Which fluid to use..?
 

I'm about to do a transmission flush on my Vibe as part the normal maint. I've read some info on the different types out there for the automatic. The thing is the Vibe is are main car that we use. We travel everywhere in it, lots and lots and lots of stop and go? Plus we take all the long trips/vacations in it. I know it sounds like we need a good general transmission fluid. But with the amount of miles we put on it each year, I really looking for a type that can really take this can of driving.

Re: Which fluid to use..?
 

i wouldn't perform a flush...a drain and refill is really all you need to do. amsoil has a great, long life fluid that drops tranny temps below that of conventional fluid.

we are talking auto trans right?

Re: Which fluid to use..?
 

Yes it's an auto. I've been reading that its not good to use anothe brand, that you should just use the makes brand (toyota, honda...etc.) Do car markers truely make their transmissions only to work correctly with their brand transmission fluid?

Re: Which fluid to use..?
 

absolute baloney! don't fall for the "using another brand will void your warranty" ploy either.

do your research. i have found thru research and experience(myself and trusted mechanics)that synthetics, especially amsoil, offer superior protection!

edit: honda ATF is the exception i believe--difference viscosity than others.

Re: Which fluid to use..?
 

Your driving doesn't sound abnormal. I would go with whatever is specified by the owners manual, in a conveniently available and inexpensive brand. Also, if the schedule says drain and fill, a flush wouldn't be necessary; but as long as we're not talking about 200,000 mile old fluid in an iffy transmission then it shouldn't be harmful either. I prefer the DIY pump-out method over a machine-pushed backwards flush with solvent.

GM transmissions aren't sensitive to brand name of fluid but the Vibe has a Toyota transmission and I am not familiar with them. However, you might be surprised, OEM fluid from a dealer parts department may not be much more than anything else.

A little googling tells me "T-IV" is what you need, and that Dexron would probably be a bad idea. I've never heard of T-IV. I'd call a few GM and Toyota dealers and see how much they get for it.

On Amsoil and flushing: Wouldn't it make sense, if you intend to make use of Amsoil's longevity claims and higher price, to do as complete of a fluid replacement as possible?

Re: Which fluid to use..?
 

i don't believe AT fluid to be like motor oil...it says cleaner longer(obviously), but also gets "degradation" via heat more than anything. that said, just like synthetic motor oil, when changing over, it's likely wise to make the first duration a short one. and of course, the next change will give you nearly a flush anyway!

Re: Which fluid to use..?
 

The thing is, the manuel says to flush the fluid every 80,000 miles. It's got 83,000 now. We put 53,000 miles on the car, in a short amount of time. So thats why I'm wanting to flush it and find a good long-lasting fluid to replace it.

Re: Which fluid to use..?
 

I know with my vehicle with a CVT transmission it requires a CVT transmission fluid.

Re: Which fluid to use..?
 

Between my dealership, shop, and parts store employements and years of experience outside of work: you don't have to use the manufacturers fluid as long as the fluid you use meets their specifications. I couldn't tell you the differences between them but they are tailor made for the materials in the clutches and seals. Using a slightly wrong ATF will probably work for many years but result in trans failure before it otherwise would (read 200k miles instead of 300k+) but using a very wrong fluid could result in immediate, replacement of transmission type damage. The days of everything either taking dexron/mercon or the other one are gone, in the last 5-8 years the ATFs have really diverged. Typically parts stores will stock stuff that will work for a range of similar types for half the price of the dealership special stuff.

Re: Which fluid to use..?
 

In the old days, you could switch to Ford Type F, the thickest of all trans fluids, it would raise your pump pressure, make the torque conveter more efficient, and make your shifts solid.

Now with computer controlled transmissions, too thick a fluid could confuse the computer by the sensors reading the wrong pressures.

Now a days, I use the stock fluid, but I change the transmission filter every 30K. Those little filters I find get clogged with the fine soot of clutch bands in the transmission. I had an 89 Ford Festiva, that at 30k would start slipping, slipping equals wearing out your transmission. Once I would change the filter and just the fluid in the pan, it would shift normal for another 30K. the car made it 150k, before the engine let go.

So use stock fluid, or equivalent, and change that filter, this is my advice. With the high cost of modern transmissions, I am less likely to try and modify things on it.