Synthetic ATF?

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inkjunkie

inkjunkie

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I understand the benefits of synthetic fluids. Any motor that I have gotten fresh has had synthetic oil in it. Use synthetic wheel bearing grease & gear oil as well. But ATF I just have a hard time with. Spoke to my buddy that owns a trans shop about it. He would not go any further than saying that from a shop stand point it is just to costly to use. As he puts it he is already getting bent over a barrel purchasing conventional ATF. Could be I just do not understand the workings of a slush box but with ATF being hydraulic fluid, more or less, what is the advantage of synthetic? Perhaps this is where my ignorance comes in, with my thinking that ATF is more or less just hydraulic fluid.....So, can some of your folks please edjewmookate me???
 
Did a little research a while back. Called Castrol ,basically synthetic atf holds till 450 to 500 degrees before breakdown. Standard fluid,225 to 275 .That,and the same benefits synthetic fluid holds over standard fluids.Hopefully,others chime in..
 
Syn ATF fluid has a higher and lower operating temp then reg ATF. Example, that a look at dextron 6 (it's the stock fluid in my dd) it is some pretty cool stuff on what can do bud it ain't cheap (paid 12 for a quart at the dealer one time but found it by either the gal or 5 quart for cheaper then buying single bottles). It's what I'll be sticking in my 200R4
 
I've been using Amsoil synthetic trans fluid in my race car (SuperShift) and in my 2004 Dodge dually (Multi-Vehicle) for many years with no issues. My trans guy says to keep using whatever fluid I have in my race car because everything looks so good when I bring it it for a freshening-up and my Dodge Ram 3500 has over 112,000 miles, almost all towing my race car & trailer in the Florida heat and up & down some east coast mountains when I travel up north. The extra protection gives me peace-of-mind.

Super Shift - http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...uper-shift-racing-transmission-fluid-sae-10w/

Multi-Vehicle - http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...c-multi-vehicle-automatic-transmission-fluid/
 
Synthetic fluids reduce friction, thus heat and wear. Do you need them? No. Is it a better, higher quality product? Yes. I use Amsoil synthetic ATF in my transmission because I have several thousand into it. I use Amsoil Z Rod synthetic oil in my motor for the same reason. You can use regular fluids, but we spend tons of money building these cars, why go cheap on their life's blood?
 
Abodybomber said:
Did a little research a while back. Called Castrol ,basically synthetic atf holds till 450 to 500 degrees before breakdown. Standard fluid,225 to 275 .That,and the same benefits synthetic fluid holds over standard fluids.Hopefully,others chime in..
Click to expand...
Figures it would deal with higher heat better. The trans in my diesel pick up has never been over 220 or since my buddy went thru it. He has suggested to me that if it ever sees 240* for any length of time to dump the fluid. Pretty sure he said that 300* or so is normally the temp at which it will start melting seals. Don't even want to think about what would happen at 475*...
Thanks for the info....

1970Duster said:
Syn ATF fluid has a higher and lower operating temp then reg ATF. Example, that a look at dextron 6 (it's the stock fluid in my dd) it is some pretty cool stuff on what can do bud it ain't cheap (paid 12 for a quart at the dealer one time but found it by either the gal or 5 quart for cheaper then buying single bottles). It's what I'll be sticking in my 200R4
Click to expand...
The expense is why Doug, my buddy, has suggested staying away from it.

Locomotion said:
I've been using Amsoil synthetic trans fluid in my race car (SuperShift) and in my 2004 Dodge dually (Multi-Vehicle) for many years with no issues. My trans guy says to keep using whatever fluid I have in my race car because everything looks so good when I bring it it for a freshening-up and my Dodge Ram 3500 has over 112,000 miles, almost all towing my race car & trailer in the Florida heat and up & down some east coast mountains when I travel up north. The extra protection gives me peace-of-mind.

Super Shift - http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...uper-shift-racing-transmission-fluid-sae-10w/

Multi-Vehicle - http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...c-multi-vehicle-automatic-transmission-fluid/
Click to expand...
How often do you dump the fluid in the race car? The truck? With my buddy owning a shop he does not really worry to much about the life span of his own stuff. He did tell me that if a customer wants the good juice he will gladly use it. Thanks for the info...

Mopar to ya said:
Synthetic fluids reduce friction, thus heat and wear. Do you need them? No. Is it a better, higher quality product? Yes. I use Amsoil synthetic ATF in my transmission because I have several thousand into it. I use Amsoil Z Rod synthetic oil in my motor for the same reason. You can use regular fluids, but we spend tons of money building these cars, why go cheap on their life's blood?
Click to expand...
Thanks for your input. When the year gets here that I get to the car I will be using synthetics in it. I agree, with the amount of $$ you have tied up in this stuff trying to save a few $$ on it's blood is silly. I kind of look at stuff with the thought of in the big picture of things we spend a small fortune on our toys, what is that extra $20 (or whatever it is) going to add to the bottom line of things.
I used to put 20-50 Mobil 1 in a sport bike I had years ago. The bike got ridden hard. Had several folks tell me I was nuts using "car" oil in it, that the bike "needed" bike oil due to the oil flowing thru the trans/clutch. Heard all about how bike oils have "special" shear additives etc. I don't know, I put 100k on that thing, had the factory clutch in it (never even adjusted it) and never seen any metal on the magnetic drain plug. I did change it every 3k miles and it normally was not even changing color yet.
 
In the dually, I roughly follow their 50,000 mile change, so the 2nd change is coming up. I may do it a little earlier because a few of years ago, I went to a race in Penn. Never been there before and took a route that almost had my truck overheat from going up a BIG hill. Water temp was way over on the right. There was even a sign that said "No trailers over 26' (or 28')" but I thought I'd be ok. Luckily I crested the top just as I planned on stopping. A friend with a 1 ton Ford van, maybe diesel, with a smaller load, had to stop and cool off. But everything has been working fine. I have Amsoil in the engine too.

The race car trans fluid gets changed every year or two. But I don't race every weekend. Maybe 10-15 weekends. Trans get taken out every 4-5 years for JW to check out. - Footbrake, 5,000+ flash and 3,550+ lbs. I have a little cooler in front of the radiator to help.
Super Shift should do very well in trans-brake applications because that builds up heat real quick!
 
Was running a really loose TCI race converter,on the street.After two fluid swaps,in 2 weekends,swapped on the biggest B&M cooler on it.Installed a 10" fan ,as well as swap to synthetic atf.Problem solved.
 
I use Redline ATF in all my rigs. When the 4t65HD had to be rebuilt (failure was caused by a glitch that kept shifting the TC lock-up on/off and wife would not stop driving it..grrr), my tranny guy told me that everything else inside the trans was in great shape.
 
I have used Castrol GTX in all our vehicles engines, and standard ATF in the transmissions for decades.
We just retired two vehicles with over 500,000.00 miles on them (they didn't die, we sold them)
How long do you want to drive the same car anyway? :)
Synthetics are a waste of money in my oppinion.
 
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