Is Royal Purple not Good for a T-5?

[93gtmustang]

I just read this on another site from a person that works in tech at Tremec.

ONLY USE Dexron 3 in the T5. The T5 actually uses 3 different types of materials in the blockers. The 1-2 blocker is actually made of a paper material, 3-4 is carbon fiber based and 5th is brass. Most synthetics on the market have additives that will break down the paper material in the 1-2 blockers and eventually ruin the transmission. Tremec actually tested and approved Mobil 1 synthetic and recommends, if you want to use a synthetic, Mobil 1 and ONLY Mobil 1.

I'm using Royal Purple MAX ATF in my new T-5z. It says on the front of the container, reccomended for transmissions requiring Dexron III or Mercon Fluids.
Am I ruining my transmission using Royal Purple?

Thanks for the help

 

[5spd GT]

I did not have good luck with it.

I had raced with my T5 for a couple years. Did a rebuild and during that time I added RP to the T5.

Within a few weeks (at the track) my 3rd/4th started grinding.

Coincidence? Maybe...

 

[Makoshark5.0_23]

I use Castrol synthetic (just recently) and my 3rd gear grinds as well, but only when its cold. Maybe I should switch to mobil 1 also?

 

[Roland69]

I use shell Dexron 3 and flush it out every spring...cheap and quick and easy

 

[93gtmustang]

I e-mailed Royal Purple , and this is the response that I got.

We actually recommend our RP Synchromax for your Tremec as it provides superior protection for the bearings and gears yet works great in the synchronizer to gear hubs (blockers) providing superior shifting.
The RP MaxATF is a Dexron III fluid and is a second choice within our product line.

The RP Synchromax has been used in Tremecs for a decade with excellent results and is used by rebuilders specializing in both drag and road racing applications.

Tremec recommends only one fluid in that they have chosen only to test one fluid -
Kind of like saying that Mustangs come factory equipped with Motorcraft oil filters and we have tested Motorcraft oil filters to be excellent with the 4.6L. We only recommend using Motorcraft Oil filters.

The statement regarding 'synthetics' would be as accurate as saying 'plastics' or 'rubber' components - far to general to be anything more than that.

RP recommends our Synchromax as a first choice and RP MaxATF as a second choice in Tremec manual transmissions.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I actually prefer non-synthetic fluids in a manual trans.

Reason being they are slightly less slick, so it allows the synchro material to grab better.

It's a common "fix" for 2001+ owners with the t-3650 that expeirence grinding on the 1-2 shift. It's a design flaw in which the 2nd gear synchro doesn't grab well, so by using non-synthetics, they cheat and allow it to "bite" a little harder.


I usually tell people who have occasional grinds to try non-synthetic fluid and see if it buys some time.



conventional fluid is fine for a trans. It may not last 75K miles, but who cares...crawl under the car!

 

[93gtmustang]

I talked to Tremec tech today.
I've had the Royal Purple ATF synthetic in my T-5z for 1500 miles.They said that I would have noticed some problems by now if it wasn't working correctly. But this product has never been tested by them, so he reccommended draining it to be on the safe side. Most companies won't tell Tremec what type of additives are used, so that is why they only test the major ones. And for synthetics, Mobil One is reccommended and has been tested. Other synthetics can actually be too slick and cause slipping.
I was told that regular Dexron III works the best.
For my car application, which is a street legal car, mainly used for drag racing, he reccommended GM Synchromesh. You can get it in the Pennzoil brand in the gear oil section at most parts stores.
I may just stick with the regular old Dexron III in the Valvoline brand.

 

[stykthyn]

hmmm great to know. I wil save my money for better things.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

conventional fluid is fine for a trans. It may not last 75K miles, but who cares...crawl under the car!

This is pretty much identical to what I was thinking, also. And if you drive pretty agressively, remember to up your interval and change it sooner than recommended. It may not break down like motor oil will, but the T5 has no filter, so the results of abuse are circulating around inside the transmission constantly. I couldn't tell you the times I've changed my own fluid and it looked like I poured glitter into it. The fluid was still perfectly red like new, but all the particles in it definitely weren't doing it any good.

 

[Shakerhood]

I actually prefer non-synthetic fluids in a manual trans.

Reason being they are slightly less slick, so it allows the synchro material to grab better.

It's a common "fix" for 2001+ owners with the t-3650 that expeirence grinding on the 1-2 shift. It's a design flaw in which the 2nd gear synchro doesn't grab well, so by using non-synthetics, they cheat and allow it to "bite" a little harder.


I usually tell people who have occasional grinds to try non-synthetic fluid and see if it buys some time.



conventional fluid is fine for a trans. It may not last 75K miles, but who cares...crawl under the car!

I agree, I put AMSOIL in my Truck and it made it very hard to shift into 2nd gear, I put Conventional back in!

 

[Ike83]

How does Redline fit into all of this? I use Redline for my WRX (supposed to be the best option for it) so I was wondering if it's at all usable on the T5. :OT:

 

[saleen9973]

I just had my t5 rebuilt by Bob Hanlon of Hanlon Motorsports, He told me to use either mobil 1 or redline D4. I asked him about amsoil but he said he never ran it and could not coment on it. I am going to run the redline D4 even though it is almost 10.00 a qt. If a professional t5 builder sugests a certian fluid i am going to trust him. Good luck. By the way the tranny is not in the car yet so i cant tell you guys how the redline feels.