Pepto Bismol in the Tranny.

Sounds like water and tranny fluid mix

Transmission cooler in radiator is cracked.

I thought about the possibility of water, but it's a manual transmission and it didn't have a cooler, and there is no rust in the tranny. Everything looks clean.

Edit - pics

almost looks like someone used ATF+ motor oil and let it get really hot, then age for a decade

If there were water mixed in there would be rust, you could heat some up and see how the fluid behaves.

Does look similar to redline shockproof, looks alittle more red that shockproof.

Here is some redline to compare it to.

Thanks all.

The Redline web site also noted that it was not recommended for most synchro transmission due to slipperiness. Opel folks have also recommended against synthetics for the same reason.

The previous owner probably ran the transmission in his Manta on the oval tracks here in Nor Calia. Short, intense races. Definitely not endurance racing.

I guess now I have to find a way to get all that goo out of there. Maybe I can borrow the parts washer at EGR. My carport is not so well equipped. Just the usual hand tools, a jack, and I took apart the planter thingy to make a work bench.

Yeah,  bring it by the shop, you can use the parts washer (standard payment of one six pack of good beer may be required)    Most synthetics over-lubricate the syncros and cause shifting problems and premature wear on older transmissions...   Get that stuff out of there.

    I'm up at Thunderhill today, but will be in the shop Tuesday and Wednesday and then will fly out to New Orleans on Thursday.... 

-John

I managed to contact eh PO and he confirmed it was Pepto... Redline Shockproof. The garage he worked at had Redline products out the ears. I've yet to get his impression of how well it worked. Supposedly it i not recommended for synchro transmissions.

I'll be taking the tranny to EGR today to clean the stuff out.

I've used Redline Ultra Heavy Shockproof (what you have) to keep a FWD SE-R trans happy under almost 500whp of gear-shredding power.  Never had synchro issues either.  Yours is probably a little darker because there was probably still some old, dead, regular gear oil in there.

The Light Shockproof is blue.

We also use the stuff in our G20 racecar.  No problems there either.  Once it gets up to temperature, it pours/moves pretty easy.

BTW, I once accidentally spilled a drop on the compressor housing on my SE-R, and forgot about it.  The stuff stayed in the EXACT SAME SPOT for THREE MONTHS before I noticed it and washed it off.  Amazing stuff.  Much like the ProMAX stuff, I know a guy who cracked his case, dumped all of his Pepto out, and drove it that way for a week before pulling the trans.  Again: amazing stuff.