Borg Warner M51

[systema]

I've got a BW M51 tranny in my car and the manual ask for some Dexron 2 fluid in it. However, I do some heavy towing in my car most of the time and I recently found that the fluid turns to dark red / brown and creates a burnt smell in a short period of time. Is there a better subtitute compared to the standard Dexron 2 fluid? I was thinking of using Castrol full synthetic dexron 3 but I'm not sure if it will be compatible with my current fluid or not as well as its reputation.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[ralan]

Is this an automatic or manual? Synthetic is the way to go for an autobox that sees a lot of towing. It takes the higher temps much better. I am partial to Amsoil universal ATF. Consider installing a heavy duty tranny fluid cooler to keep things cool. If its a manual that requires ATF, synthetic is still a good choice, IMHO.

 

[systema]

ya, it's an old fashioned 3 speed auto box and I've already got a tranny cooler (not a big one. but should be enough according to Ford) that came with the heavy duty tow pack. However, I still got pretty bad, burnt ATF out around every 5000-10000km, just doesn't seem right to me. I guess it's got something to do with the fluid used in it.