early last year i bought a 2016 frontier 5 speed auto trans, V6 engine. iam much happier with it than i thought i would be. it had 45,000 miles when i bought it. it has 60,000 on it now. i just had the trans and rear end fluid changed. i once knew a guy that put thicker oil in his race car trans. that seamed to work fine for him. i never could under stand why such thin oil was used in auto trans. what think?
2016 frontier.
- Thread starter red7404
- Start date
- Status
MolaKule
Staff member
Originally Posted by red7404
...i never could under stand why such thin oil was used in auto trans. what think?
ATF is a specialized hydraulic fluid that cools, lubricates,and transfers power and as such gets rather hot. Also think in terms of the porosity of the wet clutches and how they must be cooled as well.
"Flash" temperatures are high for fractions of a second and so a thicker fluid would result in much higher internal temperatures.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/automatic-transmissions-study/
I have a Pro-4X 2012 Frontier and it is in my view one of the best mid-sized trucks on the market.
...i never could under stand why such thin oil was used in auto trans. what think?
ATF is a specialized hydraulic fluid that cools, lubricates,and transfers power and as such gets rather hot. Also think in terms of the porosity of the wet clutches and how they must be cooled as well.
"Flash" temperatures are high for fractions of a second and so a thicker fluid would result in much higher internal temperatures.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/automatic-transmissions-study/
I have a Pro-4X 2012 Frontier and it is in my view one of the best mid-sized trucks on the market.
Last edited:
Originally Posted by MolaKule
Originally Posted by red7404
...i never could under stand why such thin oil was used in auto trans. what think?
ATF is a specialized hydraulic fluid that cools, lubricates,and transfers power and as such gets rather hot. Also think in terms of the porosity of the wet clutches and how they must be cooled as well.
"Flash" temperatures are high for fractions of a second and so a thicker fluid would result in much higher internal temperatures.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/automatic-transmissions-study/
I have a Pro-4X 2012 Frontier and it is in my view one of the best mid-sized trucks on the market.
Did you delete/bypass the radiator ATF cooler?
Originally Posted by red7404
...i never could under stand why such thin oil was used in auto trans. what think?
ATF is a specialized hydraulic fluid that cools, lubricates,and transfers power and as such gets rather hot. Also think in terms of the porosity of the wet clutches and how they must be cooled as well.
"Flash" temperatures are high for fractions of a second and so a thicker fluid would result in much higher internal temperatures.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/automatic-transmissions-study/
I have a Pro-4X 2012 Frontier and it is in my view one of the best mid-sized trucks on the market.
Did you delete/bypass the radiator ATF cooler?
i did not by pass the cooler. if any thing i would be tempted to put a bigger one on. i for got to say i had the work done by a trans mec that has been in my town since the late 60s. be for i bought my frontier i looked up and down the internet for any negative things about the frontier. after i found nothing bad about the frontier i got worried. but i finally said to myself the frontier is a good truck
MolaKule
Staff member
Neither did I bypass the cooler.
I did the by pass on our our 2005 Xterra but decided I didn't need to do it on our 2014 Frontier.
Originally Posted by red7404
i never could under stand why such thin oil was used in auto trans. what think?
Auto makers attempt to increase fuel mileage.
i never could under stand why such thin oil was used in auto trans. what think?
Auto makers attempt to increase fuel mileage.
I believe automatic transmission fluid since the beginning of time has been basically a 20wt oil. It's always been "thin" for the reasons molecule suggested above.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
