TES-668, a great Multi-ATF?

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Apr 11, 2023
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I know TES-668 is a great fluid for Allison's, and I've seen it touted as great in other applications as a robust synthetic ATF. That said, since it's approval list (that I've seen) is only listing Allison's, is there something I'm missing? Does everyone treat it like a good multi-ATF?

I bought a 5 gal pail of TranSynd 668 to do my new-to-me 01 F250's trans (with new external filter setup, BTS valve body and bigger cooler), transfer case, and power steering, but after I bought it I was concerned it might not be okay for all three. Naturally I came to BITOG in search and found differing opinions, ranging from the 4R100 trans is picky, to the 4R100 trans doesn't care what fluid is in it.

First post, been lurking for years, but usually always find the answer without much effort.
 
Use it with confidence, it will work great in your application.

Transmission fluids have come a long way since 2001.

Infineum makes the additive package for all TES-668 fluids, and the friction modification technology is top notch. Your FORD should shift silky-smooth with it.
 
TES-295, now TES-668, was created because large trucks were over shearing Dexron VI, the viscosity became too thin…

Dexron III was mineral based, Dexron VI was synthetic…

“Dexron VI is of a slightly lower viscosity when new compared to the prior Dexron fluids (a maximum of 6.4 cSt at 100 °C for Dexron VI and 7.5 cSt for Dexron III), but the allowed viscosity loss from shearing of the ATF during use is lower for Dexron VI, resulting in the same lowest allowed final viscosity for both Dexron III and VI (5.5 cSt) in test.[22] In reality most of the DEXRON-III fluids typically sheared to about 4.2 cSt in use. The lower, more stable viscosity improved pumping efficiency within the transmission and fluid stability over life. Since Dexron VI is not allowed to thin out (lower its viscosity) as much as Dexron III during use, it requires the use of higher-quality, more shear-stable (less prone to thinning while in use) formulations.”

In other words, TES-668 is synthetic Dexron, like Dexron VI, but with a higher starting cSt of Dexron III…
 
TES-295 was created because GM stopped issuing Dexron III licenses. It's a bit more intricate because it has something to do with GM's ownership of Allison. The bottom line is that a group of Allison engineers created the TES-295 specification to exceed Dexron III by leaps and bounds. They also created TES-389 as a lower cost alternative. Lubrizol is the additive package supplier for all TES-295 fluids. In fact, these days, the same additive package that Lubrizol supplies for AMSOIL Torque Drive, AMSOIL ATL & ATF, Red Line ATF+4, D4 & D6, is the same additive package that you'll find in TES-295 approved fluids.

TES-668 is the same as Mobil 1 LV ATF HP (Dexron HP). The only difference is the viscosity. This is the most up to date transmission fluid you'll find on the market today, with the newest friction modification chemistry. In other words, it's the latest tech in step shift ATF.

The only other company who blends an ATF that's better than the above is @High Performance Lubricants with their ATF Blue and ATF Green products. They are essentially the same, only difference being the viscosity and color so that customers don't mix them up. Yes, the thicker fluid is blue and the low viscosity is green.

The regular ATF Blue/Green fluids are blended with Group III base oil, and the ATF Blue CC & Green CC are blended with PAO (Group IV) for optimal cold flow in cold climates.

1681308613089.jpg
 
I tuned out when '668 was the same as Mobil 1 LV ATF HP' was said.
The friction modification chemistry is identical. I use both fluids, and they even smell the same. The Castrol TranSynd TES-668 even advertises its "anti shudder" properties, which I find funny, since that's what the blue label Mobil 1 Dexron HP ATF was supposed to fix for GM transmissions.

Anyway, you don't have to believe me. If you disagree, that's perfectly fine.
 
Cool. I think every bottle of ATF in every flavor I have on the shelf says anti shudder, along with all the other marketing wank they all say. 668 is an Allison developed spec. Other than the limited bit of work they did with the 10L1000 (that doesn't use the HP fluid), Allison and GM guys have been in different sandboxes for years.
 
If the 668 fluid is supplied by PetroCanada it most likely has an Afton DI package.


If it is a Chevron Delo fluid, then it has an Oronite DI package.

 
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If the 668 fluid is supplied by PetroCanada it most likely has an Afton DI package.


If it is a Chevron Delo fluid, then it has an Oronite DI package.

@Foxtrot08 might beg to differ.
 
