Transmission Fluid Fix Reviews

[Daringo]

Just curious as I am about to take to the plunge...

What Auto Transmission (Fix) Fluids have you all tried here? And how effective were they?

I will say right now that I know there is a risk in putting anything but the proper ATF in your tranny. That said, many of us here face $300+ solutions to a problem that might be temporarily cured with an inexpensive fluid fix.

And I do realize that adding this fluid might make repair costs higher should someone try to rebuild my tranny down the road. If I get a rebuilt one, who cares what I do to mine to get it to go 5,000-30,000 miles longer.

I think there are plenty of reviews out there on Lucas Transmission Fix. Mixed reviews. Basically, if you have nothing to lose, try it. I just wonder why this stuff is 5 times thicker than the other 8 products on the shelf?

I look forward to hearing your comments on this. Please repost this thread elsewhere if appropraite.

 

[jhammel85]

I'm not that fond of the fix bottles like that but I used lucas in an old firebird I had because of a bad lifter tick. Took care of it right away

Really, Its ultimately up to you, ya know? If you wanna give it a shot, go for it!

But is there something up with your trans? Maybe we can help you fix it free or maybe even for the same amount as one of those bottles.

 

[piotrsko]

most of the trans fix bottles do 2 things: a wee bit of solvent to swell up the seals and another solvent to clean off varnish and sludge deposits off various parts. they can have friction modifiers and thickeners and sometimes moly's or teflon like properties.


if it is leaking, or has had really bad tranny fluid, then it probably won't make any difference if you put it in longevity wise. If it was all that wonderful, then the vehicle manufacturer would include it in the make-up fluids for the original build. for example my F-250 requires an anti cavitation additive, and it is included with the vehicle, and I have to maintain it.

 

[Daringo]

Okay, so I went for it... Lucas Stop Slip....

First of all, it is as thick as advertised... but! once you have it hovering over your "warmed up engine" it takes about 5 minutes for this sludge to turn into something like normal maple syrup consistency. In fact, I would just find nice secure place for you to put the 24 oz bottle in your engine compartment and let it warm up before pouring.

That all said... my tranny level while warm and in park was in the middle of the cross hatches...

after pouring all 24 ozs in, it was at the top, but nothing alarming.

In fact I tried syphoning anything "extra" with a plastic tube shoved down the dipstick tube - nothing.

Results: My truck still needs 7 minutes of warm up before it will shift by itself. But since adding the lucas treatment, it does shift smoother. I basically have to put it in 2nd for a few minutes, then "D" and "OD" work marginally.

SO THEN...

I fiddled (backed off, loosened, turned counter clockwise) the vacuum modulator today and boom!... late shifting and slipping are almost gone. I must test when my car if totally cold to say it is fixed, but wholly molly, the vacuum control modulator is so important!!! About two turns counter clockwise with a 9/64th allen wrench did the trick.. please see my forthcoming post in "transmissions" for details and photos.

 

[racsan]

i have used pennzoil syncromesh fluid before in the M5OD as well as mobil 1 0w 30 engine oil. the pennzoil syncromesh fluid isnt a synthetic, its about 7 bucks a qt and performs quite well, doesnt seem to be too thick and the shifter on my trans doesnt get as warm compared to running atf in the trans. ive tried every type of atf (mercon) i could find, didnt seem to make any difference. ive heard of a person using type F fluid, but i doubt it would work any different than mercon atf. and about the engine oil, my trans was a rebuilt unit, and it had wrote across the bellhousing "use 5w 30 engine oil" it does work, i wouldnt endorse it like i do the pennzoil syncromesh fluid, but in my experiance it wont hurt the trans any. i will say that under no circumstances should you ever use gear oil. a long time ago i was young and dumb, beleived that the thicker the better, and i drained the atf out of a CJ7 jeep manual trans and put in 80/90 gear oil. it was hard to shift in the winter and was very noisy in the spring. i sold it shortly thereafter. gear oil WILL ruin a trans ment for a.t.f.

 

[jhammel85]

Thats always an awesome feeling! glad you figured it out!

 

[Daringo]

Thats always an awesome feeling! glad you figured it out!

Hmm... not so fast I guess. Still takes about a mile to warm up before shifting problems go away. From what I am reading, sounds like a new Governor might just do the trick!

I am going to do a tranny filter and fluid change and see how that goes first. I had my tranny "flushed", but that doesn't clean a clogged filter.

 

[Daringo]

OK... just dropped the transmission pan, made a mess, changed the filter and put 4.5 quarts of new Valvoline Dex/Merc in there. I was a little suprised about 4.5 because it was suppose to call for 3ish, but I did let it drain for several hours.

Shifts pretty smooth once warmed up. But again, it takes a good 1-2 miles before she'll shift out of 1st (inD/OD) on her own (time to check out the governor).

But to keep on topic here... no "Miracle" happened when I tried Lucas Stop Slip. It didn't seem to affect anything. And contrary to some reports, there was no "Sludge" at the bottom of the pan. As for the color of my ATF, well, it was not pretty pink.

Good luck to anyone else who tries this, maybe it will work for your situation but it did not help mine.

 

[Daringo]

Ok, I'm moving on to SeaFoam's Trans Tune. First, I know I really should take this to a tranny shop and have it looked at by an expert. But time and money do not allow that right now. That said...

