Gear & Transmission Fluids

MANNOLFANFARO

Gear Oil and Transmission Fluid for Manual, Automatic, CVT and Dual-Clutch Gearboxes

A gearbox is designed around one particular fluid, together with the metals, seals and clutch plates that fluid has to live with. That is why the oil in a manual gearbox, a torque-converter automatic, a CVT, a dual-clutch unit and a rear differential can look alike in the bottle but behave very differently once it is circulating. This collection brings together MANNOL and FANFARO gear oils and transmission fluids at Kyte Car Parts, organised by the job each fluid is built to do.

You will find manual gearbox oil in GL-4, GL-4+ and GL-5 classes, a dedicated manual transmission fluid (MTF), and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) across the Dexron, JWS, Hyundai-Kia SP, Mercedes-Benz and ZF families. The range also covers CVT fluid, DCT/DSG fluid and differential oil, including a Haldex coupling fluid. To buy gear oil or transmission fluid online in India, start with the specification written in your service manual and work towards the product. Starting from a brand name or a price is how most wrong-fluid purchases happen.

Browse Gear and Transmission Fluids by Category

  • Gear Oil75W-80, 75W-85, 75W-90, 75W-140 and 80W-90 grades for manual gearboxes and differentials.
  • GL-4 and GL-5 Gear OilShop by API class when your manual names one.
  • Manual Transmission Fluid (MTF)MTF-3 and the gear oils used in manual gearboxes.
  • Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)The full ATF range, listed by specification.
  • Dexron VI ATFFully synthetic fluids for transmissions that call for Dexron VI.
  • Mercedes-Benz ATFMB 236.15 and MB 236.17 fluids, kept apart on purpose.
  • ZF Transmission FluidAG60 and AZF 8 for ZF 6- and 8-speed automatics.
  • ATF ULVUltra-low-viscosity fluid for AISIN-type 8-speed gearboxes.
  • JWS 3309 ATFA widely cross-referenced multivehicle specification.
  • ATF SP-III and SP-IVHyundai-Kia-origin specifications.
  • CVT FluidFluid for belt and chain CVTs.
  • DCT/DSG Transmission FluidFluid for wet dual-clutch gearboxes.
  • Differential and Haldex FluidDifferential oil and Haldex coupling fluid.
  • MANNOL Gear OilThe full MANNOL gear lubricant range.
  • FANFARO Gear OilThe full FANFARO gear lubricant range.

A category name tells you what a fluid is for. It does not tell you whether it suits your vehicle.

Where to Find Your Gearbox's Fluid Specification

Check these in order:

  1. The owner's or workshop manual. The fluid specification is normally in the capacities and lubricants table, not the general maintenance chapter.
  2. The label on the fill point or dipstick. Many modern automatics are sealed and have no dipstick, so this often does not exist.
  3. The transmission code. The code on the gearbox plate lets you find the exact fluid even when the model name is ambiguous. This matters most for ZF-built gearboxes, which are fitted to many different car brands.
  4. A manufacturer fluid code. Examples are MB 236.17 or Dexron VI. This is a more reliable guide than a viscosity number.

Write down the viscosity grade, the API class (for gear oil) or the named fluid specification (for ATF), and whether the unit has an integrated differential. Those three details are enough to choose a product with confidence.

How to Read a Gear Oil Label

Gear oil carries two kinds of information, and both must match your manual.

The viscosity grade has two numbers, such as 75W-90. The first, with the W for winter, describes how freely the oil flows when cold. The second describes how thick it stays once the gearbox is hot. Gear oil is graded on its own SAE scale, so these numbers cannot be compared with engine oil grades.

The API class (GL-4, GL-4+ or GL-5) describes the strength of the extreme-pressure additive package. It says nothing about thickness, so two oils with the same grade can have different classes.

