Mine was beginning to get harder and harder to shift. Took it to the dealer....said everything was "as spec".....of course

Well yesterday I said screw it, checked the level myself....I couldn't feel it in the fill hole. So I drained it, barely anything came out....maybe a quart. Remember it takes 9.5 pints (4.5 quarts or so). The stuff came out was rather "bronze" in color, and was just nasty smelling.

Went to Autozone, they have the Penzoil Synchomesh fluid that it required, and filled it up. Took 4.5quarts, and the level is right where it should be.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!!

No more hard reverse, no more hard going into gears, and its like satin shifting it now....just smooth.

I also did the rear end while i was under there. Filled it with Mobil 1 75-90. The rear end looked good, with a hardly any metal.

You spend 40K for a truck and the YAHOOOOOO's can't even fill up the tranny fluid. I can only imagine the damage done inside the trans to the synchro's and bearings.

So you guys with hard shiffting 6-speeds, I'll bet its low on oil.

 

Do you fill that to the fill hole, or something less.

 

Mine is hard shifting, if I have been running around for the last 2 years low on fluid I am not real sure that I want to keep it. May be time to trade. Thanks I will check on the level though.

 

You fill to the bottom of the hole. Mine was almost a quart short from the factory.

 

Amazing how many people don't know, and D-C dont care.

Imagine that....save 1 quart of oil times how many trucks???? equals $$$$$$

And then on top of it all, the dealers are freaking idiots.

That's why I don't worry about the mods, I know that I am my warranty station, cause that way I know its taken care of the 1st time.

The only tech i have ran into that knows what is going on with these trucks is in Bullhead City, AZ.

330 miles away from home...........

 

If you only drained one quart out, that means you were over 3.5 quarts short. Thats not idiocy, or frugal/cost saving, thats negligent on DC's part (dealer included). Good thing you caught it when you did.

When I changed out my tranny oil at 18K, it was the best thing I could have done. All the notchiness went away and I was rewarded with a smooth shifting transmission. I didn't measure how much came out, but it musta been about a gallon.

I'd recommend that anyone who has a 6 shooter change out the lube at the same time they do the diffs. I think that "lifetime fill" label of the 6 shooter is nothing more than a marketing ploy.

 

bulabula,

What fluid did you refill your tranny with?

I'm getting ready to do the 15k service and was thinking of changing tranny oil.

FB

 

The easiest and cheapest way is to get Penzoil Synchomesh at Autozone. Otherwise its dealer oil....which is the Penzoil stuff or Texaco stuff with a dealer markup.

Its about 4.99 at autozone, you'll need 5 bottles, but fill it with 4.5 bottles.

 

FBs555CTD, I'm not one to necessarily go for the cheapest path ('cuz you can often get what you pay for), but do like easy paths. I used Amsoil ASL in the tranny the first time; and have bottles of Redline MTL waiting to go in next.

Nor do I subscribe to "having" to go with the dealer provided slippery stuff either.

 

What is Amsoil "ASL"?
Amsoil recommends 5-30w diesel engine oil in the 6-speed trans right?

 

Lowco, ASL is the 5W-30 that the Amsoil tech recommended I use when I talked to him on the phone. I'm happy with it, but want to try MTL next.

 

But it doesn't have the nescesary friction modifiers that Mopar specifies.

Cheapest being that you don't pay dealer price, but get what it specifies.

 

Redline MTL in at 7k miles and never looked back....Smooth as butter when trans warms up now....

Will change at 30k, when I do frt and rear ends again (Amsoil Series 2000 75w-90).

IMO Pennzoil Syncromesh is no better than Peanut Oil I used for deep frying turkeys!

 

Checked my truck tonight. Fluid was right up where it is supposed to be. I am very glad about that! Now I can rest easier at night. Thanks for the heads up!

 

Another vote for Redline MTL. Really improved shifting.

jr