What Is 80W90 Gl-5 Gear Oil?
by Colby Stream
Vehicles use more than just engine oil. They also use gear oil, which helps your vehicle's transmission operate smoothly. Add gear oil to your vehicle based on engine type, driving conditions and ambient temperature. The 80W-90 GL-5 gear oil is typically used in special circumstances .
Lubricant
The oil known as 80W-90 GL-5 is a lubricant for the gears in your vehicle. It is used in automatic and manual transmissions, and assists the gears in shifting smoothly.
80W-90
The numbers "80W-90" refer to the viscosity grades of the oil. Since it has two numbers, this oil has two viscosity grades. The 'W' means winter. The number "80" -- in this case -- signifies that the oil is designed to work well in lower temperatures. The second number defines how thin the oil must be at 100 degrees Celsius. The lower the number, the thinner the oil must be.
GL-5
The label "GL-5" defines how much sulpher-based friction modifier is present in the oil. This chemical helps the oil operate under extreme pressure. The chemical causes erosion within the gears, and GL-5 causes more erosion than GL-4. Check your manual to find which kind is preferred for your particular engine.
References
Writer Bio
Colby Stream has been a writer since 2007. His work has appeared in "The Arbiter," the student newspaper of Boise State University, as well as various websites. Stream graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communication as a presidential civic leadership scholar.
