AW4 Transmission snake oil additives

OK, this is a very specifc, what snake oil additive did you try and how did it perform question with two limitations. One, your story must be about it's use in an AW4, good, bad, or no difference is OK.
I don't care what it did in other transmissions!!!:twak:

Second, Did you have a slipping in forward drive first gear only when cold problem and did it help solve the problem or make it worse? I know I am not the only one that has an Aw4 that needs to warm up a bit (like 15 seconds to a few minutes, the colder it is, the longer it takes, and at 60 F it works perfectly and locks into gear in under 1 second) only when it is cold, like below 40 or 50 F, does it need to warm up first. I find that shifting into neutral or reverse speeds up the warm up process.

So all you other snake oil addicts like me with an AW4 snake oil story start posting those results!!!!! Please!

Can't answer your question but FWIW I was told by a tranny mechanic that the warm up problem is a worn seal.

I'm generally not much of an additive guy but I have used LubeGard additive in my AW4 ever since the first fluid change at 30k. I never had any problems with the transmission, I use it as a preventive because of the high recommendation of two very experienced tranny technicians.

birchlakeXJ said:

I'm generally not much of an additive guy but I have used LubeGard additive in my AW4 ever since the first fluid change at 30k. I never had any problems with the transmission, I use it as a preventive because of the high recommendation of two very experienced tranny technicians.

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Who makes it?

I had a 88 xj a few years ago that had a rather beaten down AW4. I changed the fluid and it still slipped in every gear. I used Lucas transmission additive. It worked very well for a few months, but then it over heated when I was on a local trail and it failed.
All trans additives are (to me at least) is a last ditch effort to hold off a rebuild. :gonnablow

AW4 is very stout. It should not need any additives whatsoever

Ecomike said:

Who makes it?

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International Lubricants Incorporated. Just google "LubeGard" and check out their tranny products. Get an opinion for yourself from a tranny shop. This stuff is really pretty widely used. I believe there is a specific product for transmissions that are "symptomatic".

I agree that an additive is not "necessary" but again, going on the recommendation of two guys that have been tearing down and rebuilding transmissions every day including many AW4s, I'm using it to hopefully extend the life of the tranny. $14 every 30k isn't a lot of money to invest.....

BillBraski said:

I had a 88 xj a few years ago that had a rather beaten down AW4. I changed the fluid and it still slipped in every gear. I used Lucas transmission additive. It worked very well for a few months, but then it over heated when I was on a local trail and it failed.
All trans additives are (to me at least) is a last ditch effort to hold off a rebuild. :gonnablow

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Bill, in many cases that may be true, but I have had excellent luck for the last 35 years with many so called snake oil additives in various applications. I once had a dodge 76 Lean burn 400...that was always burning up the transmission. bought it 1976 brand new and by 1979 the transmission had been rebuilt 5 times by a dealer and finally 2 more times by a T-Shop. The 7th time it only lasted a few days and the fluid turned black again and the T stopped working. I put in a quart of TransX and it started working again. Then I drove it and changed the fluid every week for 3 weeks using a quart of transX at each fluid change, and after the third time I got another year out of it with out a rebuild before I sold it. That is just one succes story I have had.

So, back to my oringinal question:

OK, this is a very specifc, what snake oil additive did you try and how did it perform question with two limitations. One, your story must be about it's use in an AW4, good, bad, or no difference is OK.
I don't care what it did in other transmissions!!!:twak:

Second, Did you have a slipping in forward drive first gear only when cold problem and did it help solve the problem or make it worse? I know I am not the only one that has an Aw4 that needs to warm up a bit (like 15 seconds to a few minutes, the colder it is, the longer it takes, and at 60 F it works perfectly and locks into gear in under 1 second) only when it is cold, like below 40 or 50 F, does it need to warm up first. I find that shifting into neutral or reverse speeds up the warm up process.

So all you other snake oil addicts like me with an AW4 snake oil story start posting those results!!!!! Please!

Ecomike said:

...I got another year out of it with out a rebuild before I sold it. That is just one succes story I have had.

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One year from a Transmission? That's a success story?
For Valve Body or Governor problems, additives can work, but often it's too late to save the friction surfaces.
Lubegard is recommended by several manufacturers; see the Service Bulletins on the Lubegard site. If you like Tranny-in-a-Can, Lubegard is the one to use.

Jim Mesthene said:

One year from a Transmission? That's a success story?
For Valve Body or Governor problems, additives can work, but often it's too late to save the friction surfaces.
Lubegard is recommended by several manufacturers; see the Service Bulletins on the Lubegard site. If you like Tranny-in-a-Can, Lubegard is the one to use.

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No, 2 days after the 7th physical rebuild in the prior 12 months it burned up again, fluid turned black, and would not move in any gear. All I did was drain 1 quart, put in TransX and it worked again. Drained all the fluid the next day put in new fluid and trans x and repeated twice 1 week apart, then it ran for 12 months with no problems , it was still running when I sold the car 12 months later with no physical work done on it!!!!

Agreed, worn out friction surfaces need to be replaced. But I do not think I am at that point.

What did you end up doing Mike?

I have been reading some threads on bobistheoilguy and am real close to swapping in a quart of Lucas to see if it improves cold slip. I recently changed the fluid to Dexron VI which I am now starting to think is too thin.

Many on say its a mistake to use anything but Dexron III in the AW4.

It has been no colder than about 50 to 55 F here in the mornings so I have had no more trouble with mine, and have not done anything addtive wise yet. I did find out the Lubeguard product recomended below for Jeeps turns Dexron III into Dexron V (or VI?)!!!

