And they wonder why be use 5-Speeds. ;)
- Bernd
At 03:13 PM 12/20/1999 -0400, you wrote:
>I work for an oil company and today I sent an interoffice email to a
>specialist at our Lube Plant to see what he thought about using alternatives
>to mopar transmission fluid in my 46re equipped Ram. I am posting his reply
>to me here as it may be informative to others..
>david stewart
>
>begin quote..............
>
>Chrysler Corp. has been struggling for 10 years or more to overcome a
>shuddering problem with their torque converters. Although Chrysler has had
>its own spec for ATF, called MS 7176, for many years already, until recently
>most Chrysler owners (and many of the transmission shops) used the more
>commonly available Dexron/Mercon fluid. Chrysler did not like this but they
>were shown test results that proved SOME Dexron/Mercon approved fluids
>satisfied the requirements of MS 7176. Other Dexron/Mercon fluids did not.
>(Irving's Transflo is one of those that had proven satisfactory for
>Chrysler). Chrysler had a factory-fill ATF made for them by, I believe,
>Texaco and that was dedicated to satisfying MS 7176 only, without any of the
>compromises needed to also pass Dexron and Mercon programs. This fluid was
>packaged and sold by Chrysler under their Mopar brand name as ATF Plus 3. I
>have no idea what the significance is of the number. Texaco also packaged
>and sold that product under other brand names, all referencing "Plus 3" so
>as to differentiate it clearly from the Dexron/Mercon fluids, encouraged by
>Chrysler in an effort to make the appropriate ATF as available as possible
>to Chrysler customers. So you may be able to find a Walmart ATF Plus 3, or a
>UAP ATF Plus 3. There is always your friendly local Chrysler dealer.
>
>Faced with on-going transmission shuddering problems, and at least one
>class-action suit as a result, and unwilling to launch a complicated
>testing/certification program like GM's Dexron and Ford's Mercon, Chrysler
>issued an updated ATF spec called, I think, MS 9290. Chrysler hopes this
>will cure their transmission ills, but it also happens to make it virtually
>impossible for Dexron/Mercon fluids to pass. Chrysler sells this as Mopar
>Plus 4. I believe that, at this time, the only place to get a Plus 4 fluid
>is under the Mopar brand name from a Chrysler dealer.
>Which one do you need? - Check your owner's manual. If the vehicle is less
>than 2 years old, it probably needs the Plus 4. If it is older and Plus 3
>(MS 7176) is specified, try that: But if you have a shuddering problem, you
>might then try the Plus 4.
>
>end quote..................
>
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