SuperTech Domestic ATF?

[sciphi]

There's a thread somewhere around here on ST domestic vehicle ATF. Just wanted to be sure of what I was getting into before pouring it into my 4T65E.

I've read good things about it, and the price cannot be beat with a stick. Hope it's all right! It's only half the fluid. If I don't like it, a $7 pump will have the pan drained and filled again with something else in 10 minutes.

 

[oilboy123]

Should be OK if OK is good enough for you.

 

[AzFireGuy79]

I have used this ATF in the past and it has been great in Domestic front wheel drives. Most of the time I perform a full cooler line flush and add some LubeGard RED to the mix. I think its a great fluid at a great price. Highly recommend it!

 

[The Critic]

It's probably OK for light-duty use. Heck, you could probably use tractor oil if you weren't using your transmission for severe service.

But for maximum protection, I would consider upgrading to Dexron-VI.

 

[bmwtechguy]

Critic is right, the older Dex/Merc formulation will work but not as well or as long as the SuperTech Dex VI beside it for a dollar or 2 more per quart. Those transmissions run hot because of all the slow engagements to make smooth shifting feel. This is especially true of the torque converter clutch engagement. You cannot feel it engage, but that smoothness costs you in more heating/degradation of the fluid. Poor design, IMO.

At least put in a bottle of Lubegard Red if you're gonna use the cheaper stuff. It can only help that fluid last longer and protect better.

I put a large aux cooler and filter on one of these transmissions with Amsoil syn ATF years ago and then drove 130,000 more miles on that fluid and setup until that car got totaled. ATF was still red and still smelled ok (but not new). I know, not scientific but worked for me.

 

[sciphi]

A cooler line flush is out of the question at the moment. Nobody else around to help me do one.

Like I said, this is to replace what is lost with a pan drop. Superior ATF would be nice but isn't in the cards right now. Since this is good enough, I'll use it for the next year or two along with the auxiliary cooler already hooked up.

The 4T60 gets really hot, but my 4T65 has troubles getting to 150* F right now.

 

[bmwtechguy]

Sounds like a great plan. I flush 'em by myself all the time, but it is definitely easier to have someone in the driver seat.

 

[sciphi]

It's not great. Amsoil ATF or M1 ATF would be great.

It is much better than not maintaining the transmission, however.

 

[AzFireGuy79]

JUst to clarify my prior post, I think the SuperTech DEX III is a great ATF considering the price. Its still a mineral based fluid and as such is of no comparison to a fluid like Amsoil or M1. Just me. Any of my other cars get RL ATF. At this point it doesn't sound like you are ready for a good syn ATF or cooler line flush, so in the meantime this combo of a decent cheap ATF and some lubegard should keep things more than happy until you can switch to a syn.

 

[sciphi]

Dropped the pan today, changed the filter, and filled up with a brew of the Supertech, some Quaker State Dex-III, and some Coastal DexMerc. Virtually no shavings on the magnet in the pan, and the outgoing fluid was still nice and red. The ST was the thinnest and palest by far, the Coastal had it beat in both viscosity and color.

Whatever, this is a 4T65 I'm talking about. It'll run on pretty much anything as long as I keep changing it every so often.

Shifts were improved to where I couldn't feel them very much, and it was shifting at slower speeds than before. I'll hold off more conclusions for this brew until more miles are on it. That will be easy the way I drive.