90 Manual Transmission Fluid, which one is acceptable? 172K miles

[elomaea]

Hello to all, first post from me. I changed my CV axles recently (90 camry plug-in type) and went to Autozone for more tranny fluid for my 5-spd. I asked the guy there and he came back with "you need synthetic gear oil"??? I told him I know that the tranny is filled with Dextron II based on the color. We looked in the manual and sure enough they state either is ok to use. My question is what's the main difference and do you think I should change over to synthetic at this point or it'll make matters worse?? Also I have a thumping noise on right turns when I get off the highway. Could the remaned CV axle I got from Pep Boys be the cause or is it the wheel bearing on the drivers side needs changing. Any ideas? Thanks.

[white90dx]

Unless you have a good reason to change, stick with the Dexron II (now III) for the 4-cylinder manual trans. If you are getting grinding or whining, you can think about trying others. No need to go with synthetic - it fact, it can cause synchro problems...

As for the clunking, check all the other stuff up front. There are a few bushings and mounts that can cause the clunking and they are more likely to be the issue.

-Charlie