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Tranny fluid Help

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The more I research what type of fluid to put in the tranny the more I am getting confused. I was set to go with the Redline MTL, great reviews from several people.Than I went to the Redline web site and did a product search for a 2012 Boss ,well nothing came up for the transmission fluid. I think it said no products at this time for the trans.
Should I stick with Motorcraft fluid? What about Royal Purple ? I know Amsoil has no products at this time as well.

What are you guys using
 
Redline MTL. Send Redline an email and ask them what they recommend. Royal Purple works just as well.
 
Thanks for the quick reply just doing some more checking and I find out about TSB 11-3-18. Changing the fluid type to Motorcraft dual clutch type fluid. Seems to me like Ford is not sure themselves
 
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On recommendations from Ford Racing I use the factory fill. It is a very good fluid. No one has given definitive data that these "race" fluids are better or even equal to what comes from the factory. These "race" fluids are good at promoting..... Also I am not saying they are bad.
 

PeteInCT

#LS-378 - So many Porsche's, so little time....
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You maybe correct, but at the same time I would not expect Ford Racing to recommend Redline (or any other 3'rd party product) under any circumstances.
 
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Let me be more specific. I didn't call Ford Racing and talk to someone whom I didn't know on the phone.... Again the Ford fluids (engine oil, trans, and rear diff) are all quality stuff. That is what I run and would recommend to anyone else to run. And an added benefit is you don't have anything to worry about with warranties...
 

PeteInCT

#LS-378 - So many Porsche's, so little time....
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IMHO, I assume the Ford fluids are more than acceptable. I also assume they are not necessarily the best available. Case in point Ford tells us to take out their DOT3 brake fluid and replace it with a DOT4 (which will not be Motorcraft). Also, Ford warranties are not void if you do not use their fluids. You just need to pay attention to the spec level of any fluid you choose.

The guys that race and who get to choose exactly what they want to use because they are wedded to no brand, and who have real on-track race experience, have the ability to help figure out the best products to use. I personally have Redline in my rear diff and I'll have it in my tranny soon. I have Castrol in my engine and I'll have it in my brake lines soon. If I chose to stay with Motorcraft it's not a bad decision, but I'm pretty sure it's not the best solution in all circumstances.
 
Don't know if it applies here , but, have been running Redline D4ATF in my 2000 Vette for 10 years.
Many Vette people do so also.
 
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PeteInCT said:
IMHO, I assume the Ford fluids are more than acceptable. I also assume they are not necessarily the best available. Case in point Ford tells us to take out their DOT3 brake fluid and replace it with a DOT4 (which will not be Motorcraft). Also, Ford warranties are not void if you do not use their fluids. You just need to pay attention to the spec level of any fluid you choose.

The guys that race and who get to choose exactly what they want to use because they are wedded to no brand, and who have real on-track race experience, have the ability to help figure out the best products to use. I personally have Redline in my rear diff and I'll have it in my tranny soon. I have Castrol in my engine and I'll have it in my brake lines soon. If I chose to stay with Motorcraft it's not a bad decision, but I'm pretty sure it's not the best solution in all circumstances.

Actually there is a Motorcraft DOT 4..... And I have been told it is good.... However I choose to run something else.

I am not saying the warranty is void. What I am saying is you don't have to worry about any problems with the warranty if something happens. That may or may not be the case with a different fluid in there...

The guys that race on the track get sponsorships.... Don't be so certain what they use is only because it is the best and nothing else compares...

Again what data do you have, or anyone for that matter, that shows the stock fill is not the best solution? I'm not saying it doesn't exist, or that the stock fills are the best. What I am saying is that no one ever offers proof of anything when this topic arises. All that is said is the "race" stuff is tried and true and all racers use it because it's the best....

Again I have been told, in an unbiased situation, the factory fluids are of very high quality and there is no need to look for something else. Even in a highly tracked vehicle...
 
I don't know that you can prove any of it, other than someone having it sheer tested, etc but even then there are other factors involved.

Does Ford outsource their fluids development/manufacturing or do they do it themselves or are they rebadged other fluids? Often OEMs use the cheapest fluid/part that will meet the minimum requirements to last through the warranty. BMW and their plastic coolant pipes, for example. Also they put in stuff for street driving, not track use. As shown by them recommending changing the brake fluid.

That said, I have heard only good things about Ford fluids. But it has all been from street guys and speed shops that cater to street guys. The shops that build racecars usually use redline or various other brands, whatever they have a good vendor for I'm sure.
 

PeteInCT

#LS-378 - So many Porsche's, so little time....
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My bad on the Motorcraft DOT 4 - I did not know it exists. I'll have to check the specs, but I assume I'll stick with Castrol SRF (and deal with the wallet bite every time ;D).