I would not use Lucas oil additive if that is your thought!!!! There is a Lucas Tranny additive, but I know nothing about it. I take that back, I did use a quart of Lucas Tranny additive for a seal leak on a 1 quart per 15 minutes leak on a Dodge neon last year (my sons friend) that was pucking tranny fluid all over the place, and it stopped leaking long enogh to make a 4 hour highway trip and it solved a locked in 2nd gear problem too, but that was not an AW4.

I am thinking a pint of MMO or pint of TransX might be worth trying if the problem is bad enough, but those products, especially the TransX swell the o'rings (seals) which is in partly how they work, they also disolve varnish off the parts which can be good and bad at the same time, and it is possible to over do that and cause worse problems. So far I have not been desperate enough to try one. I started this thread hoping some people had found the perfect fluid additive for AW4 cold morning start up slipping problem already, but so far no one has ponyed up with a specific cold morning AW4 blues additive success story.

ehall said:

What did you end up doing Mike?

I have been reading some threads on bobistheoilguy and am real close to swapping in a quart of Lucas to see if it improves cold slip. I recently changed the fluid to Dexron VI which I am now starting to think is too thin.

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99xjclassic said:

AW4 is very stout. It should not need any additives whatsoever

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According to Novak Conversions:What the hell do they know....bad mouth our beloved AW-4...lol

The AW4 is a light to medium-duty transmission. Ours, our callers' and customers' experiences with the AW4 are less than stellar. They have a tendency to generate excessive amounts of heat, and are known for unnecessarily consuming more engine power than some other automatics. The shift points in the AW4 feel odd, and the spotty engagment of the lockup torque converter is idiosyncratic

OH Yeah...back to ques. at hand.I did use about a 1/2 pint of MMO in my 90 when I changed the tranny fluid.Never did drain it again and when I parked it it was still running fine. I like MMO as a good all around "easy" solvent/conditioner.

Ecomike said:

Many on say its a mistake to use anything but Dexron III in the AW4.

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(1) Dexron III is no longer made, (2) Dexron VI is backwards compatible, and (3) I've been running it without any problem for a year.

It's just that it is a little thinner than OLD Dexron III... but it is thicker than some of the last Dexron III mixes (-H and up).

I would not use Lucas oil additive if that is your thought!!!!

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Why would I put oil additive in my tranny? Do you do that??

I did use a quart of Lucas Tranny additive for a seal leak on a 1 quart per 15 minutes leak on a Dodge neon last year (my sons friend) that was pucking tranny fluid all over the place, and it stopped leaking long enogh to make a 4 hour highway trip and it solved a locked in 2nd gear problem too, but that was not an AW4.

I am thinking a pint of MMO or pint of TransX might be worth trying if the problem is bad enough, but those products, especially the TransX swell the o'rings (seals) which is in partly how they work, they also disolve varnish off the parts which can be good and bad at the same time, and it is possible to over do that and cause worse problems. So far I have not been desperate enough to try one. I started this thread hoping some people had found the perfect fluid additive for AW4 cold morning start up slipping problem already, but so far no one has ponyed up with a specific cold morning AW4 blues additive success story.

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I am also considering a small can of Trans-X to improve seal, since that is where the slipping is happening. I am probably going to use that and half a quart of Lucas to beef up the viscosity.

I think I was confusing the number VI with IV ( or even V since IV is not out yet (right?)) when I replied earlier.

I have a quart of Valvoline Max life Dexron III/ Mercon V that I bought 11 months ago, part number VV324. Are you sure III is no longer available?

Anyway, it sounds like you know a lot more about the different Dexron grades ( versions of III, -H???) that I do, I am no expert on them for sure.

Sorry about the Lucas oil question, when I read your post I thought of oil additive right off when I heard Lucas, wrote the question, comment, then it clicked and wrote about trying Lucas tranny additive to increase viscosity and seal a leak on the Dodge Neon last year.

Anyway, I would be most interested in your test results. Sounds like an interesting mix TransX and Lucas.

ehall said:

(1) Dexron III is no longer made, (2) Dexron VI is backwards compatible, and (3) I've been running it without any problem for a year.

It's just that it is a little thinner than OLD Dexron III... but it is thicker than some of the last Dexron III mixes (-H and up).


Why would I put oil additive in my tranny? Do you do that??


I am also considering a small can of Trans-X to improve seal, since that is where the slipping is happening. I am probably going to use that and half a quart of Lucas to beef up the viscosity.

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89 XJ 4.0 AW4 coupled to a 231

I started with clean red fluid, but when cold I would have a bit of a snap on the 1-2 shift (kickdown cable was adjusted properly) It would be perfect when hot though..

I drained out a little bit from the pan, and added maybe half a pint of Seafoam trans tune. Believe it or not, I was expecting jack from this but I figured I'd try it since there combustion chamber cleaner had worked rather well. Anywho, 1-2 doesn't snap anymore, its firm even with little throttle but ALOT better.

I should mention this transmission has 216k, and its history is unknown except that it had good fluid when I got it. It always shifted fine, and no slippage, but the 1-2 when cold was very harsh.

Dexron III not made anymore???? :dunno:

http://www.partsamerica.com/productdetail.aspx?MfrCode=VLV&MfrPartNumber=324&CategoryCode=3291A

http://www.pennzoil.com/products/trans_fluids/dex3.html

http://www.starboardsupply.com/product_info.php/products_id/3008200

It's no longer licensed by GM. There is still some licensed old-stock, but otherwise you get solutions that are "clones" or "derivatives" but are not licensed as authentic. IE, the valvoline and pennzoil in your list are Dex-Merc multi-vehicle fluids that are "suitable for use" in Dex-III applications and not the real thing.