alpha2beta

Well this is a acura forum but http://www.fordfusion.net/forums/vie...php?f=7&t=2956

blkaspec

I know, but it was more of a fluid question than the car. But thanks for this info. I have seen this before but no where have i read anything about their fluids being signifcantly different in smell or color compared the "average" trans fluid.

Update: Valvoline is refunding the trans fluid change money because they said their books say to change it at 30k, and they did it at 20k. And for that they are cutting a check. But I still need Ford to approve the fluid they used in order to get back the warranty coverage.

phee

iTrader: (5)

sounds like u need to lawyer up. and educate your wife about the problems with letting a quicklube shop change her trans oil. or anything on her car for that matter

blkaspec

no lawyers needed. money was refunded from the oil change place, and Ford approved the fluid they did use so we are back on the warranty. but i still have found no info on the trans fluid they use, and why it smells like ass and looks even worse after only 20k miles.

I hate cars

What does it call for, is it the T-IV?

blkaspec

I dont know, but thanks for jumping in. I was told they(Ford) would provide an informational packet on the trans fluid when i pick up the car this evening so hopefully it provides some useful info. I hope it explains how it can go 150k miles without a change, that still baffles me. I tried to find some info online but couldnt come up with much. I will be back later with more info. And sorry for clogging this thread.

I hate cars

It will be interesting to see what they use. I can assure you, it's not a 150,000 mile fluid. And if it could go 150,000 miles, the filtration system is not up to the task. These crazy intervals are just a selling point for the car.

You made a good move by getting it changed early.

SpiderX1016

I've had a VW with this "lifetime fluid." I was only at 70,000 miles when my transmission started slipping. There wasn't a fill plug, dip stick and I don't remember there being a drain plug. What a PITA.

I got rid of that car right before major problems start showing up.

SpiderX1016

Did another drain and refill today with the Type F. Currently on a second drain and refill. Didn't notice that much of a difference.

When I bought the Redline, the guy told me that the prices will be going up at the end of the year. Anyone hear of this? or is it a local thing.

oarichard

iTrader: (3)

I'm not sure if this has been asked already but I was wondering if it's recommended to go straight to the Redline ATF type F fluid from my stock trans fluid. And was wondering why you had to flush it out 3 times, sorry if this has been asked already.

blkaspec

Its not 3 flushes, its 3 drains. when you drain only a small percentage comes out. so you replace that drain with new, then you drive around to mix up the old and new, then you drain a little more and replace with new, then you drive around and mix the two, then you do a final drain and replace with new. after 3 rounds of this you get like 60-70%(the actual percentage is somewhere in this post) new fluid. Its not ideal but its the only way and its what Acura recommends. You can also just do a one time drain and and fill more often like with every oil change if you dont want to do all 3 at once..but doing this allows a longer interval between the next drain sequence.

smokyadam

I thought I posted in this thread- but just did the Redline 3x3 with 2x racing 1x lightweight racing and both pressure switches- made a huge difference- shifts much more precise and makes me love to feel the tranny operate. I recommend it to anyone looking to improve the life and performance of their Auto.

BostonSilverTypeS

from my personal experience royal purple(10w30) was amazing used it on my Integra with B16B swap (CTR motor)...never had an issue and run beautiful with it...also new alot of guys that used it in their manual transmissions and loved it as well

you think 150,000mile is crazy, BMW has lifetime fluid in their transmissions and now in their diffirential, which come with no drain plug....Pure crazyness if you ask me, you should see some of this fluid when we do any type of work on trans or diff...and here is the kicker BMW has us saving the old fluid when we do work in trans and re-used the same fluid we took out and add new to top off any lost in the process....

on a side note: did a drain and fill with honda's Z1(warranty issue only reason using Z1 for now), but I asked about the new fluid that will replace the Z1 and they said they have been using it for the SH-AWD but have not implemented it on the rest of the acura line-up which makes no sense why they wouldnt do it already, but whatever....while doing drain and fill plenty of metal shavings on magnetic drain bolt but im wondering if it's the first time its been donw in this car or not....I'm assuming it isnt because the Z1 fluid still had some red tint to it and wasnt completely dark(or wasnt as dark as i would expect it to be)...that shuddering hasnt happened lately since I left dealer with the complaint, I think I will just end up going Redline fluid in spring and see if thru the winter my shudder gets worse so I can get a new trans(hopefully)...

