It's Official-- Red Line over Royal Purple for the Rear Differential [Archive] - BMW E46 330 ZHP For Sale Forum

kayger12

11-12-2014, 04:04 PM

Back in April of 2012 I changed my diff fluid and sent a sample to Blackstone. The results were troubling to say the least.

I had run RP Max Gear for 16K miles and changed it out after reading numerous complaints about RP oils breaking down and causing premature fatigue/failure.

The BStone report was seriously ugly:
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff401/Kayger12/DiffSample_edited-1.jpg
Thread here:
http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?6738-Survey-Says-Get-the-Royal-Purple-out-of-Your-Diff

I switched to Red Line and left it in for another roughly 16K miles. Lo and behold-- I just got a stellar BStone report.

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff401/Kayger12/05ZHP-RD-110214_zps46734008.jpg

I don't buy the fact that the metals were built up from the first run of OEM fluid. There are too many stories of failures and premature wear with RP for me to use them anymore.

I'm officially Red Line from here on out.

Hopefully anyone on the fence will find this info helpful

johnrando

11-12-2014, 04:10 PM

Good info, thanks!

ELCID86

11-12-2014, 04:10 PM

Thanks for sharing!

Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

kayger12

11-12-2014, 04:20 PM

Good info, thanks!

Thanks for sharing!

Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

Very welcome. Feel much better about things now. I was worried I had something seriously wrong in the diff.

danewilson77

11-12-2014, 05:10 PM

:waldo

"No flamesuit required"

Avetiso

11-12-2014, 08:23 PM

I'm in camp Redline, too. :biggrin

Pip

11-12-2014, 10:24 PM

Cool. Glad I got Redline for the M. Had RP in the ZHP previously but I don't know how to tell the difference. I seriously didn't notice anything different going from OEM to RP in the ZHP.

slater

11-13-2014, 04:31 AM

thanks for the good info!

i have some motul 300 on the shelf, waiting to go in.

peter

NoVAphotog

11-13-2014, 05:40 AM

Good to know. Never questioned using Redline when I changed the transmission and diff fluid.

fredo

11-13-2014, 07:43 AM

+1. The differential fluid change is close for me (in 11,000 miles, when the clock hits 100,000 miles). Red Line will be used.

mbeckel

11-13-2014, 07:54 AM

I'm not supposed to do mine for another 24k miles, but it will be done early. After I heal from surgery of course.

TheFinanceGuy

11-13-2014, 08:27 AM

This is really interesting. I took a sample of the OE fluid and sent to blackstone. What is interesting is the universal averages showing what is normal. On mine, cooper and iron are high, but not nearly as high as both of your. This could be the make up of the oil, or wear on the internals.

Have a look
EDIT:Wrong Blackstone report....

I replaced mine with Royal Purple at 101k. I'll change it again after this winter. I'll be sure to post up a sample report. What would have been interesting, is to replace with RP after the first 16k miles to see if the values went down. That would have proved the build up of OE deposits.

I was planning on switching to Red Line, but, I think I may stay with Royal Purple for testing. It is hard to compare two different make ups of oil, since they all have their own formula.

kayger12

11-13-2014, 08:55 AM

Your numbers were a little higher than the averages in some categories, but those averages are for oil with 1/3 of the mileage.

The iron and copper universal averages are different for us because we were using different oils, so it's tough to really compare too much.

I'm definitely curious to see your next report after running RP for a while. Keep us in the loop.

I thought about replacing with RP to do that but ended up just playing it safe with RL

TheFinanceGuy

11-13-2014, 10:22 AM

Keith, I put up the wrong report :slap - I don't seem to have a copy of my rear diff report here in the office.

Carry on.

kayger12

11-13-2014, 10:24 AM

Keith, I put up the wrong report :slap - I don't seem to have a copy of my rear diff report here in the office.

Carry on.

Lol-- that explains why the universal averages were so different, haha.

danewilson77

11-13-2014, 10:30 AM

:rofl

"No flamesuit required"

TheFinanceGuy

11-13-2014, 10:30 AM

right?

I'm going to go hide now.

johnrando

11-13-2014, 10:48 AM

right?

I'm going to go hide now.

:ducking

:biggrin

fredo

11-13-2014, 11:00 AM

LOL ... that's the icon I had in mind !

TheFinanceGuy

11-13-2014, 11:33 AM

:ducking

:biggrin

:rofl

Cadeez

12-02-2014, 09:53 AM

Glad I came across this thread... I'm actually going to change my diff fluid this weekend, which Redline fluid do I use? There's so many different kinds of Redline gear oil to choose from; GL-4, GL-5, MTL, MT-90, 75w80, 75w90, etc... Any guidance would be much appreciated, thanks

ELCID86

12-02-2014, 03:16 PM

http://www.redlineoil.com/application.aspx

75w90

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1830

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9181

Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

Cadeez

12-02-2014, 03:33 PM

You sir...are the MAN! Thanks again for the info, this is great

bullfrogs_M3

12-02-2014, 03:39 PM

Cadeez

12-02-2014, 03:46 PM

I wonder if this is the case for M3 differentials as well? I am going to swap the fluid in my M3 diff but I was just going to use the OEM fluid they recommend. I guess I have some research to do now to see if it is worth going to a non-OEM fluid choice for the M3

Looks like the M3 gea roil is different, they list Redline 75W140 GL-5 Gear Oil. Check this link out, it's pretty specific
http://www.redlineoil.com/application.aspx

WOLFN8TR

12-02-2014, 04:20 PM

danewilson77

12-02-2014, 05:06 PM

Looks like the M3 gea roil is different, they list Redline 75W140 GL-5 Gear Oil. Check this link out, it's pretty specific
http://www.redlineoil.com/application.aspx
Good to see we're still your go to group Cadeez. Good seeing you around.

