DEXRON VI - what is the difference between brands?

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Originally Posted By: gmctodd
If it says Dexron VI on the bottle would that mean it is liscenced? Surely GM wouldn't allow someone to use the DexVI name on a unliscensed product correct? And on the other hand one could bottle cat urine and label it DexIII, because that spec means nothing correct?


That wouldn't fly... cat urine is the main ingredient in DexCool. GM wouldn't stand for calling their flagship coolant a transmission oil.
 
Originally Posted By: dnewton3
So, how does this pertain to the DEX VI issue? Well, unless I misunderstand, DEX VI is not only performance based, but also chemistry based in it's licensing.


I think you did misunderstand. Everything I read about Dex VI when it came out said the licensing specs were all performance based and were so stringent it virtually guaranteed Group III or Group II/III had to be used. The licensing specs for Chrysler's ATF+4, on the other hand, are performance based and chemistry based. Only approved Group III base oil can be used (no blends) and the specific Lubrizol additive package developed for ATF+4 has to be used. This ensures that no matter whose ATF+4 you buy, it will be as nearly chemically identical to every other brand on the market as possible. The same won't be true for Dex VI.
 
The DEXRON-VI specification specifies both the additive package and the VM that MUST be used in order to gain approval.
 
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Thank you Whitewolf; that was my understanding as well. DEX VI is performance AND chemistry based for its licensing.

I believe initially (although not likely true now) that the only source at the inception of DEX VI was a Canadian firm's propritary add-pack. Surely by now, with companies such as Castrol, E/M, Valvoline (Ashland), and even the SuperTech line, there are probably more than one source for the add-pack.

Still, as I recall reading some of the tech data when DEX VI first came out, that the add-pack was included along with the performance criteria spec's for the license, to help keep better control of the over-all product. (Note: "better control" is likely an inflamatory term; I do not necessarily believe this to be true, but rather just a phrase used in GM's product roll-out literature).

And I hardly think GM licenses the fluids for free. I don't know how much they do charge; maybe it's not much. But it surely isn't "free". If nothing else, they probably charge a minimum just to cover the administrative costs. And they probably take in a bit more than that ...
 
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Surely by now, with companies such as Castrol, E/M, Valvoline (Ashland), and even the SuperTech line, there are probably more than one source for the add-pack.


from lube report

Changes also have been made to the licensing program. Rather than licensing fluids directly, GM will license chemistries that meet the specification's requirements, leaving it to additive companies to issue sub-licenses for approved finished fluids.
 
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