I hate cars

That's crazy. I remember BMW's "lifetime" fluid years ago turned out to be a regular non synthetic Dextron III fluid which has been in use since around the '70s I believe mostly in GM cars. Pretty scary.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

gonna do my second drain soon... had the last fill in there for a few thousand miles now...

oarichard

iTrader: (3)

Nicely put. Thanks for the clarification!

ArthurL

iTrader: (4)

What would be a good combination for a car that usually see cold winters (Syracuse/NYC)? Would 2 quarts of lightweight racing fluid and 1 quart of racing be fine? or should I do all 3 quarts of lightweight racing fluid every drain?

Inaccurate

I recommend 1 quarts RedLine Racing ATF (PN# 30304) and 2 quart RedLine Lightweight Racing ATF (PN# 30314) per every refill.

vp55

iTrader: (6)

Should I go with the following for the best results in performance/shifts? TIA

9 Quarts total is the recommended amount?

6 Quarts Racing Fluid
3 Quarts Lightweight Fluid

Inaccurate

^ Yes sir. For best results in performance/shifts =

6 quarts RedLine Racing ATF (PN# 30304) (click here) and 3 quart RedLine Lightweight Racing ATF (PN# 30314) (click here)

I hate cars

How's the thin stuff treating you? I'm going to use it this next time. Probably doing 2 of the thin and one of the thick since I already have nearly 100% of the heavy stuff. It should be a good test since I have a large concentration of the thick stuff and it's cold outside. If there's a difference, I should be able to tell. I'm going to start paying very close attention to the way it shifts including how long it takes to go from park to drive and reverse this week before I switch. I'm temped to do 3 quarts of the thin stuff, it would be nearly 50/50. It's purely subjective though.

The-Chemist

IHC, do you have a source for this? I have been searching the BMW forums for a fluid to use in my 04 330....but there is no consistancy what so ever. the only thing that is consistant is that its definitely NOT lifetime fluid. I am really considering Redline D4 or racing fluid but I'm nervous because there is mystery around this fluid. I would hate to put a fluid in there thats going to hurt a tranny thats working fine.

Sorry for the small hijack of this thread

blkaspec

Sorry for the late update. Didnt end up getting the Ford back till after the weekend then I was swamped with holiday junk.

Here is what the info they gave said about the Mercon LV fluid they use:
"Some 08-10 vehicles equipped with AT trans factory filled with mercon lv fluid (#XT-10-QLV) may exhibit dark colored fluids that may look burnt in appearance. This is a normal chracteristic of this fluid and will not affect trans function or durability. The mercon lv fluid is a deep red colored, compared to conventional mercon v bright red fluid, and the color naturally darkens at relatively low mileage. In some cases the fluid may appear to have a green tint due to a dye used to check for leaks at the assembly plant. Trans fluid color should not be used as a sole indicator for trans repairs. Refer to the correct vehicle model year worshop manual and/or maintenance guide for diagnostics, repairs, and/or scheduled maintenance"

The scheduled maintenance says to replace the engine air filter every 30k, coolant at 105k, and accessory belt and trans fluid at 150k.

And Valvoline used MAXLIFE Dex/Merc ATF fluid for the "unneeded" fluid change

donaldso718

Can I go straight to redline racing atf from stock? I dont know what type of aft fluid was used in the last change, i had it changed when got it back in Feb 2010.

Should I use redline racing aft 5w20 or 5w30? I live in NYC. And I also plan on doing 1x1 more frequently until i reach 3x. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

there isn't a weight for ATF like there ison engine oil... just ATF...

the diff will lie in universal synthetic, lightweight, racing or type F atf

donaldso718

I totally got confused with the motor oil. Should I just go straight with the racing fluid?

