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I used 1 qt of ATF and filled the rest with 80w90. That seemed to give me the best feel when shifting. I tried all 80w90 and it was to hard to shift and straight ATF was just too loose feeling and gave me personally the wrong feel for shifting causing mis-shifts. So I compromised and mixed them.

Is there something out there better? Maybe, and yea, the Factory service manuals I have seen all called for straight ATF. But I will never run it straight in my stuff again. At the time too (about 10 years ago), ATF and 80w90 were CHEAP! Nowadays with dino oils approaching that of synthetics, I mght be inclined to try a synthetic when I get my 4-speed back together in a running vehicle.



Gear oil is good but if you want something better, try Redline "MTL" which stands for manual transmission lube. It is a synthetic rated 70W90 from memory with additives designed to work with syncros. Twice I've had transmissions that were rattling and noisey on ATF and hard shifting on gear oil (not 833's). The MTL made a big difference. I'm guessing Passon's special lube - which I've never used - is similar. Summit and others sell it.

I use "sycromesh" in newer transmissions that call for it - 98 Neon, 08 Caliber, Tremtec - but I don't believe it is heavy enough for a 833. It would be like running ATF with the bearing wear concerns mentioned above.