"No flamesuit required"

kayger12

12-02-2014, 05:33 PM

I wonder if this is the case for M3 differentials as well? I am going to swap the fluid in my M3 diff but I was just going to use the OEM fluid they recommend. I guess I have some research to do now to see if it is worth going to a non-OEM fluid choice for the M3

OEM always seems to be a cafe choice. I opted for Red Line based on ease of acquisition and Old School Maintenance approval.

Looks like the M3 gea roil is different, they list Redline 75W140 GL-5 Gear Oil. Check this link out, it's pretty specific
http://www.redlineoil.com/application.aspx

Yes. LSDs need the 140 w/additive, iirc

Thanks for this Keith...

I was just talking about Redline vs Royal Purple today with a coworker. He has a Mini Cooper and needs to change his Auto Trans fluid. I told him go with Redline oil, but he just bought some Royal Purple.

Very welcome

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

bullfrogs_M3

12-02-2014, 06:10 PM

Thanks for the help guys, looks like this is a better and cheaper option for the M3 diff :)

Cadeez

12-03-2014, 09:38 PM

Good to see we're still your go to group Cadeez. Good seeing you around.

"No flamesuit required"

Aww shucks, thanks Dane, glad you chimed in! You should know I'd never cheat on you (guys)! Haha. I know I'm not around much anymore, but when I need some good friendly info, there's no family I'd rather turn to. I've got a full weekend of work ahead of me, so this is probably not the last you're gonna hear from me either.

danewilson77

12-04-2014, 06:43 PM

Aww shucks, thanks Dane, glad you chimed in! You should know I'd never cheat on you (guys)! Haha. I know I'm not around much anymore, but when I need some good friendly info, there's no family I'd rather turn to. I've got a full weekend of work ahead of me, so this is probably not the last you're gonna hear from me either.
:waldo

"No flamesuit required"

WOLFN8TR

02-05-2015, 08:28 PM

Thanks for this Keith...

I was just talking about Redline vs Royal Purple today with a coworker. He has a Mini Cooper and needs to change his Auto Trans fluid. I told him go with Redline oil, but he just bought some Royal Purple.

UPDATE:

My buddy at work that went with Royal Purple in his Mini Transmission just got Royally screwed. He went with Royal Purple over Redline even after I told him not to because he found it locally. A few weeks later his transmission starting jerking and bucking in first and second, so bad he was afraid to even drive it. We were talking about this and I told him to get the Redline oil and get the Royal Purple out of there and see what happens. Redline cured the problem instantly!

Case closed! :thumbsup

danewilson77

02-05-2015, 08:36 PM

Crazy that they're that much different in composition.

"No flamesuit required"

wsmeyer

02-05-2015, 08:44 PM

UPDATE:

My buddy at work that went with Royal Purple in his Mini Transmission just got Royally screwed. He went with Royal Purple over Redline even after I told him not to because he found it locally. A few weeks later his transmission starting jerking and bucking in first and second, so bad he was afraid to even drive it. We were talking about this and I told him to get the Redline oil and get the Royal Purple out of there and see what happens. Redline cured the problem instantly!

Case closed! :thumbsup

Moral of the story is... Don't go against the mafia!

WOLFN8TR

02-06-2015, 05:57 AM

Moral of the story is... Don't go against the mafia!

Exactly! He said "I should of listened to you". [emoji2]

TheFinanceGuy

02-06-2015, 06:09 AM

I think I'm going to swap out my royal purple come spring to Red Line in my transmission.

I haven't had any adverse reactions over the 6k miles it is been in there. In fact, it felt much better with the new fluid in there. However, I think that is just because it was new fluid...

johnrando

02-06-2015, 06:47 AM

Moral of the story is... Don't go against the mafia!

LOL. +1

cakM3

02-06-2015, 06:54 AM

I think I'm going to swap out my royal purple come spring to Red Line in my transmission.

I think this is a good idea... I will have to get some for both my cars...

TheFinanceGuy

02-06-2015, 07:03 AM

I think this is a good idea... I will have to get some for both my cars...

What are you running currently?

cakM3

02-06-2015, 07:14 AM

What are you running currently?

BMWs recommended oils.....looking for something much better right now....it looks like Red Line is the one I need to put in both of my cars....

KevinC

02-06-2015, 12:43 PM

FWIW, Mike Miller, BMW tech guru who writes a column for Roundel magazine (any of youse guys who are not BMWCCA members are really missing out - Roundel is enough reason alone to be a member, but I digress) - also is the author of an "old school maintenance schedule" that he continually updates. He's a Redline man himself, recommending it for both the gearbox and diff. And, my highly-respected Indy is of the same ilk.

I also ran MTL in my VW's for years. It gave the smoothest shifting action of anything out there.

And I damn sure ain't putting no boysenberry pancake syrup in any orifice of my cars!!