Russian scientists have developed a new oil composition for automatic transmissions. Its service life is from 150,000 to 200,000 kilometers, which is about twice as much as that of modern counterparts. Usually, the oil in automatic transmissions needs to be changed every 60-70 thousand kilometers.
The development of scientists from the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas maintains stable viscosity and frictional properties throughout the entire service life. Successful oil tests were conducted in 2025 at the Mostransavto bus depot.
The creation of high-quality domestic oil for automatic transmissions has become especially relevant after the departure of some Western suppliers from the country. Poor-quality lubricant can lead to serious transmission damage. It is important for passenger car enterprises to reduce repair costs and avoid equipment downtime.
The key task in developing the oil was to combine low friction to reduce wear and high frictional properties for reliable disc engagement. This was usually solved with the help of antagonistic additives, which improved some parameters at the expense of worsening others.
Scientists managed to overcome this problem by creating a new component — a complex phosphated ester that can be produced in Russia. The element allows you to abandon antagonistic additives, reducing friction losses and improving heat dissipation. This in turn increases the efficiency of the gearbox and extends the service life of the oil, as well as reduces its production cost.
Tests at the Mostransavto bus depot confirmed the possibility of increasing the service interval to 200 thousand kilometers and a positive impact on the transmission life. The next stage of the project is the development of transmission oil for equipment operating in the northern regions of Russia.
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