Inaccurate

Yes. To do your single refill, get 3 quarts RedLine Racing ATF (PN# 30304) (click here).

donaldso718

Dude you're a life saver, thanks bro! Will definitely do this on my next oil change.

Soichiro Fan

Thank you, "Inaccurate" for all of the great info. I am a newbie and I have been reading up on changing out the Z-1 (and replacing the pressre switches) for a while...Would you mind a couple more questions before I order the fluid..
1) I have an 06 TL and I live in South Florida where it almost never gets cold..(and when it does I leave the TL in the garage :-) so do I need the :lightweight in the mix at all?
I have 59K miles am unsure if the ATF has been changed - the car was dealer maintained but I can't find a record of the ATF being changed... I was planning to do a 3x3 with the D4 and then one more time with 2 or 3 quarts of the Racing Fluid...so....
2) What is the advantage to going with straight Racing Fluid..(it seems like a much more drastic changeover and I'm a bit nervous about getting so far away from the OEM recommendations...
Thanks for all your expertise and your willingness to share it!

Inaccurate

You do not need the lightweight. Just get the RedLine Racing ATF (PN# 30304) (click here).

I highly doubt that the fluid has ever been changed. Normal people do not change their ATF. The dealership does not normally change the fluid either.



See the pics in this thread (linked below) of the drain plug.

Bad Transmission Findings-ALL OWNERS READ! URGENT (click here)

See that black sludge on the drain plug. That is worn away clutch material and fine metal particles. The Z1 caused that. The Redline Racing will prevent it.

When new, your trans has a small thickness of clutch material. After that layer of clutch material has been worn away by the Z1, your trans will need to be replaced.

In this thread linked below, read the post by OntheJob on page 4 & 5 (No disrespect intended to OntheJob).

AMSOIL Synthetic Transmission Fluid VS Redline D4 ATF (click here)

He wondered too why we recommend a non-approved fluid instead of the approved Z1. Then, he discovered why when he saw his drain plug covered with worn away clutch material.

The RedLine Racing will completely HALT/STOP the wear inside the transmission.

Forget the D4. Don't waste your time nor money. Get the RedLine Racing fluid.


The fact that Acura says to use Z1 and then you sees tons of clutch material on the magnetic drain plug and seeing the many trans failures on Acurazine from completely worn away clutch material should make you MORE nervous.

The RedLine Racing will completely HALT/STOP the wear inside the transmission.

SpiderX1016

Does anyone else have this problem?

When my car is cold and I switch to reverse, it takes 2 or 3 seconds to engage and sometimes it would hold the gears longer. It doesn't feel like it's slipping though. When it's warmed up, it's fine.

jr27

+1 on this man. although my reverse doesn't take long to engage(well not that i have noticed) but it sounds louder than usual i started nticing it these past 2 weeks and it has been unusually cold here where i live. a lot colder than past winters. i thought it was the temperature

Inaccurate

SpiderX1016,

I see from December 17 that you have done two refills with the type F.

Did you notice a 2-3 second delay going into reverse before you switched to the type F ?

What type F are you using? If Redline, is it Racing or Lightweight Racing?


Btw, the delay going into gear (forward or reverse) is extremely normal for our trans.

Soichiro Fan

Thanks...you're awesome. I am ordering the Racing Fluid tonight...

soon2b954

I recently spoke with Dave at Red Line Oils and he suggested I go with D4 in the Type S. When I asked him about using the racing ATF he stated he wouldn't recommend it to its affects on the torque converter, any thoughts on this?

SpiderX1016

Before the Type F, it was there but it was like half a second to a second.
I'm using the Redline Racing Type-F.

I really noticed it on Monday when I was trying to back into a driveway. I put it into Reverse and it would roll back a bit before it would go into gear.

jsonkimz

iTrader: (1)

I hate to keep beating a dead horse, and I'm sorry if this has been discussed... I tune in every so often so I'm not sure if I missed anything.

