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Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 7:57 pm
by Nocrank
So besides the Ac Delco Dexron III and VI, what are the recommended Brands of Transmission Fluid or what is everyone using and your experiences with it? As I notice in the maintenance list that has been posted everywhere there is no recommended fluid.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 8:14 pm
by 01bonneSC
I wouldn't use DexVI in your car, it's thinner than III.

I used Farm and Fleet Merc/DexIII compatable with no problems.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 8:53 pm
by Nocrank
01bonneSC wrote:I wouldn't use DexVI in your car, it's thinner than III.

I used Farm and Fleet Merc/DexIII compatable with no problems.
Actually never heard of Farm and Fleet brand.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:12 pm
by 01bonneSC
Farm and Fleet is a store chain here in IL, IA, WI.

I also do believe that a lot of used the Supertech or Super-something brand from WalMart.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:23 pm
by RogueSSEi
Valvoline high mileage DEX III ATF

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:18 am
by flatlander745
01bonneSC wrote:I wouldn't use DexVI in your car, it's thinner than III.

I used Farm and Fleet Merc/DexIII compatable with no problems.
wow, I miss the Farm & Barn!

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 9:13 am
by Nocrank
So, we got,

Farm & Fleet
Super tech
Valvoline High Mileage

All Dex III, so no bodies using other brands, or even Dex VI I've read so much about it and how much more stable and suppirior it is to Dex III.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 9:18 am
by RogueSSEi
All is true, but a good rule of thumb is, if the transmission has never been rebuilt, put back in it what came in it from the assembly line.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 9:42 am
by 00Beast
Dex VI will kill a trans not designed for it.

Any fluid labeled Dex/Merc or Dex III will be fine.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 2:56 pm
by repinS
And so why is Dex VI listed as fully backwards compatible? Do we know something GM doesn't know?

Viscosity isn't necessarily the only thing to be considered for fluid.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 2:59 pm
by 01bonneSC
I was told to NOT use DexVI in my Tahoe from my truck forum, and that's a 2005.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 12:32 am
by 00Beast
I've seen a good bit of information on the web that all points that way, including from lubrication engineers. Seems the MBA's got their way on this one, as it reduces licensing and inventory costs.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 1:49 pm
by 2000Silverbullet
BS

All DEXRON-III licenses expired at the end of 2006, and will not be renewed. Basically it is obsolete.

DEXRON-VI was introduced in 2005 and is backward compatible and recommended for transmissions that require outdated DEXRON specifications.

Yes, you should use the Dextron VI.

Dexron VI is of a slightly lighter viscosity than the prior Dexron fluids. The intent of this lighter viscosity is to gain an incremental improvement in fuel economy by lessening parasitic drag in the transmission.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 2:04 pm
by 01bonneSC
How can we still buy it then?

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 2:09 pm
by 2000Silverbullet
Yes but it is not "blessed" by GM due to license.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 2:12 pm
by repinS
I'm with Paul on this one. There is a relatively small group of naysayers, and for the guys who had transmission fluid failures, I don't think going between Dex III or VI was the cause of failure. Their transmissions were already on their way out, introducing any new fluid would have expedited the process.

If Dexron VI was such a big problem, we would have heard about it a lot more than we currently do. I'm running a 50/50 pan drop of approximately 7 quarts Dexron III, 7 quarts Mobil 1 Dexron VI. If I put a lot more km's on this car before I sell it, I will do another pan drop with more Dex VI. Couldn't be happier.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:45 pm
by Bonneville92V688
There's Dexron VI in my Mom's Ciera... it was a full flush, not a pan drop at 89k. Has the 3T40 with 94k on it. Shifts fine.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 10:06 pm
by redzmonte
I run Valvoline Dex III. Dex VI is fine and IIRC is synthetic as are Mobile 1, Royal Purple and Amsoil. Synth will run cooler and last longer. if you dont have a trans cooler now would be a good time to add one while the fluid is out. Drop the pan, drain, replace the filter and refill don't flush it especially if you have some miles on it. I would avoid store brands like super tech (walmart).

S

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:19 pm
by 01bonneSC
Supertech is produced by Texaco or Valvoline. There's only so many companies that make fluids, just sold under different names.

Re: Recomended Transmission fluid brands?

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 3:35 pm
by Jrs3800
Both my Van and the 03 Have Dex VI... My 95 Bonneville still has Dex III in it... When I get around to building another 4T60E it too will be filled with Dex VI