Use Allison C-3, C-4 Caterpillar TO-2 fluid instead of Dexron III?

T

Thunderbolt

Well-Known Member
Last time i changed oil in my 4L60E i used Lucas Sure Shift ATF 10052, says suitable for DX3 and Mercon.
It seems to work great, felt a little more "firm and positive shifts".
Out of curioisity i googled the 10052 specs, Allison C-3, C-4 Caterpillar TO-2, seems like more of a universal tractor transmission oil for heavy equipment/vehicles.
Made me thinking, can i just buy fluids with these specs much cheaper than the Lucas from my local agricultural supply shop and use in my vehicles with transmissions that use DX3?
 
its best to ask the transmission manufacturer,
as the guys selling the various lube oils generally will approve of you buying almost anything they think might work.
and never trust the local gas station or oil change place's opinion
many of the guys working in those places are minimum wage morons who were not even born when the popular muscle car's were new

my brother in law has a 1974 BBC CORVETTE with a muncie transmission, they swapped out his factory gear oil in the transmission for AUTOMATIC TRANS FLUID :facepalm: :swearing: when he pulled out he noticed right away the corvette transmission sounded and acted strangely so he called me!

I told him to not drive the corvette until he replaced the two quarts of AUTO trans fluid they had erroneously used with the correct gear oil,

muncie transmission info

Since the M21's come with either 10 spline in /27 spline out or 26 spline in /32 spline out input/output spline counts http://www.5speeds.com/racing/m22x.html http://www.5speeds.com/case.html (SUPER CASE UPGRADE) http://www.nastyz28.com/index.php?page= ... ansmission...
garage.grumpysperformance.com

muncie transmission info

Since the M21's come with either 10 spline in /27 spline out or 26 spline in /32 spline out input/output spline counts http://www.5speeds.com/racing/m22x.html http://www.5speeds.com/case.html (SUPER CASE UPGRADE) http://www.nastyz28.com/index.php?page= ... ansmission...
garage.grumpysperformance.com
 
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If by DX3, you mean Dexron III, then Dexron VI is backward compatible with Dexron III.

Some related ATF information.

Dexron VI ATF Fluid Research

Since I'm going to change to a Dexron VI fluid from the Mercon V that I've been using, I had to do my research first. Ever wonder where the name Dexron came from, well ...... I wanted to get the Dexron VI standard, but since it's $30 or more, I'm going to bypass that step. As near I can...
garage.grumpysperformance.com
 
Well i was curious if anybody had heard of this (mis)use before, we all have heard about the type F ATF trick before in the older GM transmissions, and if we all did as the manufactures says, there would be no Hot Rodding, all stock parts :D

Lucas Oil clearly states on the bottle to use it where Dexron III /Mercon is used, but read this link:


Its only fluid specs is Allison C-3, C-4 Caterpillar TO-2.

Lucas Oil is now stupid expensive in Europe, but Allison C-3, C-4 / Caterpillar TO-2 spec fluids is still affordable, and im thinking of using it :thinking: since it semed to work well, and since all vehicles i have are high milage and 20+ years i thought maybe a little heavier oil could help them live a little longer.

I do not have stock transmission (and engine) software, i use a DiabloSport programmer with less tourqe managment, and shorter firmer shifts, really like it, i cant stand slow mushy shifts.

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Further internet investigations shows these alisson/caterpillar specs can be found in many ATF fluids and tractor engine oils, and gear oils, seems like i should stay away from trying this before i know more :thinking:
 
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