Redline in transmission?

[cgmaster]

While I was speaking with the Redline tech today I mentioned not running Redline in my transmission because others have had problems. He told me the people who are running it properly are mixing MTL and MT90 50/50. The reason was that they do not make an oil with the proper properties for our transmissions. Has anyone on the board tried this.

John

 

[SNKBYT]

IS anybody running Mobile 1 synthetic in their tranny?

 

[opnwide]

I don't know, but after 100 miles with penzoil, my trans is still making noises. I never should have put redline in my car.
I'll probably have to buy a new transmission.

 

[Ron]

Why is the factory recommended Castrol Syntorque (Mopar Synthetic Transmission Lube @ $20 / qt.) not good enough? Seems odd to me that so many are switching off factory fill when the risks of incompatibility are so great....

 

[onerareviper]

Both times I tried 'better than OEM' tranny fluids, I had problems. Big problems (trannies ended up in the dumpster). Neither of these cars was the Viper, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. I now always use exactly what the factory recommends in all my cars. Been problem free ever since. Why risk it?

 

[Mark Hahn]

If you look at their website they show the Redline D4 ATF as recommended for the T-56 Vette. Well, they don't mention the Viper as their isn't a lot of them compared to Vette's but it is funny they recommend a different oil for the Vette with the same tranny. They told me the difference in their recommendation is that Chrysler recommends a gear oil for the T-56? My manual says ATF DexIII? Is that what they recommed for later cars? Is this a change they did for longevity since the Viper has a lot more Torque compared to the Vette? The Redline D4 in my tranny feels like the stock fluid but I am willing to give the 50/50 solution of MTL/MTL90 a try to see how it feels. It is thicker and should give a little more shock/EP protection but I wonder how the syncros will react and cold weather drivability should be worse. MGH

 

[Randy]

Uh, the T-56 uses different seals and other parts in different applications; for instance, the change from the Gen I tranny and the Gen II tranny is reportedly different seals and related parts. As the fluid is VERY dependent on those other parts, I personally wouldn't be doing experiments without knowing more about it than I'm seeing in this thread, and having some reason to believe it needs it.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Why is the factory recommended Castrol Syntorque (Mopar Synthetic Transmission Lube @ $20 / qt.) not good enough?

Looks like somebody's making a pretty good buck at that price. The best Amsoil tranny lube is half that price. Been working great the last 40,000 miles on the same lube. I'll probably change it in the spring and get it analyzed.

Steve

 

[Steve-Indy]

Hi, Mark. You may want the read the thread linked below:

http://vca2.viperclub.org/forums/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=UBB14&Number=598590&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

Further searching will reveal that there have been reports of problems with the Viper T-56 and the usage of both Mobil 1 and Redline transmission fluids.

As Ron stated, " Why is the factory recommended Castrol Syntorque (Mopar Synthetic Transmission Lube @ $20 / qt.) not good enough? Seems odd to me that so many are switching off factory fill when the risks of incompatibility are so great.... "

 

[cgmaster]

Who is paying $20 a quart for the Mopar stuff. Every time I bought it the price was a little under $15 qt. from local dealers. This is still high compared to the other "performance oils" if you are changing fluid after every few hours of track time.

 

[Anaconda]

Why is the factory recommended Castrol Syntorque (Mopar Synthetic Transmission Lube @ $20 / qt.) not good enough?

Looks like somebody's making a pretty good buck at that price. The best Amsoil tranny lube is half that price. Been working great the last 40,000 miles on the same lube. I'll probably change it in the spring and get it analyzed.

Steve

I'd pay ten times the Amsoil price, just so I could still say that I didn't have any Amsoil-anything in my car.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

I'd pay ten times the Amsoil price, just so I could still say that I didn't have any Amsoil-anything in my car.

I can feel the love

Steve

 

[Steve-Indy]

Price is one thing...VALUE is another!!!

Trying to save a couple of bucks per quart on unproven fluids going into a $6500.00 tranny makes no sense (or "cents" !!!) to me.

Life is full of choices.

 

[Matt]

Uh, the T-56 uses different seals and other parts in different applications; for instance, the change from the Gen I tranny and the Gen II tranny is reportedly different seals and related parts. As the fluid is VERY dependent on those other parts, I personally wouldn't be doing experiments without knowing more about it than I'm seeing in this thread, and having some reason to believe it needs it.

Must be the case because I run Reline D4 ATF in my Z28 track car's T56 and have no problems whatsoever. Guess I'll be sticking with the factory fill on the Viper's T56.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Price is one thing...VALUE is another!!!

Trying to save a couple of bucks per quart on unproven fluids going into a $6500.00 tranny makes no sense (or "cents" !!!) to me.

Steve,

My comment on price was meant to be kind of tongue in cheek. Meaning that a direct marketing company is disparaged for the way they do business, yet products which are no better command twice the price. ....That would be mostly profit the way I see it....or a bunch more in the middle taking a little cream before it lands on the Mopar shelf. I guess it's OK to make exhorbitant profit that way?

I'm not sure what you mean by unproven. They were the first API approved synthetic on the market, have been around for over 30 years, and their base stock comes from Exxon Mobil. There's billions of miles of proof out there. I have 30 years of experience and probably more miles on their products than most reading this have driven in their entire life.

While maybe not you, I find it kind of funny that some of the people who seem to have the most concern about using the stuff hardly run their cars at all. I'm not in that category.

Steve

 

[Steve-Indy]

Hi, Steve. While I agree that there are many "proven" products out there (noting that I was not personally thinking about Amsoil)...I disagree that all mentioned tranny fluids are completely interchangable in specific applications...and cringe even more at those feeling the need to mix their own product brew.

Interestingly, I just heard from a fellow Viper owner who mentionmed that when he toured the Borg-Warner plantYEARS AGO and asked about using Redline in the Viper T-56...the answer was "NO". Remembering also what John Archer told me at Viper Days about the tranny troubles noted with Redline fluid before they went back to the Syntorq product (Mopar Synthetic Manual Transmission Lub.) adds even more weight to my argument about concerning risk vs. benefit in this area.
I am hoping people will read/search/consult more experienced sources before going shopping at the oil botique. Many fail to realize that OEM products may indeed contain different properties for street usage versus the products aimed at other applications such as racing. What is good on the track, may be less so...or even bad for street usage, as you well know.

As I have no vested interest in anything commercial, it matters little to me what a given individual chooses to use.

What DOES MATTER is the obligation to sort fact from fiction/prejudice/rumor/"old wives'tales"/etc. when speaking to those who may be less experienced and/or less informed....though in the final analysis, success and failures BOTH give usable data in research.
\
And, by the way, this is really meant as a dialogue and not an argument.

 

[SNKBYT]

I switched to Mobile one Synthetic oil in the tranny. I immediatly noticed the shifter was not as hot and the tranny shifted smoother than when I had the Mopar fluid in it. Has anybody else used mobile 1 in the tranny? or had similiar results? Tim