What Fluid to run in my T5

stang2004 · Jun 9, 2004

Ive heard alot of people mention different brands, including royal purple and GM synchromesh, but ive also read that these destroy your synchros..

ive heard alot of good things about Redline.

im looking for a good replacement fluid that will hold up nicely and help prolong my T5's life...

so what do you guys recomend/run?

ECU5.0 · Jun 9, 2004

ive also heard gm synchromesh is awesome for the t5....id use that or redline

87'GTstang · Jun 9, 2004

Any ATF fluid that is synthetic - can't lose

Also how can Synchromesh screw up synchros? Just look at the root word in the name of it

Michael Yount · Jun 9, 2004

I've used Amsoil synthetic atf in mine with no problems over 3 years/15K miles.

stang2004 · Jun 9, 2004

87'GTstang said:
Any ATF fluid that is synthetic - can't lose

Also how can Synchromesh screw up synchros? Just look at the root word in the name of it

i dunno, thats just what i heard people saying on various message boards and such

HISSIN50 · Jun 10, 2004

redline D4 is my two cents worth.
i am more of a fan of things that are application specific; i dont like products that fit all applications. that was one reason i chose what i did.

that said, i might have tried RP or amsoil, but D4 was available from the local ricer speed shop, and the others were not available locally.

mcvey90 · Jun 10, 2004

valvoline durablend

title says it all. that is what I have used for going on three years now. No problems to speak of.

as stated before though, any synthetic ATF fluid will suffice.

good luck

87'GTstang · Jun 10, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
redline D4 is my two cents worth.
i am more of a fan of things that are application specific; i dont like products that fit all applications. that was one reason i chose what i did.

that said, i might have tried RP or amsoil, but D4 was available from the local ricer speed shop, and the others were not available locally.

Yep, I try to do the same if I can becuase I like using "special, application-specific" stuff and not generic

However stang2004, if you use something where you don't need it then that's where you are going wrong. Like the T5 I have in my car right now doesn't take ATF, therefore I don't use it. Because I have brass synchro rings in mine (83') and not fiber-lined, I don't need it and can and it is recommended that I use gear oil, so I do.

stang2004 · Jun 10, 2004

Redline D4? how is that application specific.... is it made for manual trans that call for auto trans fluid

HISSIN50 · Jun 10, 2004

stang2004 said:
Redline D4? how is that application specific.... is it made for manual trans that call for auto trans fluid

when i was choosing, i talked to a few Redline reps. though there info is likely a little biased, number of products and applications arent.

Redline offers many many oils, whereas some companies offer 'one size fits all' fluids. Tech's at Redline said D4 was 'more correct' than any of their other products. considering they offer several products that could be used, that means something to me (im not using a product that fits EVERY manufacturer's requirements).....

though i have not searched other products much, i dont think one would find many companies that offer more products. i would think that D4 is better suited than something from one of the companies that only offers one synthetic ATF for ALL slushboxes. that was my point. this is not to say that D4 is the best out there, but im addressing your question/remark.

i have not come across any ATF's that were specifically created to be used in manual trannies, though there may be some. if you know of one, please let us know (that was a point of yours, if i read your response correctly).

one caveat for me: my eclipse requires 90 wt GL4 (GL5 allows synchros to corrode). many eclipse folks love Synchromesh, Synchroshift, and/or a mix of MTL/MT90. the former two are "one product fits all" - while im sure they are thinner than organic 90 weight, they are still being used in two applications with very differing product requirements (ATF vs 90 wt gear oil). that is exactly what i mean (and i think what 87 GT stang was getting at too).

BTW, there are a few folks whom run 10-30 in their WC T5's.

and as always, re-read my first line; this is all just my opinion and thinking.

good luck.

stang2004 · Jun 10, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
when i was choosing, i talked to a few Redline reps. though there info is likely a little biased, number of products and applications arent.

Redline offers many many oils, whereas some companies offer 'one size fits all' fluids. Tech's at Redline said D4 was 'more correct' than any of their other products. considering they offer several products that could be used, that means something to me (im not using a product that fits EVERY manufacturer's requirements).....

though i have not searched other products much, i dont think one would find many companies that offer more products. i would think that D4 is better suited than something from one of the companies that only offers one synthetic ATF for ALL slushboxes. that was my point. this is not to say that D4 is the best out there, but im addressing your question/remark.

i have not come across any ATF's that were specifically created to be used in manual trannies, though there may be some. if you know of one, please let us know (that was a point of yours, if i read your response correctly).

one caveat for me: my eclipse requires 90 wt GL4 (GL5 allows synchros to corrode). many eclipse folks love Synchromesh, Synchroshift, and/or a mix of MTL/MT90. the former two are "one product fits all" - while im sure they are thinner than organic 90 weight, they are still being used in two applications with very differing product requirements (ATF vs 90 wt gear oil). that is exactly what i mean (and i think what 87 GT stang was getting at too).

BTW, there are a few folks whom run 10-30 in their WC T5's.

and as always, re-read my first line; this is all just my opinion and thinking.

good luck.

to answer ur question of weather there is ATF fluid formulated for Manual trannies,,, yes there is... Royal Purple makes one that i know of.... i dunno how many people use that...

i read about the D4... what makes me a little leary is... that if its formulated for Manual AND Auto trannies, that means that the blend must be compromised for each one to work with both right? a little thicker then standard ATF,, but lighter then Gear oil... or vice versa?

stang2004 · Jun 10, 2004

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2481352614&category=33733

called synchromax by royal purple,,,,

HISSIN50 · Jun 10, 2004

cool, now we are getting somewhere. im not smart enough to know what all matters in terms of evaluating a fluid and how it will react/ work with a trans. i think low-temp flow and shear stability are two biggies.

it probably does not matter all that much which one you go with - of the things we are talkin about, they should all outperform the petroleum stuff.

i will add that i like the sound of your product. now, i dont know if there is any real differences between any of the products (D4 vs the RP you are lookin at) - it all may well be semantics and who did a better write up on their website. i just dont know.

to really know, one would need to understand how the stuff is formulated and how it interacts with the internal components in a trans. then read studies on how the stuff holds up. im certainly not that smart. i leave that for folks like Michael and the other smart people in here.

again, just my two cents worth. but i think your product sounds fine..... i might have tried the same thing. like i said in my first post, D4 was available locally, so i used it.

Ranchero5.0 · Jun 10, 2004

I'm leary of any synthetic in T-5's. As said above the synchro fiber comes unglued and away go the synchros. I've done several with exotic fluids that ate the glue. For me it's just plain old ATF. In fact, the one I built today stunk and the fiber fell off of first and second synchro cones.

Jamie

stang2004 · Jun 10, 2004

Ranchero5.0 said:
I'm leary of any synthetic in T-5's. As said above the synchro fiber comes unglued and away go the synchros. I've done several with exotic fluids that ate the glue. For me it's just plain old ATF. In fact, the one I built today stunk and the fiber fell off of first and second synchro cones.

Jamie

so what would you recomend?

Michael Yount · Jun 10, 2004

I think folks are making this more difficult than it need be. Ford specifies a fluid type. Any atf - synthetic, non-synthetic, or a blend that meets the same API specs (Mercon, Dextron II/III) is gonna work just fine in the tranny. Of course that's the 85+ world class T-5's; the 83-84 non-world class trannies took 70wt. gear oil. From FordMuscle's archives "Finally you should always run a quality synthetic or synthetic-blend ATF (Mercon-Dextron II / III) in your T5." As for all the different brands available that meet that spec, let the debate continue. Just don't use a Fram filter.

HISSIN50 · Jun 11, 2004

Michael Yount said:
Just don't use a Fram filter.

i tried and could not get it to mount on the T5 drain plug. i got the filter off of my battery acid converter - but i dont think it is compatible.

i know when to bow out, and Jamie and Michael are hitting on things that are in that realm (which is what i was hoping for). i know we nit pick things, but in the big scheme, i am not smart enough to know if it really matters (i generally figure no)....
Jamie, the glue thing is interesting. i've never heard that, not that i've read up on T5 internals. what in a synthetic would unlaminate/unglue the synchros? im just trying to figure this out, now that 2004 (and you a little bit, bud) has/have opened the can [of worms].....

stang_gt_1994 · Jun 11, 2004

I have 188,000 miles with no rebuild yet on the T-5. I used regular mercon 3 on my last clutch change 12K miles ago and I havent had any problems. I don't know what kind of fluid was used before I had it though.

maverick0716 · Jun 11, 2004

Synchromesh is what you're supposed to put in Tremec TKO's, T56's and 3550s.......not T-5's

Michael Yount · Jun 11, 2004

Hissin' - you obviously don't have the special Snap-On oil-filter-on-the-t5-drain-plug pneumatic installation/removal tool. Only costs $429 from your local 'truck'.

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