MANNOL and FANFARO gear oils by viscosity grade, API class and base oil
ProductGradeAPI classBase oil
MANNOL 810175W-85GL-4Semi-synthetic
MANNOL 810780W-90GL-4Mineral
MANNOL 810875W-90GL-4+Synthetic (PAO)
MANNOL 810975W-80GL-4 / GL-5 LSSynthetic
MANNOL 810275W-140GL-5 LSSynthetic (PAO)
FANFARO 870180W-90GL-4Mineral
FANFARO 871075W-80GL-4Synthetic
FANFARO 870275W-90GL-4+Synthetic (PAO)

GL-4, GL-4+ and GL-5: Why the Class Matters More Than the Grade

Most manual gearboxes use brass or bronze synchroniser rings, the parts that match gear speeds so the shift goes in smoothly. The additive package in GL-4 oil is deliberately moderate, so it protects the gear teeth without attacking those soft metals.

GL-4+ is a designation some manufacturers use for a stronger additive level than plain GL-4 while still staying safe for synchronisers. It is the class some Volkswagen Group gearboxes are specified for. MANNOL 8108 and FANFARO 8702 both reference VW 501 50.

The most common gear oil mistake

GL-5 carries a much stronger additive package and is built for hypoid differentials under heavy shock load. In a gearbox specified for GL-4, that same additive strength can corrode synchroniser rings over time, and a matching viscosity grade does not make it safe. The one product here rated for both classes is MANNOL 8109, which the manufacturer lists as GL-4/GL-5 LS. That dual rating applies to that product only. Do not assume it for others.

"LS" means limited-slip. Limited-slip differentials need friction-modified oil, and an oil without it can cause clutch-pack chatter.

Manual Transmission Fluid (MTF) Is Not the Same as Gear Oil

Some manual and automated-manual gearboxes are designed for a dedicated, lighter MTF rather than an API-class gear oil. MANNOL 8115 (MTF-3, 75W, fully synthetic) was developed around Toyota's requirements for Toyota and Ford manual and automated gearboxes. The manufacturer states it is not suitable for every manual transmission. Use it only where your manual names MTF-3 or an equivalent.

ATF Specifications: Match the Code, Not the Colour

Automatic transmission fluid contains friction modifiers tuned to a specific clutch material and valve-body design. Two ATFs can look identical, even from the same brand, and still behave differently under load. The table lists each specification in this range.

Automatic transmission fluid specifications and the MANNOL and FANFARO products that carry them
SpecificationTypical useProduct
Dexron IIIAutomatics and hydraulic systems that call for Dexron IIIMANNOL 8206
Dexron VIModern GM-origin automatics; both products also state Dexron III and Ford Mercon LVMANNOL 8207 FANFARO 8615
Hyundai-Kia SP-IIIHyundai, Kia and Mitsubishi automaticsMANNOL 8209
Hyundai-Kia SP-IVHyundai 6-speed automaticsMANNOL 8219 FANFARO 8605
ZF AG60ZF 6- and 8-speed automaticsMANNOL 8213
AZF 88-speed automatics (all types) and ZF 6-speed automaticsFANFARO 8614
MB 236.15Mercedes-Benz 7G-Tronic (MB 722.9)MANNOL 8215
MB 236.17Mercedes-Benz 9G-TronicMANNOL 8221
ULVAISIN-type 8-speed gearboxesMANNOL 8222
JWS 3309Multivehicle universal specificationMANNOL 8218

MB 236.15 and MB 236.17 are separate fluids

The manufacturer's own documentation for the 236.17 fluid says it must not be used where the older 236.10, 236.12, 236.14 or 236.15 specifications apply. Both are Mercedes-Benz codes, so the shared brand does not make them interchangeable.

"Universal" still needs a check. JWS 3309 is widely cross-referenced, but confirm it appears on your own gearbox's approval list.

Names that look like a series are separate specifications. SP-III and SP-IV, or Dexron III and Dexron VI, should each be matched to the code the vehicle maker names.

