New GM Tranny Fluid -- (Dexron-VI)

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GM Introduces New Automatic Transmission Fluid For 2006 Cars and Trucks

New factory-fill fluid standard in all 2006 MY Hydra-Matic transmissions

Significantly improved viscosity, shift performance and fluid durability

Available through GM Vehicle Care products as DEXRON®-VI

Approved for service application on all prior model year Hydra-Matic automatic transmissions

Pontiac, Mich. - GM, in conjunction with Petro-Canada and Afton Chemical Corporation, have developed a new, improved automatic transmission fluid for all 2006 model year Hydra-Matic automatic transmissions. Developed for factory-fill as RDL-3434 and registered for service fill as DEXRON®-VI, the new fluid represents a significant improvement in automatic transmission fluids and is the direct result of GM's industry leadership in the development and production of automatic transmissions.

"For 65 years, GM has led in the design, development and production of automatic transmissions," says Tom Stephens, group vice president for GM Powertrain. "This knowledge and experience has helped us work directly with the petroleum industry to develop a new fluid that will further accentuate the performance and reliability of GM's Hydra-Matic transmissions."

Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) is considered the life-blood of the automatic transmission. It is used to transfer power in the torque converter and provide the pressure to apply the transmission's various clutches and bands. It also is used to clean, lubricate and cool the components of the transmission. GM's new transmission fluid, DEXRON®-VI, was developed to have a more consistent viscosity profile; a more consistent shift performance in extreme conditions; and less degradation over time.

Beginning with the design and development of GM's new Hydra-Matic 6-speed rear-wheel-drive transmissions, GM Powertrain engineers determined the need for a new transmission fluid to withstand the complexity of the clutch-to-clutch transmission operation. Additionally, GM engineers identified opportunities to improve viscosity, durability, and impact on fuel economy with a new fluid.

"The development of DEXRON®-VI is the first time an automotive company has worked so closely with petroleum and additive companies to develop a new fluid," says Roy Fewkes, driveline fluids group leader, GM Powertrain. "The result is a new fluid that significantly outperforms existing fluids in every aspect. In fact, we have had to significantly extend the length of our durability tests to fully test the fluid's capability."

Internal GM tests have demonstrated DEXRON®-VI to deliver more than twice the durability and stability in friction tests compared to existing fluids. It also has demonstrated superior performance in pitting, foaming, oxidation and shear stability tests.

GM will begin factory-fill of the new transmission fluid on April 4, starting with the new Hydra-Matic 6L80, produced at the Willow Run transmission facility in Ypsilanti, Mich.

DEXRON®-VI will be available through genuine GM Vehicle Care products at GM authorized dealerships and service centers in Summer 2005.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader since 1931. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 324,000 people around the world. It has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 200 countries. In 2004, GM sold nearly 9 million cars and trucks globally, up 4 percent and the second-highest total in the company's history. GM's global headquarters are at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com
 
Proprietary, I doubt it.

Even dexron III-h isn't a synthetic.

GM should've called dex-VI a blended or full synth ATF, whichever it might be.

Many automakers are switching to synth HFM blends and using fancy names. We have Matic-J, ATF+4, MerconV, LT71141, LA2634....... and all those blended multivehicle ATFs.

The automakers are given us lifetime fluids in transmissions that won't last a lifetime. Too bad they won't give us REAL ATF coolers, more drainplugs, and easy to replace filtration!
 
GM does make a great A/T. Too bad they can't make
motors without intake-gasket leaks.
 
HAH! Of course DEXRON-VI will be a proprietary fluid. I'm betting anyone who thinks GM's bean counters have blinders on regarding the money to be made after seeing how the Japanese, Koreans, and Europeans have milked the golden ATF cow the past several years has either just recently arrived on planet earth, is delusional, or both.
wink.gif
 
quote:

Originally posted by nascarnation:
Buy yourself a GM HD pickup with an Allison...
grin.gif


Made by Allison but nowhere near what kinda of transmission that Allison would put into heavyduty trucks. In otherwords, its made by Allison for GM (and designed by GM). Marketing gimmick.
 
quote:

Originally posted by JeepZJ4.0:

quote:

Originally posted by nascarnation:
Buy yourself a GM HD pickup with an Allison...
grin.gif


Made by Allison but nowhere near what kinda of transmission that Allison would put into heavyduty trucks. In otherwords, its made by Allison for GM (and designed by GM). Marketing gimmick.


Allison is owned by GM. The Allison 1000 transmissions is not a gimmick. It is an excellent transmission suitable for hd pickup trucks.


Ken
 
The Allison in the GM pickups is essentially the same transmission used in Navistar, Freightliner, and other commercial vehicles up to 30,000 lb GVW rating. FedEX, UPS, shuttle buses, etc. (Minor housing differences are incorporated to mate to the back of the 8.1 gas & Duramax engines and the t-case output in the pickup)

Yes Allison does make other larger transmissions for 80,000 lb trucks and the M1 Abrams tank, both of which are a bit "over the top" for pickups.

FWIW the Allison 1000 transmission in the pickups weighs 325 lbs, approx 50 more than competitive brands. So there is plenty of beef.
 
The article link seems to make it clear that GM expects wide aftermarket suppport of the new specification, and that they make very little money on the current Dex IIIh license ... $3,000 per year per product is peanuts in this game.

It will be interesting to see if fluids can be made which meet both Mercon V and Dexron VI simulataneously. The basic friction and viscosity characteristics of virgin Dex VI must be very close to those of Dex III, otherwise the new fluid would not be widely back-recommended by GM into prior vehicles.

John
 
quote:

Yes Allison does make other larger transmissions for 80,000 lb trucks and the M1 Abrams tank, both of which are a bit "over the top" for pickups.

The latest ones don't use shifter handles at all. It's all push button now.
shocked.gif
 
"shift by wire" as they say
(the pickups retain the lever shifter because it's needed for the mechanical parking pawl system.)
 
quote:

Originally posted by HardbodyLoyalist:
Great. Another proprietary formulation available only at stealerships.

Note the lack of pricing info.


Hahahahaha..that's about right
grin.gif
. I wonder if the stuff is as good as DexCool which turns into an orange brick
mad.gif
. They probably came out with it to cover up a defect like Ford with their Mercon V
 
Dex VI, like other previous Dexron levels will be licensed to anyone who wants to manufacture it and passes the required qualification tests.
AFAIK it has nothing to do with "covering up defects" but it is a better fluid.
 
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