Discussion
Any good quality ATF will be fine.
I have always used Carlube stuff, which is from Motor Parts Direct. British made and used in BSB etc. Its not Cheap and not expensive, but has all the relative additives that are required so that would be my go-to oil of choice. Its what is in the cerb T5 and that was quite happy. I also use it in my Vito van, which is also quite happy.
Also, did you know that ATF is actually mostly detergent. Poor some on concrete and it can actually come out cleaner. Can also be used (wisely) to pour in to an open carburettor whilst running to clean out a top end, not exactly what you would call sophisticated but it really does work.
I have always used Carlube stuff, which is from Motor Parts Direct. British made and used in BSB etc. Its not Cheap and not expensive, but has all the relative additives that are required so that would be my go-to oil of choice. Its what is in the cerb T5 and that was quite happy. I also use it in my Vito van, which is also quite happy.
Also, did you know that ATF is actually mostly detergent. Poor some on concrete and it can actually come out cleaner. Can also be used (wisely) to pour in to an open carburettor whilst running to clean out a top end, not exactly what you would call sophisticated but it really does work.
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Just use a regular ATF, Comma ATF is fine the truth is such ATFs are amazingly good oils designed to cope with the conditions in an auto box which are brutal and would destroy regular oils within a few hundred miles (probably less).
Don't think spending more buys you a better oil, it doesn't! Avoid being sucked into marketing hype and paying more for big brand names, what you need to look at is the API and ACEA ratings, these are the true measure of an oil's quality and you'll find this information on the back of the pack.
Remember synchro cones are a wet clutch system so the correct friction coefficient is extremely important for correctly slowing and synchronising the gear sets when you move the gear lever through the gate.
With this in mind avoid fully synthetic ATF, I tried it and it was just too slippery, if I rushed 5th gear engagement at full power I could beat the synchros.
I then switched to Penrite Sin, this is a manual transmission fluid not an ATF and it worked really well over the fully synthetic ATF, but I'm now back on regular ATF and I honestly cant tell the difference between it and the Sin MTF.
So in summary avoid fully synth ATF and just buy some cheap but good quality standard ATF with a good API and ACEA ratings from the likes of Comma and you'll be fine, personally I can't see fancy over marketed oils like Royal Purple making any improvement whatsoever other than the placebo effect.
Keep in mind Borg Warner developed the World Class T5 to use regular ATF (Dextron 3), so stray from this at your own risk!
Don't think spending more buys you a better oil, it doesn't! Avoid being sucked into marketing hype and paying more for big brand names, what you need to look at is the API and ACEA ratings, these are the true measure of an oil's quality and you'll find this information on the back of the pack.
Remember synchro cones are a wet clutch system so the correct friction coefficient is extremely important for correctly slowing and synchronising the gear sets when you move the gear lever through the gate.
With this in mind avoid fully synthetic ATF, I tried it and it was just too slippery, if I rushed 5th gear engagement at full power I could beat the synchros.
I then switched to Penrite Sin, this is a manual transmission fluid not an ATF and it worked really well over the fully synthetic ATF, but I'm now back on regular ATF and I honestly cant tell the difference between it and the Sin MTF.
So in summary avoid fully synth ATF and just buy some cheap but good quality standard ATF with a good API and ACEA ratings from the likes of Comma and you'll be fine, personally I can't see fancy over marketed oils like Royal Purple making any improvement whatsoever other than the placebo effect.
Keep in mind Borg Warner developed the World Class T5 to use regular ATF (Dextron 3), so stray from this at your own risk!
Edited by ChimpOnGas on Friday 29th April 09:54
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