Is it okay to use the redline regular racing and the lightweight racing in any ratio combination? I live in a somewhat cold climate (Baltimore) so I know it'd be good to mix in some lightweight. I previously ordered 4 qts of racing fluid, but haven't had a chance to do a drain and refill yet. I'm just about to order the remaining 5 qts (to get a total of 9 qts), and was planning on getting 1 regular and 4 lightweight. So for the 9 qts I would eventually put in it would be 5:4, racing:lightweight. Is this good for my location, or should I use some other mixture (maybe 6:3, racing:lightweight)? I plan on doing a drain and refill every oil change until I use all 9 qts.


If I understand correctly, the fluid is the same it's just the viscosity that is different. So performance shouldn't be drastically different, but if I live in a colder place then I need to use more lightweight fluid. Baltimore is tricky because we get very cold winters and very hot summers. I know IHC and Inaccurate are both from warmer weather areas. So all of that babbling to ask: what mixture would be best for me? Thanks, guys!

Inaccurate

^ Very timely question. It has been the consensus that the thicker Redline Racing had no downside but on the other hand would offer better gear lubrication.

In light of the observation from SpiderX1016, the thicker Redline Racing might be a bit sluggish in cold climates traveling thru the passage ways before it has had a few minutes to warm-up.

SpiderX1016 - What was the weather temperature that morning when you noticed the delay?

Hopefully other members that have used the Redline Racing in cold climates can offer their feedback. Has anyone else notice a longer delay with the trans going into gear after switching to RedLine Racing ?

I use all Redline Lightweight in my trans. My trans never had a delay issue even before using the Redline. But again I have always used Mobil1 Synthetic ATF since the car was new too. With the Redline Lightweight, I notice the trans going into gear quicker than the Mobil1 ATF.



Correct. The Redline Racing and the Redline Racing Lightweight are the same except for the viscosity. The two can be mixed in any ratio or one fluid can be used exclusively.

Theoretically, the thicker Redline Racing should offer more gear lubrication/protection. However, I use all Redline Racing Lightweight and I have seen no metal on my drain plug. And I dog my car a lot.

Your plan to use 5:4, racing:lightweight or 6:3 would still be thicker than the Z1. For your cold climate, I recommend 1 quarts RedLine Racing ATF (PN# 30304) (click here) and 2 quart RedLine Lightweight Racing ATF (PN# 30314) (click here) per every refill.

Using 4 Racing and 5 Lightweight would give a slightly thicker fluid than Z1.

Using 3 Racing and 6 Lightweight would give a slightly thinner fluid than Z1. I recommend this for the cold climate. With the superior film strength of the Redline, this is completely safe. Like I said, I run much thinner with no wear.

Actrite04

iTrader: (2)

I bought a gallon of the regular racing atf and will do my flush when it gets here. I live in the south too so i don't think i will suffer any effects from the racing atf. I may put 3 quarts of the lightweight racing atf on the 2nd flush if it seems to be a problem.

My plan is to do first flush all racing atf. Then see how that is working, then 2nd flush with more racing atf . Then 3rd flush with 3 quarts of lightweight racing atf.

I hate cars

Agreed, it would be interesting to get a small survey of people using the racing fluid in a cold climate.

My theory is it should not make a difference except in the coldest of climates. I graphed it a while back and it's on my home computer but at 32F, the racing fluid is the same viscosity as Z1 at 20F or pretty close to that. All I'm saying is that if it's the fluid's fault, Z1 users should experience the same issues at a slightly lower temp.

FWIW, since I have around 90% racing fluid right now, I'm doing 2 quarts of the lightweight and one quart of the racing while it's still cold just to see if I can tell a difference. In fact I'm on the fence, might do an entire 1x3 of lightweight since it would put me very close to Z1 viscosity. "Cold" here is freezing so it's all relative.