transmission oil

[JungleRR]

what's the best trani fluid for my rr and how many quarts.

[Disco Mike]

Depends, are you doing a flush or a change. Flushing will take between 10 and 12 qts. where a service will take 4 to 6 qts of Dextron.
May be too old to start it on a synthetic, but you might want to consider adding a bottle of Lucas tranny fluid as a little bonus. May also have too many miles on it to take a flush, could clean it up too well and blow your internal seals.
Stick with any of the major oil brands, stay away from one's with names you haven't heard of like store brand names that sell for $.50 less a qt.
Me, I like Castrol.
Mike

[RageRover]

I gotta question. Now I don't think the tranny fluid has been flushed or drained at all during the life span of my RRC. Right now it has 151K miles on her. When I just crack open that drain plug on the bottom of the tranny pan and drain the tranny, should I also consider just also dropping the pan and replacing the filter?

Also if I can just drain and refill the tranny without a filter, how many quarts should be put back in?

Thanks

[Disco Mike]

With the possibility of that many miles yes, change the filter and don't flush it, just do a fluid and filter change.
I would use the Lucas with the change for a little extra protection.
Mike

[RageRover]

So probably just getting 5 quarts of ATF will do after dropping the pan and replacing the filter right?

And Lucas Transmission Oil is GOLDEN! Used it in several high mileage trucks, and definately a huge difference in shifting. But I don't assume that it will always fix the problem. Even says on the bottle that the additive won't fix damaged tranny parts.

[JungleRR]

thank you guys for all the advice. i will definitely use it.

[Bene]

does anyonw know around when did Sullihul start putting synthetic oil in their trannies? and red fluid = synthetic, right?

[choffa@comcast.net]

Red is just the dye used in the oil to designate ATF, conventional or synthetic.

By all means do the filter & fluid. Remember that Classics are a pain in the a$$ to drop the pan. Drop exhaust at manifolds, drop crossmember which requires spreading the frame rails (hydraulic jack & extension pieces).

From experience, the Torx screws that hold the filter to the valve body are easily stripped. Tap the Torx socket in with a hammer before loosening. If you do strip head, take a dremel & cut a narrow slot to allow use of a straight blade screwdriver. Just protect trans internals from the grinding dust.

I've used Mobil synthetic ATF in my 160,000 mile Classic, a 100,000 mile BMW & a 250,000 mile Honda all with original transmissions. Works for me, and easy to find.

[daway]

is the best way to check the trany level is when the RRC is running. that's what i have always done? someone was telling me to have the RR tran fluid warm (start & turn it off) then check.

[Disco Mike]

Originally Posted by daway

is the best way to check the trany level is when the RRC is running. that's what i have always done? someone was telling me to have the RR tran fluid warm (start & turn it off) then check.

Always check, ANY TRANSMISSION, when warm, on level ground with the engine running in park. Any variation can cause the level to move a little on the stick. Also, don't over fill the tranny, this can cause you to have any of a number of seals, especially the front pump seal, to fail.
Take care,
Mike

[daway]

Originally Posted by Disco Mike

Always check, ANY TRANSMISSION, when warm, on level ground with the engine running in park. Any variation can cause the level to move a little on the stick. Also, don't over fill the tranny, this can cause you to have any of a number of seals, especially the front pump seal, to fail.
Take care,
Mike

thanks alot , that's what i told HIM!!

[Badger1]

Originally Posted by Disco Mike

Always check, ANY TRANSMISSION, when warm, on level ground with the engine running in park. Any variation can cause the level to move a little on the stick. Also, don't over fill the tranny, this can cause you to have any of a number of seals, especially the front pump seal, to fail.
Take care,
Mike

Ahh, not to disrespect you Mike, but my owners manual, Rave CD, and LR shop manuals say that trans.fluid should be checked when engine and gearbox are cold.
Start your vehicle, apply the parking brake, run the gearbox through each gear down to one then back to park. Then check trans fluid. Trans fluid expands quite a bit when it is just a little bit warm, so you won't get a true reading of what is in there. Never overfill.

[sven]

Originally Posted by Badger1

Ahh, not to disrespect you Mike, but my owners manual, Rave CD, and LR shop manuals say that trans.fluid should be checked when engine and gearbox are cold.

Thats right..It even says that on the dipstick.

[Disco Mike]

Maybe I should read the owners manual for my truck. Ols school wisdom is that ATF expands as it warms up, so that was when we always checked them in the shop. Nothing worse then adding ATF to a cold tranny and have it go over max when it warms up.
And I could be wrong, after all, I am thinking of how we were taught 30 plus years ago.
I stand corrected and will continue to do it the old way. By the way, no disrespect taken.
Take care,
Mike

[daway]

those brit's that wrote the manuals must have had 1 to may pints.