CVT, DCT/DSG and Haldex: Fluids With One Job Each

CVT fluid

Built for the friction between steel belt or chain and pulleys, which a stepped automatic never faces. MANNOL 8216 is a fully synthetic CVT fluid to the JWS 3320 specification. Standard ATF is not a substitute.

DCT/DSG fluid

It has to lubricate gears and also manage wet-clutch engagement, so neither gear oil nor ordinary ATF replaces it. MANNOL 8202 FANFARO 8616 are the dual-clutch fluids in this range.

Haldex coupling fluid

The clutch pack inside a Haldex all-wheel-drive coupling is sensitive to fluid friction, and the wrong oil can change how quickly drive reaches the rear axle. MANNOL 8100 is the fully synthetic Haldex differential oil here. Follow the vehicle maker's service schedule.

How to Read a Manufacturer Reference Code

Product pages list codes such as VW 501 50 or BMW MTF LT references. A listed code is the manufacturer's statement that the product suits that application. Treat it as a strong pointer to the right product, but not as a formal approval. The vehicle maker's own document is the final authority, and where the two differ, the vehicle maker wins.

Common Mistakes When Buying Gearbox Oil

  • Choosing by viscosity alone and ignoring the API class or named specification.
  • Putting GL-5 gear oil into a gearbox specified for GL-4.
  • Treating ATF as universal because it is red or pours the same.
  • Using standard ATF in a CVT or DCT.
  • Assuming the ATF quantity bought equals the full transmission capacity. A drain-and-refill on many automatics replaces only part of the fluid.
  • Skipping the transmission code on ZF-based gearboxes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know which gear oil my car needs?

Look in the capacities and lubricants table of your service manual. It gives a viscosity grade, an API class or a named fluid specification. Match all three to the product, and check the gearbox code if your model has more than one transmission option.

Is GL-5 gear oil better than GL-4?

GL-5 has a stronger additive package, not a better one for every gearbox. In a manual gearbox specified for GL-4, it can attack the brass synchroniser rings. Use the class the manufacturer names.

What does 75W-90 mean on gear oil?

The 75W describes cold-flow behaviour and the 90 describes thickness at operating temperature. It does not tell you the API class, so check that separately.

Can I use ATF in a manual gearbox?

Only if the manufacturer specifies ATF for that gearbox. Some manual gearboxes do, but most call for gear oil or a dedicated MTF.

Can I use 75W-90 in place of 80W-90?

Not unless your manufacturer allows it. They flow differently at the temperature extremes, and gearboxes are designed around one of them.

What is the difference between MB 236.15 and MB 236.17 ATF?

They belong to different Mercedes-Benz transmission generations. MANNOL 8215 covers 236.15 for 7G-Tronic units, and MANNOL 8221 covers 236.17 for 9G-Tronic units. The 236.17 fluid must not go into gearboxes requiring the older codes.

Can I use CVT fluid in a normal automatic?

No. CVT fluid is built for belt or chain friction. Use the fluid the automatic gearbox specifies.

How often should gearbox oil be changed?

Intervals differ by vehicle and fluid, so the vehicle maker's schedule comes first. Product data can offer a guide. MANNOL states 40,000 km or two years for its 8108 gear oil, for example.

Is MANNOL MTF-3 suitable for every manual gearbox?

No. It was developed around Toyota requirements for Toyota and Ford gearboxes, and the manufacturer states it does not suit all manual transmissions.

Where can I buy gear oil and ATF online in India?

Browse the categories above at Kyte Car Parts, compare each product's grade, class and stated applications, and confirm your vehicle's requirement before ordering.

Shop Gear and Transmission Fluids Online

Whether you need manual gearbox oil, ATF, CVT fluid, DCT/DSG fluid or differential oil, choose a collection above and match the specification to your vehicle's manual before you order. The right product is the one whose class, grade and named specification all agree with what your gearbox maker wrote down.