ATF in Manual Trans

[GElliott]

So against better judgment, time dictated that I had my local stealership change the fluid in my manual trans. It has started leaking red fluid at the front seal, so I'm fairly certain they filled it with ATF and it's eating gaskets. I'll verify when the snow subsides.



If this is indeed the case, what damage should I be concerned about?

 

[jhenderson]

An 06 man. trans is the G56. Dodge calls for ATF as lube.

 

[goodguys75]

So against better judgment, time dictated that I had my local stealership change the fluid in my manual trans. It has started leaking red fluid at the front seal, so I'm fairly certain they filled it with ATF and it's eating gaskets. I'll verify when the snow subsides.



If this is indeed the case, what damage should I be concerned about?

If they did any damage to whatever they put in... then you get a new transmission

 

[GElliott]

Realizing I may have jumped the gun. My experience is mostly old Fords--I've always put 90W or so in manual trans. Is there a reason it would start leaking almost immediately after a fluid change?

 

[Motorhead]

I put Synchromesh fluid in my '07, 5. 9, G56

 

[KLauber]

Charlie at Standard Transmission recommends Amsoil MTF or ATF in the G56 depending on the climate and the workload... ... hot n heavy = MTF and cool and light = ATF.

 

[CKelley1]

it is most likely the red boot on the shifter. it cracks and seeps oil that runs down the case and looks like it is the front seal. this is a high failure item i use dorman 614-002 cv boot it is many times better than stock, many others also use moose M9206801 atv boot, just do not use the stock one. the only good fluid for the g56 is gorilla juice you need one quart over full to lube and cool the front bearing. pore the 7th quart in the top before you install the boot. if it is the front seal you must still have the dmf if the dual mass flywheel has not been changed to a solid one you stand a good chance of permanent damage to the g56. if the dmf is still in there, try not to drive it very much until you get a southbend conofe kit

 

[NIsaacs]

An 06 man. trans is the G56. Dodge calls for ATF as lube.

Are you the original owner, has the oil ever been changed, how many miles are on it? Like stated above, that is what Dodge calls for. If it is leaking now it will always leak and may have been low before the change. Always keep them clean and full, they will last a long time.



Water weight oils are motivated by manufactures reaching for the best fuel milage not what is in the best interest of the transmission. Personally I use 15/40 diesel engine oil and would never use ATF for any climate or usage.



Like you said, 90 weight was the norm for ever, used in all climates and usage and rarely failed, part of the reason was they were direct drive. However they were also tiny compared to todays transmissions. TDR is a small percentage of users, yet we see a lot of failures. I blame it on the light weight oils with maintainance neglect a strong second and of course deliberate abuse will break anything. I am not saying you do any of these, just saying... .



Eaton has used forever and recommends 50 wt.



Nick

 

[CKelley1]

the eaton oil in the g56 is hard shifting for the first 2 miles when really cold. we were blending 50-50 mix of dello equivilent of the eaton (dello synthetic syncromesh sae50) with amsoil 5w-30 syncromesh and works good but the gorilla juice is perfectly blended for the g56 and nv5600

 

[amsoilman]

ATF has been used in may standard transmissions for YEARS! I remember having a 1962 Valiant, that used ATF in the standard 3 speed transmission. I purchased the car new!

 

[LNaugle]

I beleive in the gorilla juice for the g56... havent compared it to amsoil though...

 

[rscurtis]

ATF has been used in may standard transmissions for YEARS! I remember having a 1962 Valiant, that used ATF in the standard 3 speed transmission. I purchased the car new!

I had a '69 Dart with the A883 4-speed. It was difficult to shift when cold with 90W. It rattled a little in neutral with ATF. I found the best alternative was Ford wet brake oil used in the rear end of tractors with inboard wet brakes. It didn't rattle and shifted easily all the time.

 

[NIsaacs]

ATF has been used in may standard transmissions for YEARS! I remember having a 1962 Valiant, that used ATF in the standard 3 speed transmission. I purchased the car new!

Yes, and the cars still use it and it seems to work ok. But the trucks with the huge torque numbers and heavy towing it is not the same.



(rscurtis)



Yup, Ford MC-134 or commonly known as Hydraulic Tractor Fluid in 10, 20 and 30 wt. Most tractors use this in their drive trains, with their wet brakes, wet clutches, hydrostatic drives and hydraulic systems all in one.



Nick

 

[amsoilman]

Yes, and the cars still use it and it seems to work ok. But the trucks with the huge torque numbers and heavy towing it is not the same.



(rscurtis)



Yup, Ford MC-134 or commonly known as Hydraulic Tractor Fluid in 10, 20 and 30 wt. Most tractors use this in their drive trains, with their wet brakes, wet clutches, hydrostatic drives and hydraulic systems all in one.



Nick

ATF has a VISCOSITY of a 20 GRADE oil. The AMSOIL ATF+4 has a VISCOSITY of 7. 5 cSt@100 C. The range for a 20 Grade oil is 5. 6 cSt to <9. 3 s=cSt @100C

 

[steved]

I think the point was that ATF (regardless) isn't a great lubricant... its a compromise.

If I had a G56, it'd have one of the synchromesh gear lubes in it...

 

[CDonaldson]

I am running the Gorilla Juice, absolutely NO complaints whatsoever . . when cold it take a very short amount of driving to warm up, BEST lube I have ever used in a transmission. It meets/exceeds everything else out there. Mercedes in Europe does not use ATF, they don't recommend it, somewhere here is a thread that will take you to their specs, if not go to Cummins forum, you will find it there.





CD