Help! transmission problems

[MaxedGTS]

i just had my DLM car serviced here by a local mechanic. He told me i should change my tranny fluid so i did. He said i should use DEXRON 5 and that its better than the older synthetic fluid, i think the other fluid i had was DEXRON 3??? Anyway the f**kin car seems to shift to hard now and sometimes the gears seem to grind when i shift hard.
Does this sound right?????? My mechanic says its not the fluid

Thanks for any ideas,
Max

 

[Steve-Indy]

Vipers used Castrol Syntorq 75W85 as the tranny fluid since at least 1999 (maybe also in 1998)...this fluid also sold at Dodge dealers as "Synthetic Manual Transmission Lube" 75W85...your tranny should have a tag by the fill port stating the recommended fluid. Personally, I have never heard of "Dexron 5"...though a parts man at a well known dealership (supposedly on advice from the Viper Tech) once told me that Dodge had changed over to ATF+4 (which HE called "Dexron IV)in Vipers...ERROR !!!...while ATF+4 IS used in newer spec Chrysler/Dodge automatics, it is NOT to be used in a Viper.

I would dump the fluid that you have and go with the "factory fill".

 

[SNKEBIT]

my 94 shop manual says dexron IV in trans., is that wrong too???

 

[Steve-Indy]

MY 1994 Dodge Viper Service Manual says "Dexron II-E"...which is also noted in the 95 and 96(RT/10) manuals.

As you know, the TSB for NGR (neutral gear rattle) allows using the Castrol Syntorq 75W85 (Mopar's Syn. Man. Trans. Lube 75W85) in ALL Vipers BACK TO 1994...leaving some question about 92 and 93 models, by my memory. " Ron" checked on this, and there seems to be a question raised about the seals in the Borg-Warner 1992 and 1993 T-56 trannys being incompatible with the new synthetic stuff. Ron...Tom F&L GoR...you guys can jump in anytime now !!!

I use Dexron III in our 95, 96, and 97...with Syntorq in the rest...and, am quite happy.

 

[Joseph Dell]

99 shop manual says to use 75W-85 (MS-9070). It also says to fill with Dexron III fluid. (page 21-3)...

JD

 

[Steve-Indy]

JD, note "Castrol Syntorq" on the tranny plate...and in your owners manual.

AGREE, that there are MANY small mistakes scattered in the text of the manuals...I remember looking a long time for a fuse listed in the 1998 manual...but that manual had just been an uncorrected Gen I carry over !!!

 

[99 R/T 10]

Where is Chuck Tator when you need him?! I believe the 97 and earlier cars specified the Dextron III for the fill, whereas the later cars got Syntorq, to help with NGR. If you have a 99, go with the Mopar/Syntorq.

 

[Buckeye Viper]

Fluids Chart:

http://www.yandros.com/Viper/ViperFluids.htm

 

[MaxedGTS]

thanks for the help so far. my car is a 2000.
I was told by my mechanic the newest fluid on the market is DEXRON 5.
Would that cause my car to be to hard to shift????
Thanks again,
Max

 

[Janni]

newest =! correct

 

[Chuck B 98 GTS]

newest =! correct

thanks for the reply! So the DEXRON 5 is the fluid to use now in the trany???

 

[Janni]

I would use Castrol Syntorq - I've never seen it labeled as such outside a Dodge dealer. Check out Slaughter's fluids chart and he has the correct Mopar part number for the Castrol product.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Janni...HELP...I can't find a reference to "Dexton V" on Chevron site or on "BOBISTHEOILGUY" ,admittedly, after a fairly quick run through the sites.

I see plenty of references to Mercon V...and that it is "Dexron III rated".

HELP !!!! Please tell me what "newest" stuff is.

 

[Janni]

Steve -
I've never heard to Dexron V either - I was just saying that just because someone tells you that "this stuff is the latest" doesn't always mean it's the correct thing.

Maybe it doesn't even exist, or it's possible the mechanic conbined the 2 names to come up with Dexron V.

Regardless, the Castrol Syntorq that is recommended has served us well in the trannies and I don't see a reason to change.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Whew...Ya had me worried...even searched SAE site, to no avail.

Sounds like my experience with ATF+4 outlined above...have found that many dealers in our area service so few Vipers, that it's often hard to get the correct answer.

That's why we have the VCA !!!!

Thanks, Janni..."Hi" to Henry

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

The whole reason GM licensed the name "DEXRON" was to make it "evergreen" meaning that while the fluid would be improved from time to time, the name on the bottle would stay the same so people didn't have to keep up with the changing specs. And it forced everyone to make the fluids "backward compatible" so that newer DEXRON works in an older transmission. But, they started adding the roman numerals, and there was DEXRON II, IIE, III, and the newest is IIIH. At least they didn't parade every letter on the label, since the H version is an upgrade of the G version that nobody probably knew about. They are making it more confusing than it needs to be.

The point is that newer DEXRON works in older transmissions; DEXRON II works in transmissions designed around DEXRON; DEXRON III works in a transmission designed for DEXRON IIE, etc.

http://www.imakenews.com/lng/e_article000097887.cfm

 

[ViperJoe]

My 98 rear dif tag says Castrol Syntorq, and that's what it has PLUS the MOPAR limited slip additive.

 

[MaxedGTS]

The whole reason GM licensed the name "DEXRON" was to make it "evergreen" meaning that while the fluid would be improved from time to time, the name on the bottle would stay the same so people didn't have to keep up with the changing specs. And it forced everyone to make the fluids "backward compatible" so that newer DEXRON works in an older transmission. But, they started adding the roman numerals, and there was DEXRON II, IIE, III, and the newest is IIIH. At least they didn't parade every letter on the label, since the H version is an upgrade of the G version that nobody probably knew about. They are making it more confusing than it needs to be.

The point is that newer DEXRON works in older transmissions; DEXRON II works in transmissions designed around DEXRON; DEXRON III works in a transmission designed for DEXRON IIE, etc.

Tom or anybody else do you know if it could be the newer fluid that makes it hard to shift my car? Since I put the DEXRON 5 in, My car won't shift easy. The DEXRON 5 is not synthetic.

thanks in advance,
Max

 

[99GTSACR]

My 98 rear dif tag says Castrol Syntorq, and that's what it has PLUS the MOPAR limited slip additive.

You don't want the MOPAR limited slip additive in the tranny. That only belongs in the rear diff.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

I can only say that the new DEXRON III (H) shouldn't make it shift any different than any version of DEXRON that might have been in there before. It could be that you had the Syntorq or something else in the transmission; then switching from a "gear oil" viscosity grade to the DEXRON will feel different.

However, the 75W80 viscosity is about 10-11 cSt at 100C, so it's arount an SAE 30. DEXRON is probably a viscosity of 5 cSt (less than an SAE 10.) At colder fluid temperatures, the DEXRON should shift easier, maybe at higher temperatures the 75W80 should shift easier.

 

[MaxedGTS]

thank you Tom, that was the answer i was looking for.after i changed my fluid my car just wont shift