Auto Transmisson fluids

[DonTom]

If your put in Ford ATF in a Chevy (or other such mixes) what is likely to happen?

IOW, what happens if you add in the wrong type of ATF? And what happens if it is a full tranny of the wrong type of ATF?


-Don- Reno, NV

[Ken]

If your put in Ford ATF in a Chevy (or other such mixes) what is likely to happen?

IOW, what happens if you add in the wrong type of ATF? And what happens if it is a full tranny of the wrong type of ATF?


-Don- Reno, NV

Adding, or filling with, the wrong fluid is not good news
and can quickly wreck the transmission as different vehicle
manufacturers rely on different additives for the efficient
maintenance of the gearbox internals. Using CVT fluid in an
auto box can result in an even quicker demise. Just draining
the fluid and adding fresh - correct - fluid will not correct
the problem as it leaves quite a lot of fluid in the internals
of the box. What is needed is a full flush through of the
contaminated box using special equipment - even then,
if the vehicle has been run for any distance, damage may
still have been done, Don.

Ken.

[DonTom]

Ken,

The reason I asked was because of my old junky 1997 Jeep (with ~220,000 miles / 350 KM), that I don't really care much about. I notice the tanny fluid was low and so I got a quart of tranny fluid from the garage not being sure if it is for the Jeep or not and added it. I didn't have the owner's manual available and I was in a hurry to go make a 100 mile trip. Heck, I don't even remember what I put in there.

I am surprised it is so critical. I kinda figured tranny fluid was tranny fluid and the difference would be so minor that there would be no issue. Now I know that is not the case and I will be more careful. At least I do not have any use for CVT fluid as none of my vehicles have a CVT.

Thanks for the info.

-Don- Reno, NV

[Ken]

Ken,

The reason I asked was because of my old junky 1997 Jeep (with ~220,000 miles / 350 KM), that I don't really care much about. I notice the tanny fluid was low and so I got a quart of tranny fluid from the garage not being sure if it is for the Jeep or not and added it. I didn't have the owner's manual available and I was in a hurry to go make a 100 mile trip. Heck, I don't even remember what I put in there.

I am surprised it is so critical. I kinda figured tranny fluid was tranny fluid and the difference would be so minor that there would be no issue. Now I know that is not the case and I will be more careful. At least I do not have any use for CVT fluid as none of my vehicles have a CVT.

Thanks for the info.

-Don- Reno, NV

220K miles - that engine is almost run/bedded in then, Don. .

i shall keep my fingers crossed that whatever it was
you put in the box was compatible with what was
already in there.

Happy New Year by the way, Don.

Ken.

[DonTom]

220K miles - that engine is almost run/bedded in then, Don. .

i shall keep my fingers crossed that whatever it was
you put in the box was compatible with what was
already in there.

Happy New Year by the way, Don.

Ken.

I just remembered what the bottle of tranny fluid said "multi-vehicle transmission fluid". But is an old Jeep one of those "multi-vehicles"? When I get back to Auburn, CA, I think I can find the exact empty bottle and see exactly what type of tranny fluid it was.

My New Year did not have a good start. I was coming back from a two month RV trip all around Arizona. On New Years Eve, I was 135 miles from home at a rest stop where I decided to stay over night. In the morning, my RV engine would not start on New Years Day. The fuel pump crapped out in the 55 gallon gas tank. Nothing I tried would get the pump running. Zero PSI fuel pressure. I needed to be towed home. Wasn't a good way to start out the New Year. But at least it happened after the trip was over with and only 135 miles from home.

I now have the RV in a shop. And I am asking them about the possibility to change to an external fuel pump that I can change myself. I assume an external one will last longer as it is larger and doesn't need the cooling from the gasoline. But even if not, it will be something I can change myself. This motorhome is a MPFI 7.4L, so it will need around 60 psi fuel pressure. It's a Class C motorhome, a 2000 Chevy Express Van Cutaway.

-Don- Reno, NV

[Ken]

I just remembered what the bottle of tranny fluid said "multi-vehicle transmission fluid". But is an old Jeep one of those "multi-vehicles"? When I get back to Auburn, CA, I think I can find the exact empty bottle and see exactly what type of tranny fluid it was.

My New Year did not have a good start. I was coming back from a two month RV trip all around Arizona. On New Years Eve, I was 135 miles from home at a rest stop where I decided to stay over night. In the morning, my RV engine would not start on New Years Day. The fuel pump crapped out in the 55 gallon gas tank. Nothing I tried would get the pump running. Zero PSI fuel pressure. I needed to be towed home. Wasn't a good way to start out the New Year. But at least it happened after the trip was over with and only 135 miles from home.

