Which Trans Fluid should I run???

Bosshawg600

Bosshawg600

PDP.com FireFighter
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
3,651
So Got the truck back last night from getting a 47rh trans swapped in, i just have to finish up a few small things and it on the road. Biggest question i have is, What trans fluid should I put in it????

Ive always had manuals, so trans fluid is pretty foreign to me!!

Heard a lot of guys say cheaper is better, and run 50/50 Hydraulic fluid/ATF....

I have Fuchs Hydro by the 55 gal drum I can get for free, so that apealed to me a little. But being a full on built trans and a Higher HP truck, i really dont want to skimp and have it go out early on me!!!
 
Ask the guy that built it what he wants in it. The guy that built mine told me dex3 or equivalent. I run the valvoline dex/merc with no problems.
 
Use what they recommend as using the wrong oil may void your warranty.
 
I'd say anything works fine, just don't get gas station trans fluid.

I run CaseIH HyTrans in mine and love it, but it brings the stall down a good 150-200 RPM, and on days like today where it was -10 when I left for work, I've got to let the struck sit with the trans in neutral so it warms the fluid a bit or it'll be too thick and try and shift into 3rd when I put it into D and my engine doesn't love that ;-)

Some mix 50/50 with ATF+4 and are happy.

Some run Dex3, and some just run ATF3 (what 47rh originally had from factory I believe).

The other up side to the Hydraulic fluid is how freaking cheap it is! My system takes about 18 quarts, so a 5gal bucket for $50-60 will fill it with some extra left over.
 
Big Boy Toys said:
Just call mike and ask.... Wait...nobody can get ahold of him, nevermind. I'd just run +4 if it was mine.
Click to expand...

Bingo! thats why i ask, id rather not try and get ahold of him with all the horror stories ive heard.

CorneliusRox said:
I'd say anything works fine, just don't get gas station trans fluid.

I run CaseIH HyTrans in mine and love it, but it brings the stall down a good 150-200 RPM, and on days like today where it was -10 when I left for work, I've got to let the struck sit with the trans in neutral so it warms the fluid a bit or it'll be too thick and try and shift into 3rd when I put it into D and my engine doesn't love that ;-)

Some mix 50/50 with ATF+4 and are happy.

Some run Dex3, and some just run ATF3 (what 47rh originally had from factory I believe).

The other up side to the Hydraulic fluid is how freaking cheap it is! My system takes about 18 quarts, so a 5gal bucket for $50-60 will fill it with some extra left over.
Click to expand...


Thats why Im looking at hydro, we have gobs of synthetic fluid here at work. maybe hydro 30%, AFT+4 70% and call it good....... Plus i have an aftermarket cooler in the bed, so its going to take a lot to fill
 
Bosshawg600 said:
Thats why Im looking at hydro, we have gobs of synthetic fluid here at work. maybe hydro 30%, AFT+4 70% and call it good....... Plus i have an aftermarket cooler in the bed, so its going to take a lot to fill
Click to expand...

I hear ya. ATF+4 isn't cheap! A good rule of thumb I've found on hydraulic fluid if you're unsure if it's good stuff or not, pour some on your hands and see how hard it is to get off. Cheap stuff comes off with some soap, good stuff like HyTrans is a nightmare to get off! That's the good part about it for your trans, and the bad part about it for doing work yourself on the trans. ha ha
 
Go to rural king get a 5gal of 303 universal tractor hydro fluid... Run it straight.. I have never had a problem
 
Anything but +4.
Dex III or some type of hytrans fluid, hytran will tighten the converter up.
 
Last edited:
CorneliusRox said:
I hear ya. ATF+4 isn't cheap! A good rule of thumb I've found on hydraulic fluid if you're unsure if it's good stuff or not, pour some on your hands and see how hard it is to get off. Cheap stuff comes off with some soap, good stuff like HyTrans is a nightmare to get off! That's the good part about it for your trans, and the bad part about it for doing work yourself on the trans. ha ha
Click to expand...

The stuff we have at work is good, but its very biodegradeable, so Im not sure how well it would like a trans.......

Cummins610 said:
Anything but +4.
Dex III or some type of hytrans fluid, hytran will tighten the converter up.
Click to expand...

I think thats the route Im going, have a hook up at NAPA, so Ill see what they can get me!
 
Don't overthink it. Dex/merc and be done with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I would just run dex/merc and call it good. If you wanted to find out what Monster Pump Mike used get a hold of Legendary Diesel Performance and talk to Mike or Chad, they use a lot of his stuff including inputs and convertors so I'm sure they would know.
 
We run good hydraulic oil in five different trucks. Never had a problem in any of them and it gets really cold in northern Missouri quite a bit. Just allow some warm up time which you should anyway when it's cold. I wouldn't use the real cheap hydraulic oils though. Some of them turn into syrup when it's cold. I use john deer hytrans or MFA a local to Mo. oil dealer oil. If the oil is clear add a quart of transmission fluid for color.
 
^ so you know when it leaks, lol. What Hobie said. Go to Napa and get their plain old dex/merc Napa ATF.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top