whats the best automatic transmission fluid?
 

i just came back from kragen they only have 2 kind of dextron transmission fluids, they are both $1.99.
whats the best Automactic fluid and where can i find it?

No offense guy, but this is kinda like asking what's the best color of car. You will get 50 different answers, with 50 different explanations of why theirs is best. Not to mention, each person will have their favorite place to buy it.

Me personally, I like to use Royal Purple synthetic tyranny fluid. Why....I don't really have a scientific answer. It is just what I have always used and never had a problem with it.

YMMV.......

anything will work, all personal preference...

I do remember an article where they took an fbody and dyno'd it with new conventional fluids, and then swapped out for all synthetic fluids (motor, tranny, and rear) and they gained like 9 or 10 whp on the dyno from a fluid swap alone.

I run nothing but synthetic fluids in my car, so that's what I'd chose but you can do whatever you want.

Few reputable 4L60E builders like most synthetics, with Amsoil being about the only common exception to that rule

Personally I run whatever is cheap and available when I need it, my 6.5yo tranny has seen a lot of Walmart brand fluid and according the some tranny builders is done all wrong with lots of stock parts and a vacuum modulator.

My tranny is sporting stock servos some stock clutches some simply "high energy" stock width band, stock sunshell, stock planetaries, just well assembled and it lasts wonderfully on cheap fluid. Been handling over 2 tons in the 11s for like 4 years now.

i'm gonna run the tractor stuff in my th400, probably don't want that in your 4l60e though. put dextron IV in it.

Dexron 4 you say?????????????????????????????

dyslexia ftw... VI

my tranny builder reccomended Dexron III

i've been using Coastal dexron-VI seems to work good and its cheap.

john deere hy gaurd low vis with a lil redline racing fluid is what i use..

One tranny builder who builds high performance transmissions will not warranty a tranny with Royal Purple, I asked him why, he just said it was crap?? As far as gaining HP with all synthetics, this is like mods on a car, some will gain X and others none, Actually Hot Rod TV did a skit on just that. They took an F-body, Did a base line, then changed "ALL" fluids to Red Line Synthetics, Motor, Tranny, Rear, Power Steering and gained 0, they turned around and said, well it gives you more protection to high temps, So ????

Just use the stuff they sell at the autoparts store. Dex 3. I use the coastal stuff. it works fine. Change it out every year and the trans will last a long time.

Just saying that royal purple (or anything for that matter) is "just crap" without a reason is BS to me unless they have a personaal experience with it/actual info to back it up. I dealt with this shit at walmart in the Tire and Lube Express when I worked there all the time...everyone's an oil expert :rolleyes:

I'll never forget the guy that told me synthetics are just a waste of money, because they just have "more water added to them", and that walmart's supertech oil was just as good as Mobil1 :lol:

I agree, this is why I asked him what was wrong with Royal Purple and what damaged it do? He just said if we used it, the warranty was voided...

i agree. i personally like castrol products. i hear lucus products are pretty good never tried any of them though. Just a lot of the guys at the track push it.

Good advice!

before fluids can be sold in the U.S. there is a minimum standard they have to meet to be sold..

and as far as the cheaper fluids go, go to wal-mart or where ever and read some of the cheaper brand bottles, you'll be suprised who makes it.

I use the Coastal stuff as well and never had a problem.. I use it in all vehicles and many shops use it as well. I also have used the Castrol transmission fluid and its good as well. I use the Castrol products for motor oil in all vehicles I do work for and never had a problem.

^^^true that. This is the same with gas also...

I understand what you mean about the manufacturer, but that logic is kind of like saying "Chevy makes the Corvette, so that means a Cavalier should be just as good, right?"