I now have the RV in a shop. And I am asking them about the possibility to change to an external fuel pump that I can change myself. I assume an external one will last longer as it is larger and doesn't need the cooling from the gasoline. But even if not, it will be something I can change myself. This motorhome is a MPFI 7.4L, so it will need around 60 psi fuel pressure. It's a Class C motorhome, a 2000 Chevy Express Van Cutaway.

-Don- Reno, NV

Hope the shop gets your RV back on the road quickly, Don, if
the vehicle is a 2000 model then the pump (assuming it hasn't
been changed) has lasted 20 odd years. Not too bad I would
guess so if the shop fit an internal pump I wouldn't be too worried
about another failure. I accept that, with an external pump, you
just need to keep a spare in the trunk so an external pump is not
a bad idea.

Ken.

[DonTom]

Hope the shop gets your RV back on the road quickly, Don, if the vehicle is a 2000 model then the pump (assuming it hasn't
been changed) has lasted 20 odd years. Not too bad I would guess so if the shop fit an internal pump I wouldn't be too worried
about another failure. I accept that, with an external pump, you just need to keep a spare in the trunk so an external pump is not
a bad idea.

Ken.

One person, (from the RV Forum), had the fuel pump crap out five times in 15 years in the Express Van. Around every three years, as an average. It's hard to say if my fuel pump lasted 20 years as my RV was several years old when I bought it used. RVs usually spend many months every year not being used, which probably makes a lot of the pumps crap out.

-Don- Reno, NV

[Ken]

One person, (from the RV Forum), had the fuel pump crap out five times in 15 years in the Express Van. Around every three years, as an average. It's hard to say if my fuel pump lasted 20 years as my RV was several years old when I bought it used. RVs usually spend many months every year not being used, which probably makes a lot of the pumps crap out.

-Don- Reno, NV

I take your point, Don. In that case your proposal for an external pump is a good one.

Ken.

[grouch]

Usually, Mopars use Dexron transmission fluid. There are several versions of it out now. Do NOT put FoMoCo ATF in as that will mess the unit up. When I had my 1954 Dodge Coronet, I needed to drain the transmission and couldn't find enough Type A fluid. A friend that ran a transmission shop told me to use Dexron as it's similar to Type A but slicker. That transmission shifted better than some new ones. I think, but I'm not sure, newer versions of Dexron will work in older units.

Ken,

The reason I asked was because of my old junky 1997 Jeep (with ~220,000 miles / 350 KM), that I don't really care much about. I notice the tanny fluid was low and so I got a quart of tranny fluid from the garage not being sure if it is for the Jeep or not and added it. I didn't have the owner's manual available and I was in a hurry to go make a 100 mile trip. Heck, I don't even remember what I put in there.

I am surprised it is so critical. I kinda figured tranny fluid was tranny fluid and the difference would be so minor that there would be no issue. Now I know that is not the case and I will be more careful. At least I do not have any use for CVT fluid as none of my vehicles have a CVT.

Thanks for the info.

-Don- Reno, NV

[grouch]

I've added external pumps to retrofit electric pumps to older vehicles. However, those usually have 30-40 psi. I'd go back with another stock type internal pump. Two things that kill pumps are running them consistently low and long periods of not being used.

One person, (from the RV Forum), had the fuel pump crap out five times in 15 years in the Express Van. Around every three years, as an average. It's hard to say if my fuel pump lasted 20 years as my RV was several years old when I bought it used. RVs usually spend many months every year not being used, which probably makes a lot of the pumps crap out.

-Don- Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Hope the shop gets your RV back on the road quickly, Don,

I told the shop that I didn't care if my RV sat there for a few months before they get to it. I just came back from an RV trip and it will be at least six months before I go on an RV trip again.

It's quite common for motorhomes to sit for months without being used. But I start up the RV and also run the generator until everything warms up, perhaps around every few weeks or so, or when I think about doing such.

-Don- Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Usually, Mopars use Dexron transmission fluid. There are several versions of it out now. Do NOT put FoMoCo ATF in as that will mess the unit up. When I had my 1954 Dodge Coronet, I needed to drain the transmission and couldn't find enough Type A fluid. A friend that ran a transmission shop told me to use Dexron as it's similar to Type A but slicker. That transmission shifted better than some new ones. I think, but I'm not sure, newer versions of Dexron will work in older units.

I am fairly sure it was an old bottle of Dextron "multi-vehicle" perhaps was a Dextron 3.

I went to buy a quart each for my Jeeps yesterday, and it looks like now all tranny fluids are synthetic. Dextron 4, for my Jeeps I was told.

-Don- Reno, NV