Chrysler 3-spd transaxle

[zrxkawboy]

Wondering about ATF for an '89 Dodge Spirit, 2.5 turbo/3-spd transaxle. The owner's manual calls for ATF+, or Dexron if the ATF+ is not available. I always thought the ATF+ was only needed in the overdrive (4-spd) transaxles. I have a supply of parasynthetic Dexron that I would like to use in it, but if the ATF+ would be better, I'll use that. BTW, these used a non-lockup TC. Thanks for any input.

Jeff

 

[unDummy]

You won't have to worry about TC shudder since its non-lockup. This is why you could get away with using Dexron. If the shift quality deteriorates with Dexron, use the ATF+3 or other HFM'd fluid.

 

[C.S.]

Are you sure that's a non-lockup? My '89 Daytona 3 speed ATX locks up at 45mph. Look on the top of the transmission, if there is a two wire electrical connector, it is a lock-up ATX. Watch the tach at about 45 mph and you'll see it drop, otherwise it is an invisible occurance. I was surprised when I discovered this.

DexronIII has worked fine in mine.

 

[DOC]

If it says ATF+ then that is what should only be used. A lot of late 80's chrysler products gave you the choice on the dip stick. But experiance by many people has shown that only the ATF+ series of fluids should be used unless its an emergency. And then you should get it changed ASAP. I have driven dodge trucks for over 500,000 thousand miles with only one replacement transmission and have always used the ATF+ fluids in them.

 

[racer12306]

atf+4 has superceded all other atf+3 applications (except a few minivans i think). the only place to get +4 is at the dealer or after some careful searching of the internet. +3 is becoming available in the stores now. +3 should be good in your application.

 

[Gary Allan]

The only reason to use +3 is if you have a lockup TC ..otherwise it's a worked over Omni trans. That's what's in my 92 Caravan. After the converter let go and lunched the internals (mainly gritted it up too bad to clean out well without doing a rebuild anyway) ..it has no need for +3. The shops of that time never stocked 7176 fluid (+3) ..they just added friction modifier. They used the same 55 gallon drum.

You should have a lockup TC unless it has been rebuilt (the common practice was to NOT replace it with a lock up TC upon rebuild ..at least at one time).

 

[DaveJ]

I do think all 2.5's got a lockup and 2.2's only got non-lockups. In the A604 4 speed OD it says to use 7176 but some of the dealers will say Dexron is ok, NOT!!!! I have a A604 that is toast from Dexron III. I get Valvoline ATF +3 for $2 a qt and that is what I use now. Mother Mopar still holds the patent on ATF +3 and +4. They have released licences for others to make 7176 type but not ATF +4 yet but I have heard that too is comming soon. And that additive that says it will make Dexron III into +3 or +4 is not true. www.Allpar.com has a good section on this. DaveJ

 

[Gary Allan]

From the (assumed) article on that site:

John C. Lai wrote that LubeGuard, used with Dexron by AAMCO, is not a good substitute for ATF+3, either: "...although Lubeguard claims on their website that their product will convert Dexron to become an ATF +3 (7176E) equivalent, they actually have no test data to back that up. In fact, their head engineer told me that the tests they did were conducted in the early 90s with the first version of 7176, several years before ATF+3 was developed. So, they have no basis for their claims of ATF +3 equivalency."

I'm wondering who John C. Lai is? Is he some noted automotive expert? I don't see any "John C. Lai, in his report to Autotrans Rebuilder Quarterly"

So the transmissions that were using the original 7176 were using lame fluid from the factory

and needed revisions that Chrysler failed in original fluid??

My 30rh (a 904 3 speed) needed only Dexron, in it's various configurations, for over 30 years. The only introduction of 7176 (hence evolved into +3) is because ...and ONLY because of the infamous converter clutch ..and for no other reason whatsoever. This doesn't mean that +3 isn't different then older 7176 (a-d) specs ..just that those modification should have no impact or advantage beyond their usefullness to other aspects of more sophisticated and weak knee'd Chrysler transmissions.

That is, your 3 speed with a lockup ..allegedly ran fine from the factory ..and for (probably) 80k on the original 7176(a?) ..what makes a modifier (that 10's of thousands of rebuild shops used to convert Dexron III) that has been tested to "a" specs, dysfunctional

My 92 3 speed (now without a lockup due to rebuild BECAUSE of the lockup converter) has had Dex III for 90k. One would assume that if the fluid was the cause ..that I've doubled the OEM lifespan of the original trans and surely would have encountered some issue.

 

[bulwnkl]

I would use ATF+x in it. I had a '90 Shadow with the 2.5 & 3-speed for many years. At one time I had some non-ATF+ in it for a period of about 12k miles. I had SERIOUSLY increased grey paste on the magnetic plug and much more 'sparkle' in the fluid than what I had with the previous 12k miles. I did not have any particular problems with torque convertor lockup shudder.

Nevertheless, because of the significant extra crud in the pan and on the magnetic plug with non-ATF+, I would only use ATF+ in it.