Not sure how you arrived at this conclusion - please share.
You're more than welcome to purchase the lubricants discussed here and send out samples for analysis, then draw your own conclusions. :)(y)
 
If the 668 fluid is supplied by PetroCanada it most likely has an Afton DI package.


If it is a Chevron Delo fluid, then it has an Oronite DI package.


Last I heard almost everyone was using Infineum. But that was a few months ago when I posted that. And still in the midsts of supply disruptions.

Also I thought PetroCanada won the factory fill approval with Infineum.
 
Last I heard almost everyone was using Infineum. But that was a few months ago when I posted that. And still in the midsts of supply disruptions.

Also I thought PetroCanada won the factory fill approval with Infineum.
Historically, every ATF specification that GM or Allison has issued was sent to Afton where the DI package was developed. The factory fill for most of those transmissions was blended by PetroCanada using Afton's DI package.
 
Historically, every ATF specification that GM or Allison has issued was sent to Afton where the DI package was developed. The factory fill for most of those transmissions was blended by PetroCanada using Afton's DI package.
Afton messed up the DI package for Mobil 1 LV ATF HP (Dexron HP), which was the factory fill for certain GM transmissions. That was the black label ATF from Mobil. After that mess, Mobil switched to Infineum's new MV ATF additive package, re-blended the fluid, and got a new Dexron HP license number. This would be the new Mobil 1 LV ATF HP Blue Label. I'm running this in two transmissions and they shift beautifully, couldn't be happier... though I did a complete fluid replacement in each.

Consequently, Afton lost the contract. They messed up pretty badly, and it cost GM a pretty penny to remedy the situation, as well as several law suits they had to go through.
 
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TES-295 was created because GM stopped issuing Dexron III licenses. It's a bit more intricate because it has something to do with GM's ownership of Allison. The bottom line is that a group of Allison engineers created the TES-295 specification to exceed Dexron III by leaps and bounds. They also created TES-389 as a lower cost alternative. Lubrizol is the additive package supplier for all TES-295 fluids. In fact, these days, the same additive package that Lubrizol supplies for AMSOIL Torque Drive, AMSOIL ATL & ATF, Red Line ATF+4, D4 & D6, is the same additive package that you'll find in TES-295 approved fluids.

TES-668 is the same as Mobil 1 LV ATF HP (Dexron HP). The only difference is the viscosity. This is the most up to date transmission fluid you'll find on the market today, with the newest friction modification chemistry. In other words, it's the latest tech in step shift ATF.

The only other company who blends an ATF that's better than the above is @High Performance Lubricants with their ATF Blue and ATF Green products. They are essentially the same, only difference being the viscosity and color so that customers don't mix them up. Yes, the thicker fluid is blue and the low viscosity is green.

The regular ATF Blue/Green fluids are blended with Group III base oil, and the ATF Blue CC & Green CC are blended with PAO (Group IV) for optimal cold flow in cold climates.

View attachment 150035
The Allison Transmission fluids engineer (Tom Johnson) involved in developing Transynd TES-295 is an active member on the irv2 forum, and has a very lengthy (over 100 pages) thread where he answers questions regarding Allison transmissions. In one of his posts, he gives a lengthy explanation into why TES-295 was developed. The explanation above is not in harmony at all with what he shares about the development of Transynd.

According to Tom, it was an issue with Dexron III shearing, as Matt gets close to. He shares some great information. It seems that his explanation should be sound, as he claims he personally presented Transynd at an SAE conference in 1998.


TES-295, now TES-668, was created because large trucks were over shearing Dexron VI, the viscosity became too thin…

Dexron III was mineral based, Dexron VI was synthetic…

“Dexron VI is of a slightly lower viscosity when new compared to the prior Dexron fluids (a maximum of 6.4 cSt at 100 °C for Dexron VI and 7.5 cSt for Dexron III), but the allowed viscosity loss from shearing of the ATF during use is lower for Dexron VI, resulting in the same lowest allowed final viscosity for both Dexron III and VI (5.5 cSt) in test.[22] In reality most of the DEXRON-III fluids typically sheared to about 4.2 cSt in use. The lower, more stable viscosity improved pumping efficiency within the transmission and fluid stability over life. Since Dexron VI is not allowed to thin out (lower its viscosity) as much as Dexron III during use, it requires the use of higher-quality, more shear-stable (less prone to thinning while in use) formulations.”

In other words, TES-668 is synthetic Dexron, like Dexron VI, but with a higher starting cSt of Dexron III…
 
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