ULV & LV ATF Chemical Composition/ Alternative Uses

[wdbcoupe]

I’ve been curious about the chemical composition (and potential chemical incompatibilities) of LV and ULV ATFs, along with other fluids I’ve started using more in recent years (like a number of Red Line products and HPL Differential Life). I recently found myself more or less stuck with 8 gallons of Triax ULV and figured I’d take the opportunity to try to learn more about these fluids, and see if I could find an alternative use for the stuff I decided against putting in my truck and now can’t seem to sell.

And just to be clear, this is just a thought experiment, I personally would never run LV or ULV ATF in an application that did not call for it. But I’d still like to know what would happen if you did.

Off the top of my head, some potential legitimate uses include using it to pickle old engines, transmissions or transfer cases; or use it as an overnight flush for older differentials, manual transmissions or other gearboxes that are being switched from mineral oils to synthetics (my current regimen involves running the new fluid for a very short interval and then changing it again, which gets a little pricey when you’re talking about MTL or Differential Life, and at least in theory the ATF could do an excellent job cleaning everything up.). But before I did any of that, I’d want to know how LV or ULV ATFs would react with certain metals, seals, the old lubricant and the new lubricant.

 

[ctechbob]

ATF's are not good cleaners, that has been discussed here bunches of times.

I suppose you could frankenbrew an LV with some of the ULV and a thicker fluid. Really the only thing special about ULV is the viscosity, otherwise it appears to be fairly normal except perhaps for a bit better base stocks to make up for the low viscosity.

LV in ULV transmissions usually causes shift timings to get all wonky, although not always. The 10R/10L twins seem to be more sensitive to that, but then again I don't know who else is using ULV's these days.

I use whatever ATF I have on hand in a little dropper bottle for anything around that house that needs a bit of oil in it....fan bushings and things like that. Granted, it would take me forever to use a single quart.