As for intrinsic proof - there usually never is any on either side of the equation. You can see anyone's 'specs' on wear data and take it with a grain of salt. There are many 'race' products that I'm not a fan of (Royal Purple for example). I guess my perspective is that we can only base decisions based on what we believe to be true, whatever the evidence. Sometimes we choose a product simply by the brand's reputation. Many times that's not a bad thing to do, sometimes it is.... I think Redline has a very good rep, Motul too.

My main point is I never assume that stock fluids (from any manufacturer, this is not an anti Ford bias by any means on my part) are in my vehicles best interest.
 
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PeteInCT said:
My main point is I never assume that stock fluids (from any manufacturer, this is not an anti Ford bias by any means on my part) are in my vehicles best interest.

I used to have the exact same mind set, and still do in ways. However my mind has been changed by someone a lot smarter than me whom I trust in regards to the factory fill for oil, trans, and rear diff.

Actually the same thing happened with my Nissan Titan and GT-R. I am a maintenance nut.... I bought what I "thought" was the best fluids and a lot of times for a lot more money. Come to find out many of the stock fluids were great if not better....

Again I am not putting down the "race" fluids in any way. I am sure there are great ones out there. What I am saying is......

GO WITH THE STOCK FILL ;D
 
I tend to avoid "race" products unless I know people who have used them. The problem with race products is that they are designed for high maintenance. I rather use ATE that I can run street and track and flush every year than Motul and flush every 3 months. Not knocking Motul, but for me a street/track fluid/pad/etc is better. When I get faster and have a trailor, I will deal with flushes and pad changes every track day.

Also, be wary of fluids that "exceed" specs, as technically they don't need to meet the specs unless they state they do. There was a big hubbub about that a while back since, as an example off the top of my head, rear end fluid that "exceeds" spec may be too slippery for the clutch rear end.
 

PeteInCT

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CaliMR said:
I tend to avoid "race" products unless I know people who have used them. The problem with race products is that they are designed for high maintenance. I rather use ATE that I can run street and track and flush every year than Motul and flush every 3 months. Not knocking Motul, but for me a street/track fluid/pad/etc is better. When I get faster and have a trailor, I will deal with flushes and pad changes every track day.

Try Castrol SRF, it's not that hygroscopic. Except on you wallet ;D
 
PeteInCT said:
CaliMR said:
I tend to avoid "race" products unless I know people who have used them. The problem with race products is that they are designed for high maintenance. I rather use ATE that I can run street and track and flush every year than Motul and flush every 3 months. Not knocking Motul, but for me a street/track fluid/pad/etc is better. When I get faster and have a trailor, I will deal with flushes and pad changes every track day.

Try Castrol SRF, it's not that hygroscopic. Except on you wallet ;D

Nothing like being able to go a whole season on one bleed.
 
Getting back to the tranny fluid has anybody had the TSB 11-3-18 done. Ford now say to use XT-11-QDC Dual Clutch Fluid.

Just was in contact with Amsoil and they say they have no fluids recommended for the MT-82 trans.
 

PeteInCT

#LS-378 - So many Porsche's, so little time....
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It depends on which Motul you are talking about, and it's not specific to Motul.

Motul 5.1 is not very hygroscopic (water absorbing, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_fluid ), whereas Motul RBF660 is much more so. Fluids that handle the higher end temps tend to have formulas that make them more hygroscopic, which leads to water in your brake lines.

Castrol SRF, as an example, has very good temp ratings and is not very hygroscopic:

All conventional brake fluids used in cars and motor cycles are hygroscopic, that is, they absorb water from their surroundings. Strange though it may seem, the flexible hoses incorporated in braking systems are permeable to water and in time enough, water can find its way into the system via the hoses, and seriously affect the brake fluid's performance. This water reduces the boiling point of the fluid (ie, it lowers the temperature at which gas bubbles begin to form). When these bubbles form, they turn a virtually incompressible liquid into a mixture of gas and liquid which can be compressed quite considerably, thus severely reducing the efficiency of the brakes. In this situation, a driver finds that the brakes feel spongy. Brake-pedal travel will increase and it may be necessary to 'pump' the pedal to get the brakes to function effectively. However, when the brake fluid reaches a temperature at which the water in the fluid causes gas to be produced, which is equal to the volume swept by the piston in the rake master-cylinder, vapor-lock occurs and the brakes become inoperative. When this happens, the first indication the driver has that something is wrong is when he applies the brakes. The pedal goes down to the floor and the car carries on at undiminished - and possibly fatal speed.

The silicon ester technology in Castrol SRF addresses this problem in two ways. Firstly, Castrol SRF is less hygroscopic than conventional brake fluids - it absorbs less water in a given time. Secondly, unlike conventional glycol ether fluids, Castrol SRF reacts chemically with the absorbed water to reduce its adverse effects, thus preventing the fluid's high temperature performance and safety margins from deteriorating as rapidly as they would otherwise do.
 

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