To be honest I started using Valvoline ATF+4 for pretty much the reason that a lot of people have....It was fairly readily available and in most cases a bit cheaper then the Dealer Mopar ATF+4. I am getting the feeling that the more I read on this forum from the senior members like it turned out to be a good investment.

 

I took my D into a shop (Firestone) and they refilled up my t-case with gear lube. Stock from the factory they come filled with ATF+4, but like hydra said it's strictly gears and a chain and nothing else inside there so it don't really matter.

Going back up to what MAGIC said about sealed trannys, here somemore useless information for you guys haha. I dropped the trans pan on a 1998 audi a6 and all was good untill it came time to fill it back up...well where do you fill it back up at, there's not even a dipstick tube or anything. Turns out you must lift all 4 tires, run it through all 4 forward gears, reverse, netural, several times while the pumping the fluid up through the drain hole in the pan and it will suck the stuff up, when it overflows, it's full. That trans called for dexron.

Anyways the point is audi and any other vehicle with a sealed trans are "filled for life" or have "lifetime" fluid in there, and by lifetime they mean only during your 60K warrenty, after that you're on your own. I think we are seeing the day where cars now are just disposable anymore, or expensive dealer maintince only. At least the D still has a dipstick tube and allows you to change the fluid regularly.

 

i disagree with this statement, the manual calls for ATF+4 for a reason, now im not sure what that reason is, but if it wasnt necessary for the health of the t-case im 100% certain the factory would not have filled it w/ atf+4(atf+4 cost>>>>gear lube cost), therefore you are asking for trouble putting regular gear oil into the t-case.

 

I'm not sure why firestone put gear lube in mine t-case either, but ATF fluid is mostly for working in high temperature situtation, prolonging the life of bands in the transmission and keeping the friction on those bands high when engaged, the t-case doesn't have any bands, it's just a gear system like a differential.

Good call on ATF+4 costing more than gear lube but maybe they did it to squeeze a little more fuel economy out since ATF is much thinner, or to have a consistant thickness in the fluid in the winter and summer months.

 

Well... Not true. Did some research and the flash point in the different fluids and pour temperatures are not very different. That being said, gear lube is NOT by any means the same chemical composition as ATF +4.

Mopar ATF +4 (Castrol):
Viscosity at 40*C - 3333.24 cSt
Viscosity at 100*C - 7.51 cSt

Mobil 1 75W-90:
Viscosity at 40*C - >100 cSt
Viscosity at 100*C - 4.3 cSt

So in the argument that using gear oil in the transfer case over ATF +4 the case has been ended. ATF +4 is indeed heavier than gear oil (at least the suggested weight to put in the rear case in my 2000 Durango) and does not have the same components as ATF +4.

For more information just check out the MSDS info sheets, I put a link to them below. For the sake of the matter lets just say that Firestone was out of line puting gear oil in the transfer case and shouldn't be used for anything other than a temporary fix and not permanent.

Mobil 1 75W-90 MSDS:
http://econtent.autozone.com:24999/z...sds/en/US/1437

Castrol ATF +4 MSDS:
http://datasheets.bp.com/USSDS/AMERS...ile/342733.pdf

 

Gotta love those MSDS sheets.......LMFAO.......Glad I'm not the only one who reads them!


So while we are on a completely off topic but on topic I'd like to open another can of worms;

What about the use of Mobil One ATF Fully Synthetic in the Transfer Case? I think it would work hands down, so who out there is willing to try if for a test?

 

If it's up to chyrsler ATF+4 specs. I'd say go for it.

 

That's dilemma that I'm at because it is up to specs but states nowhere that it meets/exceeds ATF +4 specifications. Thats where I stand with it and have a 2WD so don't worry about a transfer case.

I'm still waiting for Mobil 1 to release an official ATF +4 fluid that's Chrysler approved. LOL

 

Or just keep using Mopar fluid. I checked and my second t-case, the NV-242HD was filled by a transmission shop with ATF (+4 most likely, has a deep red color to it) so that must be right. I wouldn't be too concerned with what goes in the t-case, it's just simple gearing and easy as pie to rebuild and replace. I'd be terrified if a drop of anything but Mopar ATF+4 fluid went into my tranny though.

 

Yeah hydra I'm with you on that one. I actually have a full catalog of them in a binder in the pocket on the back of my seat of every fluid in my truck.



Just finished doing a purge of Mobil Super ATF +4 (found it at my Wal-Mart I don't normally go to in the Mobil Delvac section) and I have to say I am very happy with it so far.

If anyone out there is as big of believers in Mobil 1 as hydra and I am, I'd recommend trying out their ATF +4. I think it's new to the area but not 100% sure.