SeaFoam Trans Tune, in there own words:

"TRANS TUNE is a 100% Petroleum product comprised of three specific oils, blended in just the right proportions to SAFELY clean varnish deposits in transmission, power steering and hydraulic pump components. TRANS-TUNE is compatible with all commonly used petroleum and synthetic based hydraulic fluids used in automatic transmissions, power steering systems, marine transmissions, agricultural equipment and industrial hydraulic lifts.

TRANS-TUNE reduces rough or erratic shifting by dissolving varnish that contaminates transmission valve bodies, bands, governors, pumps and passages. TRANS-TUNE makes the perfect system flush for transmissions, power steering and hydraulic pumps, removing damaging moisture and deposits that impair system performance.

TRANS-TUNE is NOT a stop-leak or super lubricant additive and is safe to use because it does not swell or harm seals in any way. "

So I put just a little over a half bottle of this in last night (in addition to my 4.5 new quarts of Dex/Merc from two days ago). Drove it around about 10 miles. Feels maybe a little smoother once warmed. But this morning, back to the same routine of having to wait about 1.5 miles before "D" and "OD" start working. Gonna give it another day, take it for a 30 minute drive and then drain (shudder) the tranny fluid again. I'll probably skip the filter change since it's only 3 days old .... hehe. Hopefully I can get the pan gasket without the filter kit.

Keep you all posted on Seafoam Trans Tune results...

I'm starting to think my tranny problem is due to something sticking and needs cleaning - and hopefully not the worst.

 

[r1hatman]

My 83 did that and I found out my vacume line for the tranny had come off behind the carb to the intake manifold. Put it back on and it shifts fine as wine! Check your vacume lines.

 

[Daringo]

My 83 did that and I found out my vacume line for the tranny had come off behind the carb to the intake manifold. Put it back on and it shifts fine as wine! Check your vacume lines.

I'll have to look for that... is that the line from the modulator? I must say, there are some lines and hoses under my truck that just glisten with oil from something. Those just might be vaccum hoses that are clogged? Must investigate further.

About 8 months ago I was having ALL kinds of problems... blue smoke, wouldn't shift right, blah blah. Took it to a mechanic and he said it was the vacuum modulator and the line running to it was super swollen. He replaced both the modulator and hose. Worked fine until... I got my AFT flushed about a month later! Had the same problems I am experiencing now, but mysteriously, they went away in three days. Ran great for 6 months until last week (coincidence that I got bigger tires and a camper shell, probably not).

But I digress, this is a thread about Tranny Fix Fluids - which are not fixing anything for me so far

 

[Daringo]

Well, back for a quick Sea Foam Trans Tune review...

After pouring in the whole bottom and running that a couple of days, I drained my pan again. Not pink like I poured in 3 days ago (well, I'm sure several quarts from the torque converter was bad).

Drained and added 4 more quarts of ATF. It seems to be shifting smoother now when it gets up to speed. But my tranny still need to get up to speed (about 5-7 minutes).

I might try Sea Foam again before I do my next ATF drain or flush OR I might have a new tranny by then

 

[Danger_Dave]

one thing i must add is i'm not trying to talk outta my butt here, but my uncle told me this, and i believe it to be true because i experienced it with my m5od with 117k miles. if the transmission fluid has never ever been changed and is pitch black...chances are the components inside the trans that rely on friction to work and have friction material, are worn....this means all that friction material is in the fluid now, and that old nasty fluid is actually keeping an automatic from slipping, and allowing the syncronizers in a manual to engage properly. so now when you change that fluid guess what happens? but one things for sure having fresh new fluid is good for the seals, bearings, and gears, and thats why i changed it with straight mercon v.

so now i am using lucas transmission fix, and it did make a difference, she is shifting a little bit smoother now. all in all should i have never fussed with it? maybe, who knows. whats certain now is when i go to do a rebuild, it will be in overall much better condition and can get by with a rebuild kit, instead of throwing the whole trans in the trash and just buying a new trans.

hope this helps....

 

[exbass94]

one thing i must add is i'm not trying to talk outta my butt here, but my uncle told me this, and i believe it to be true because i experienced it with my m5od with 117k miles. if the transmission fluid has never ever been changed and is pitch black...chances are the components inside the trans that rely on friction to work and have friction material, are worn....this means all that friction material is in the fluid now, and that old nasty fluid is actually keeping an automatic from slipping, and allowing the syncronizers in a manual to engage properly. so now when you change that fluid guess what happens? but one things for sure having fresh new fluid is good for the seals, bearings, and gears, and thats why i changed it with straight mercon v.

so now i am using lucas transmission fix, and it did make a difference, she is shifting a little bit smoother now. all in all should i have never fussed with it? maybe, who knows. whats certain now is when i go to do a rebuild, it will be in overall much better condition and can get by with a rebuild kit, instead of throwing the whole trans in the trash and just buying a new trans.

hope this helps....

Changing trans fluid is a good thing, no matter how old the trans is. I wrote a nice long rant about this a couple weeks ago if you care to read it: http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74839

 

[Danger_Dave]

I wrote a nice long rant about this a couple weeks ago if you care to read it

oh wow i didnt know a thread like that already existed. yeah i read it. good post.