Sticking in 1st

Rob Mayercik said:

There's been a lot of reports over the years on these boards of AW4s not taking well to the ATF+4 or other synthetics. Some have had success, others (like SlowXJ) the opposite.

Best to stick with what seems to work for vehicle.

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ATF 4+ has a different friction profile. There are also tons of posts about killing Chrysler minivan transmissions when people and dealers inadvertently put dexron/mercon in them. The ATF 4+ supposedly has more slip than the dex when engaging the clutch. Using dex in a trans designed for 4+ caused clutch chatter which damaged the clutch material in the chrysler trannies. That could also explain why you see the trans run warmer on 4+.

I would have expected the TF 1000 to run warmer too, since it's much thicker than either.

lawsoncl said:

ATF 4+ has a different friction profile. There are also tons of posts about killing Chrysler minivan transmissions when people and dealers inadvertently put dexron/mercon in them. The ATF 4+ supposedly has more slip than the dex when engaging the clutch. Using dex in a trans designed for 4+ caused clutch chatter which damaged the clutch material in the chrysler trannies. That could also explain why you see the trans run warmer on 4+.

I would have expected the TF 1000 to run warmer too, since it's much thicker than either.

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Yep, and that was at the heart of what I recall when seeing folks around here reporting problems when Chrysler started telling the dealers to put ATF+4 in AW4s (to "reduce the number of different fluids they had to manage", or some such).

I also recall a few folks getting away with that, but it never seemed like a significant percentage to me (not that I made an actual statistical study of the matter).

For my part, my AW4 has gone 29 years and 256,000 miles on Dex/Merc, I see no reason to change now.

I always assumed atf+4 was slippery causeing slipping = more heat than the other fluids.

I haven't tried the super F fluids from ati but im due to service transmission so i wont.

Ati doesn't recommend the fluid for computer controlled transmission but so far my 47re hasnt been picky

I have found fluid level to be critical i would guess this has more to do with driveabilty issues than particular fluid used.

http://www.atiracing.com/products/trans/transparts/superf.htm

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Thats why i run thf 1000 ive put 200k on the truck and for the last 6-8 years i just run it and get great results with the tractor fluid. For a few years i did run atf+4 that is specced in the trans.
I think were about 13years now. Been a love hate relationship for sure

I expect a second trans rebuild is going to likely to happen sometime before 500k. Shes about 365k now.

Im not sure the truck will last another transmission

I do have aw4 laying here but haven't swapped it in due not finding much for bullet proof tourge converters.
Id absolutely love to swap a auto inplace of the ax15 .
With a auto technical trails are so much more enjoyable.

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Yeah, the ATF4+ has more friction modifiers. My MJ was much more enjoyable on the trails after I swapped in the auto. I had a 4-cyl YJ manual for a while. The short wheelbase was nice offroad, but I was constantly clutching shifting up and down, and having to jump between 4-hi and 4-lo a lot.