Mark, question abt Amsoil ATF+4

[Billc]

Mark, I've been reading about every back post at the TDR. Someone told me that Amsoil has come out with an ATF+4. Just wanted to get your feed back on it.

I will go all Amsoil in the Dodge in 2 weeks. However I keep hearing not to go synthetic in the auto trannie. One of the people I spoke with was Mark at TST Products. He said it was best to stay with the DC ATF. Again, I keeping hearing that from others as well. Can you give me any feed back on the Amsoil in the trannie?

Thanks for any info, as always.

Bill Cook

 

[MChalkley]

Bill, are they giving you any reasons, or just advice?

I don't know much about the automatic tranny's. I do know that a friend of mine was having trouble with high temps with his, but he put Amsoil in it and the problem went away. No other effects that he's aware of.

Mark

 

[Billc]

As to reasons, I've been hearing it has something to do with the Dodge's electronics in the trannie. No one has really given a really hard answer. I know you must hear "Well I know this fella who had a friend that knew this guy who had problems with a synthetic." alot. No hard evidence just gossip.

We are heading to Louisville next week after I finish tweeking the truck. Can't wait to see how the new and improved Dodge pulls the 5th wheel.

As soon as we return I'm going all Amsoil. Also want to ad a bypass filter, spray in bed liner, and something in the rear end that will help support the weight of a 14,000# trailer.

I know you pull a big load. Do you have an air system on your rear springs that inflates when you are hauling heavy, and then deflates when you are doing normal highway driving? Since my wife drives this truck to work everyday, I don't want to make the suspension stiff. I just need it stiff when I load up the trailer.

Do I get the award for being most off the topic on this board?

I'm thinking of going by Paul's on my way to Louisville and see how his Surburban likes the smell of diesel smoke

 

[MChalkley]

Billc - I'd call Amsoil and ask them what they've heard. They're biased, but they'll tell you the truth. For example, my 6-speed New Venture tranny requires a particular Texaco lube. I called Amsoil and asked them if they had a product that would match it and they said they didn't have anything that fits the same specs.

Mark

 

[Billc]

As always, Mark, thanks for you knowledge and patience with my questions.

Bill Cook

 

[PaulB]

Uhh Bill, let me talk to the wife please. If you are going from Georgia to Louisville via New York, I think maybe she ought to be doing the driving.

 

[Billc]

PaulB, was wondering if you were going to see my little...ummm...err...dig. It seems I have a problem with geogrophy. I keep thinking you are in North Carolina...which is still not on the way to Louisville.

When I was in School in Mass, I dated a girl that went to Ithica. You live in a beautiful area, Paul. Before I moved up to the northeast for school this Southern boy thought all of New York State was concrete. Y'alls accents aren't bad either...though I did regularly hear people ask, "Wherrrr u frummmm? Lisonn tuuuu hiiiimmm tallllk." What's funny is I sold vacuums door-to-door to put myself through school...the accent got me in a lot of doors. Think the longer I was up there the thicker my accent got!

Mark, didn't get a chance to call Amsoil yet, had to work in my Father-in-Law's pawn shop the last three days, but will Monday.

 

[Rowski]

Billc

As an automotive technician I can say that that Chrysler (as a whole) in their newer vehicles use a special dextron fluid. Originally it was called type 7176, then went to ATF +3 and I think the new stuff is called ATF +4 (not 100% sure about the +4 just remember reading something in a service magazine). The difference in the fluid from Dextron III mercon to the the ATF +3 is friction modifiers. I do not know how the modifiers effect the friction. But I do know the using the wrong stuff can cause a hole bunch of problem including different shift characteristics, chattering of the clutches during shifts, torque converter lock-up chatter, and possibly tranny failure. I an not suggesting you don't use synthetic just research it really well. If you do use something else other than OEM and you notice anything different about your tranny shifts replace the fliud right off. Remember that just dropping the pan for a fluid change you will be lucky to only replace 1/3 of the total fluid. This is a lot of fluid left in the torque converter and the oill cooler lines. If you want you could (depending on space) get two aftermarket tranny oil coolers and plumb then up in series in front of the radiator (or condenser if you have a/c). When doing this put the coolers after (in terms of circulation) the OEM coolers. Try this link and it will give you some more info. I have used their additive in out plow vehicles and it helped.

http://www.lubegard.com/automotive/index.html

Good luck, hope this helps and please let me know what you ended up doing.

Derek

 

[Billc]

Derek, thanks for the info. I am being very careful and asking lots of questions before I change my ATF. Lots of my questions have gone to Dodge owners with auto trannies who use Amsoil ATF.

Appreciate the advice.

Bill Cook

 

[W5FL]

Since this subject is already off topic...

Is there any way to get most of the fluid out of an automatic transmission? My old Ford had a drain on the Torque Converter, but the Jeep Cherokee does not show one in the manual. I seriously considered just changing the fluid, warming it up, draining it, and doing that a couple more times. The cost of fluid is pretty cheap compared with transmission problems.

I consider special fluids required as a FIX for a defective design! Buy a different automobile. Chrysler products look a whole lot better, now they need to work on the mechanical systems. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif