What is the best ATF brand to put in the sun strand?

[The Tuul Crib 7,337]

About to head down to the auto parts store to pick up some transmission fluid for the Sunstrand. Kinda confusing! And probably will have to pick up a filter as well

[ebinmaine 68,330]

@squonk

Might have a Napa number handy?

 

Seems as though it's supposed to be old-fashioned type A and that can be tough to find..

 

 

I know there's a picture or two of the bottles that I used but I do not remember what thread they were in. Maybe my Charger hydro's thread?

[The Tuul Crib 7,337]

Seems to me that there has  to be a certain amount of friction needed on these little tractors. And I know there's somewhere that there is a certain blend of the ATF products. I only want to do this once a year! Change the fluid that is!

[pfrederi 17,866]

Wix 51410

 

Dex/Merc..  lots of brand choices. 

 

[ebinmaine 68,330]

Randy I just texted you a couple of pictures of the bottle of ATF that I used. I don't quite have enough mobile signal to post it here.

[ebinmaine 68,330]

12 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Wix 51410

 

Dex/Merc..  lots of brand choices. 

 

Paul do you find that it makes any difference? Are there some that you shouldn't mix with others or anything like that? I know mercon was supposed to replace type A....

[squonk 41,321]

18 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Wix 51410

 

Dex/Merc..  lots of brand choices. 

 

Napa 1410 and 75-200 fluid Ok to mix with Type A

[pfrederi 17,866]

34 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Paul do you find that it makes any difference? Are there some that you shouldn't mix with others or anything like that? I know mercon was supposed to replace type A....

  Type A was really equivilent to early General Motors Dexron.  Mercon was for Fords.  Chemists finally figured out how to get the key elements of both up through Dexron  3 and Mercon 2 in one fluid.  hence Dex/Merc.  Note the later versions of Dexron and the later mercons are not compatible with each other and to some extent are not backwardly compatible with themselves

 

In 1949, General Motors (GM) established an Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) Committee (GM ATF Committee). The GM ATF committee established fluid specifications and a qualification procedure to eliminate the unsatisfactory fluids and at the same time provide the car owner with a means of identifying qualified fluids. The GM ATF Committee released a new Type "A" fluid specification.^[2][3] GM partnered with the Armor Research Foundation for fluid and qualification testing. Fluids that met the GM qualification requirements were issued an Armor Qualification (AQ) license number of AQ-ATF-xxx. Example (AQ-ATF-101). The license number had to be displayed on the fluid container.^[4] As a result, qualified GM automatic transmission fluid was made available at retailers and service garages everywhere.

From 1949–1951 there were only two licensed fluids:

1. GM Type "A" Automatic Transmission fluid License No. AQ-ATF-101
2. Texaco Texamatic Fluid Type "A" License No. AQ-ATF-102.

This was the first GM automatic transmission fluid that was made available for sale at retailers besides GM dealerships. In 1951, GM began licensing more Type "A" fluids, this led to several hundred brands of licensed Type "A" fluid on the market. This fluid is backward compatible with the Hydra-Matic Drive fluid produced from 1940–1949.

Edited October 2, 2020 by pfrederi

[ebinmaine 68,330]

5 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Type A was really equivilent to early General Motors Dexron.  Mercon was for Fords.  Chemists finally figured out how to get the key elements of both up through Dexron  3 and Mercon 2 in one fluid.  hence Dex/Merc.  Note the later versions of Dexron and the later mercons are not compatible with each other and to some extent are not backwardly compatible with themselves

Thank you for the correction there.

I'll just go ahead and blame my father for the fact that I was wrong. 

 

So by reading what you've put above that would lead me to believe that anything Dexron III or lower or a Dex/Merc combination should be okay to use...

Is that reasonable?

 

 

[pfrederi 17,866]

Yes...but I doubt you can even find plain Dex3 anymore.  most all stores only carry Dex/Merc

[pfrederi 17,866]

Just to stir the pot you could use 10w-30  or 10w-40 motor oil if the system has been drained and cleaned out.  That is what wheel horse used later on in Sunstrands.

[ebinmaine 68,330]

6 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Just to stir the pot you could use 10w-30  or 10w-40 motor oil if the system has been drained and cleaned out.  That is what wheel horse used later on in Sunstrands.

Do we know the technical reason for using that? Or maybe more to the point for NOT using the ATF continuously?

[pfrederi 17,866]

I would hazard a guess it was for simplicity.... I have 6 sunstrands and 5 run ATF.  the D200 runs 10w-30.  The only difference I can see is the Motor oil is a bit slower raising the 3pt when it is cold out.  Keep in mind other manufactures used Sunstrand and some used ATF some Motor oil some hydro fluid....

 

This can go down the motor oil discussion hole...Pick what you like don't mix them and change the stuff regularly and you will be just fine.

 

Correction 8 sunstrands 7 on ATF  (Can't remember what I have any more ...CRS Syndrome)

Edited October 2, 2020 by pfrederi

[squonk 41,321]

For what's it's worth my C-160 manual says 10w-30 or 10w-40 motor oil. The hydro is getting tired when hot and I've been using Mobil 1 10w-30. I switched to Mobil 1 10W-40 and it made a big difference. 

[ebinmaine 68,330]

4 minutes ago, squonk said:

For what's it's worth my C-160 manual says 10w-30 or 10w-40 motor oil. The hydro is getting tired when hot and I've been using Mobil 1 10w-30. I switched to Mobil 1 10W-40 and it made a big difference. 

What do you suppose it was that made the difference?

I realize synthetic oils are quite different from standards. Just wondering if you had any research or real world experience answers..

[squonk 41,321]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

What do you suppose it was that made the difference?

I realize synthetic oils are quite different from standards. Just wondering if you had any research or real world experience answers..

The heavier weight oil probably has higher shear resistance and fills in the clearances better. The same way heavier oil will boost oil pressure in a worn engine. 

[ebinmaine 68,330]

Just now, squonk said:

The heavier weight oil probably has higher shear resistance and fills in the clearances better. The same way heavier oil will boost oil pressure in a worn engine. 

I can certainly see the logic in that.

 

How do you feel about the speed of the hydro or lift system or anything like that in comparison to what you used to run?

 

Does the synthetic oil get a lot thicker in lower temperatures like conventional oil does?

[bc.gold 3,403]

1 hour ago, pfrederi said:

Just to stir the pot you could use 10w-30  or 10w-40 motor oil if the system has been drained and cleaned out.  That is what wheel horse used later on in Sunstrands.

 

Sundstrand C style uses on Cub Cadet also used motor oil.

[squonk 41,321]

I have noticed no speed difference. Mobil 1 pours well at low temps

[The Tuul Crib 7,337]

So l have a question.

Then Why wont motor oil work our

cars and truckz.