Who has experience with these products? I am a new diesel owner and have heard the rave about RP, but dont know if its worth the extra money to "upgrade" all the fluids. Suggestions please...much appreciated.

 

IMO, it's the best oil for the money. I use RP in my track car, because I beat on it pretty hard - 6,000+ rpm's lap after lap.

For the truck, I use Valvoline premium blue diesel oil. It's a fine oil that protects the engine well (proven by oil analysis), and easily lasts through the service period.

I don't use RP in the truck because it's just more oil than it really needs. You're paying a lot for capabilities you don't use. Kind of like paying extra for tires rated to 160mph.

 

I'm totally sold on their gear lubes after some other big brands including brand A didn't do so well in problematic diffs - hot running and UOAs showing wear and RP 85w140 fixed em' up. I've run the RP 15w40 a bunch of miles in a CTD w/analysis and it's also great stuff but I really don't think the full syn/expensive stuff is necessary in an engine. I've been running Shaffer 7000 15w40 semi syn with every bit as good UOA as anything I've ever tried. You really need to do UOA to seperate the fact from the fiction i.a.w. all the hype from the lube mfgrs. I only believe my UOAs and NONE of what I hear or read. Craig

 

Ok, I was always curious to know just how much hype and marketing is behind these products and if its worth the extra money than conventional. So the RP 75W90 then isnt a better choice for the transfer case and diffs, as oppossed to the 85W140?

 

The tranfer case requires ATF+4.

 

The RP 75w90 did good and a lot better than the best stuff brand A had at that time. The RP 75w140 did better and the 85w140 even better - that was all in a D80 diff. My 11.5" AAM had a lot of wear (the diff level was down 2" when I got the truck) and the brg. preloads were down to the minimum so I switched to RP 85w140 immediately and the UOAs and temps are looking great. My nv5600 likes RP synchromax better the brand A and mopar stuff. Craig

 

That is all great info Craig. I am going to try to find the 85w140 then. The parts stores in my area dont carry any RP so I may end up ordering it online. I am going to double check if I have a 47re or 48re as well. I am guessing though that they take they same fluid and filters, or no? Would you recommend flushing the diffs, T-case and tranny before refilling them? If so, with what? A brake clean or something a little less harsh on rubber seals?

 

I use 85w140 cuz I'm in the desert and I used it in my D80 in Co. cuz that one ran so hot. You might not need 85w140, depending on where you are but even in Denver temps I saw absolutely no downside to the 85w140 - decrease in mpg etc compared any other weight lube. I pulled the diff cover and mopped out all the old lube but no flush. I also point the truck downhill, hold my thumb over the lower half of the fill hole and put in an extra qt. so it gets out to the axle brgs and seals. I pulled the pto cover off the trans and mopped out the old oil and cleaned the magnet and then put in 6 qts. Craig

 

I was able to pull the rear diff cover this weekend and put some RP 75w90 back in there. The fluid looked dirtier than I would have liked...quite a bit of metal shavings inthere too unfortunately. I put 3 quarts in but its still a good half incg below the fill hole. I need to find out how many quarts its suppossed to hold. I read your comment about over filling it some but I thought that was a "No No", you not agree? Do you know if the 03's for sure have the 48re's? If so that and the t-case should use the ATF+4 then, right? I cant find anyone in the area that sells the RP ATF+4

 

I'm 'old school' (old farm boy) and I do a lot of things different and I'm not afraid to experiment. When the mfgrs recommendations aren't working, I do something else. Like when my carrier and pinion brgs were worn down to the minimum rolling tq. spec in only 25k miles, it was time to do something besides using 75w90 and only filling to below the hole like DC says - that obviously wasn't working. I've never seen filling up to the axle tubes with heavier lube not do a good job or better especially when there are already wear problems. It might be too late if you have shavings- that's serious. My AAM had grease packed wheel brgs and no seal to isolate them from the diff lube and I knew that the gear lube would be mixing with the grease but I overfilled anyway and my UOA is very good and I have WAY less metal on the magnet - it's working. I WANTED the gear lube to get to the wheel brgs. I'll take oiled wheel brgs over greased any day, just got to make sure the brgs are adjusted right and have good seals. Do what you think is best but the DC way wasn't best for me. Craig

 

If your truck has the AAM 11.5 rear the capacity is 8.8 pints. In regards to the transmission, the very early 03's have the 47RE; however,the 48RE was utilized after the supply of 47RE was depleted. Yes! The 47RE , 48RE and the 271, 273 model transfer cases are specd. for ATF+4. I have attached a list of licensed ATF+4 brands for your review. At the present time, RP does not carry an ATF+4 fluid. They market their Max ATF which is considered an "all makes all models" fluid.


http://www.centerforqa.com/licensedatf4brands.html

 

I greatly appreciate your reply. I did see that RP doesnt, for some reason, manufacture the ATF+4. The list you provided for the other companies that provide the +4 is much appreciated too. Is there any better name brand than the other worth paying more for? I have always been curious if these companies use the same exact product and just label the bottle differently and your "paying for the name"...Also, would you recommend flushing the trans to get the fluid out of the torque converter when you are changing the fluid, and if so, can it be done appropriately by someone other than say a dealership with the suction pump? i read that it can be done by running the engine with a line removed but didnt know if this sounded too safe...Thanks a ton! Gotta do something to keep me busy this weekend.

 

The licensing agreement for ATF+4 requires that no matter who makes or blends the fluid, it must be manufactured with the same additive package.
The only difference is in the base oil. It has to be a (Group III); however, there are three approved suppliers. One blender may use base oil from supplier A and another may use base oil from supplier B. The ATF+4 additive package is manufactured exclusively by Lubrizol. Every licensed blend has to use it. I use the Valvoline offering, albeit the choice is up to you.

A "fluid exchange" is a very good way to get all of the old ATF+4 out of the system, while simultaneously replacing it with new fluid. I have attached a link that illustrates a basic exchange procedure.

http://www.amsoil.com/dealer/techser...Procedures.pdf

 

Alright, I looked at the attached link you provided. Thanks a bunch for all of your expertise, you obviously know your stuff! Now I just need to find the oil cooler lines the instructions talked about to see what kind of special tool I need to disconnect them. They normally have a special tool dont they? On the 48re, is it somewhat of a convienient location to get to? Thanks again!

 

The instructions are generic and intended to cover all makes and models as there is no need for special tools. It is important that you remove the return line, not the feed line. While inspecting the transmission from the drivers side, the front line located on the side of the 48RE is the feed to the cooler. The return line is towards the back of the trans .