4L65E time for fluid change, recommendations?

[WishIhadatruck]

I've used Mobil 1 ATF in my 4T65E transmission for the last 2 changes and it works fine. I never noticed a difference from when the car was new. It currently has 65,000 miles on it. I've looked at the Dexron VI and it is available from gmpartsdirect.com using the GM part #.

1qt = 88861003 (must buy 12 at a time)
1gal = 88861045 (must buy 4 at a time)

If you buy 4 gallons the per quart cost isn't too bad. I'm kind of waiting to see if Mobil 1, Amsoil, or Redline come out with their version of it and see how much it costs. I wouldn't think their cost would be higher than what their IIIh spec. product is now since they were already selling a high quality product. I'm sure the GM product will be cheaper, especially from gmpartsdirect. I've got some time to figure it out since I've recently changed all my cars.

 

[Whitewolf]

The pricing is interesting. I noticed that elric said he got some for $5.01/Q (on another thread). You might think that the pricing would end up being similar.

 

[g20ooh]

perhaps shipping?I think somewhere else somebody mentioned a price of 4.56/Q which is what I paid.The pleasant part was that was the price over the phone and at the counter.I didn't mention the online pricing and this was my first parts purchase at this particular Cadillac store.As expected it is cheaper by the gallon.

 

[g20ooh]

Me too.Actually I used synthetic ATF exclusively thru 04 of all the usual sorts(AMSOIL M1 Redline and once RP) all with good results in all sorts of applications besides a 4T65E.This was a familly member's car and price was important I am and continiue to be disappointed that M1 still doesn't claim meet much less exceed DexronVI.

 

[g20ooh]

Quote:

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Yes, it is the transverse front wheel drive. I got confused with the designation, will be doing my dad's truck and the wife's car.

I have some Mobil 1 that I have been experimenting in an older Dexron II honda 96 model transmission, and have used Mobil 1 in ford c6 and cd4e transmissions.

But if dexron VI is better and readily available over the counter, not at a stealership and has documented advantages over Mobil 1 I may try that.

I'm thinking along the same lines for a 92 and a 95 Honda AT (more/same familly - I generally prefer stick)only I'll be "experimenting" with who knows what perhaps Dex6.I don't have the notes in front of me but both have run M1 and I believe Amsoil - the M1 straight, blended(Honda ATF-Z1 W/WO FM),and M1with either FM or the ATF additive we must not mention.Not to go off topic but I'm interested in how your experiment is going.I just previewed this post sorry for cramming - have no idea.......

 

[McKittrick]

g20ooh

i have drain and filled with z1 in the honda transmission that now has a 50% mix of M1. It was also autorx'ed. Fluid was a dark cherry to black when I first changed it.

Shift quality seems very similar with 50% M1, transmission is spec for DEX II on dipstick DEX II DEX III or honda premium in shop manual.

I might have to check the local dealer price for gallons of DEX VI to use in the chevy, and compare that against putting M1 in the 4T65.

 

[The Critic]

Use DEXRON-VI. WhiteWolf told me that DEXRON-VI outperforms many of the DEXRON-III synthetic fluids.

 

[g20ooh]

I've found that to be a useable mix on these two as well.I've also used on the 95 1/3 MI (currently installed)with best results so far but way too many variables changing in the last 14 months to draw any conclusions.In any event and as much for curiosities sake I want to try something different and to get away from MI.Its kinda sad really I've used most of their relevant product line upon introduction but since 98 without really a concious effort I've been pulling back and away to other product. The M1 ATF was never a problem.Since 14AUG05 I've had a dealer I can work with and the Honda ATF-ZI pricing has been acceptable between 2.79 and 3.43/Q although I've not needed to purchase since AUG06.There's some other product out there I'm probably going to try as well but really like this D6.Call it a WAG but I think it will work well in the Hondas maybe wih a little LubeGard or the unmentionable ATF additive.

 

[g20ooh]

unDummy,
Any thoughts or insight as to why MI still doesn't spec at or above DexVI ? Cursory inspection suggests they stopped at MerconV.Do you think this was strictly a friction coefficent kind of thing or some other?

 

[g20ooh]

I've been wondering about that..........If readily available D6 is any indication..........Could it be that the DexronVI spec separates the men from the pages..oops I mean the senate from the boys.....ooh darn I mean the men from the boys?

 

[unDummy]

DexronVI is a 6 cst fluid.
Mobil1 is a 7cst fluid, like most standard Mercon/DexronIII ATFs. Look how slow Mobil1 was to adapt it to MV level(in the US only, not Canada now).
So, Mobil1 would need to blend another fluid. Is there enough shelf space at your autoparts store for more products?

Most manufacturers will need to produce new thin ATFs.
It will take several years since this is a 'eternal' life fluid and there won't be demand for several years. Simple economics at work. Backspec'ing the fluid was a smart GM move to help create that demand. But, some owners(and automakers) won't jump on the thin bandwagon. This was no different then when thin motor oil came out. How long did it take for a good supply of 5w20? Now that many automakers use it, its well stocked everywhere(but notice that 10w40/20w50 has less shelf space).

I'd wager that the boutique companies, usually low volume anyway and quicker on their feet, will be the 1st to produce a thinner full synth ATF, ALONGSIDE with their other fluids. Alongside because standard ATF's have multiple other specs, including viscosity, that might NOT be met by DexronVI. Remember that the typical DexronIII/Mercon fluid might also have 1/2 dozen or so other MFG specs with it.
I'd also expect a multivehicle 6 cst fluid for VI, WS, and SP usage.

I also haven't seen any technical proof that DexronVI outperformed any of the full synthetic boutique fluids available. If so, please someone post the full test results.

 

[nascarnation]

Quote:

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I also haven't seen any technical proof that DexronVI outperformed any of the full synthetic boutique fluids available. If so, please someone post the full test results.

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no reason to think it would
DexVI is a GII/GIII blend, TranSynd (Allsion TES295) is a PAO base.
DexVI is thinner though and will have less spin loss - can you find that in your real world fuel economy numbers - I'd say probably not but every bit helps in the corporate sense.
I'd vote for the durability factor of the DexIII PAOs.

 

[g20ooh]

Thank you uD - maybe I missed it but why M1 so slow to MERCON V ?

 

[g20ooh]

yes ditto that. On the other hand we havn't seen the reverse either.Perhaps I'm being unrealistic but from a consumer angle if I'm going to layout top dollar for a top fluid (which for some applications I absolutely prefer to) then given the nature of atf and the amount of difference between D3H spec and D6 ........Said another way I would have expected little or minor mods to be required to modify the existing syns which would have been exceeding most/all of the spec change any way.unDummy, 7cst to 6cst for a synthetic ? Isn't that just a small matter of a slightly thinner base stock ?

 

[unDummy]

Ask Mobil1 why. They sell enough fluid that they probably didn't see the need to market a MerconV full synth. Mobil did already have a blend merconV and multivehicle ATF. Maybe some bigwig at Mobil1 didn't think there was room on the shelf for 3 fluids meeting the same spec. Funny, since the last time I went to the Autozone, there were 5 oils sold by Mobil in the same weight 5w30(5000, 7500, EP, M1, T&S). Talk about over marketing!
Or, maybe the M1 ATF volume wasN'T high enough to justify the R&D expense or reblending cost. Who knows for sure why?

I also will agree that DexronVI probably isn't even up to the TES295 level of performance. Only time will tell(and UOAs) if the DexVI is as good as they claim it to be.