon ↗
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Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.