Best Transmission Fluid – Find Transmission Oil That Fits Your Car

Your transmission fluid is the lifeblood of your car. It runs through your transmission and lubricates all moving parts so that they don’t grind against each other. Over time, it will become dirty and have to be replaced. There are many different types of fluids available on the market today, but the best automatic transmission fluid has an important characteristic: it fit’s your car.

The gearbox and other components of the car will simply fail without lubrication, so it is worthwhile to attend to the purchase of the best gear oil in order to avoid problems.

On this page, we’ve collected the best transmission fluids according to their specifications. Now you can easily find a transmission fluid with the best price that fits your car.

 

Best Automatic Transmission Fluid by Specifications

 

AE

 

AF2 DEXRON II

 

AF3 DEXRON III

 

AF6 DEXRON VI

 

AP3

 

AP4

 

GLS36

 

GLS38

 

GLS42

 

GLS90

BMW part numbers 83 22 2 147 477 + 83 22 2 147 477. Available from dealer (DCT).

 

GLS026

Dia Queen SSTF-1. Available from dealer (DCT).

 

FA

 

MA

 

MA5

 

MA5S

 

MLV MERCON LV

 

MSP MERCON SP

 

SL001

 

SL002

 

SL004

 

SL006

 

SL007

Part number G-052-182. Available from dealer (DCT).

 

SL009

Part number G-052-529-A2. Available from dealer (DCT).

 

SL011

 

SL012

 

SL015

 

SL016

 

SL026

Available from dealer (DCT).

 

SL027

 

SL030

 

SL036

 

SL040

 

SL042

 

SL043

 

SL044

 

SL045

 

SL049

 

SL054

 

SL055

 

SL057

 

SL058

 

SL059

 

SL065

 

SL067

 

SL069

Available from dealer (DCT).

 

SL072

 

SL076

 

SL079

 

SL080

 

SL081

 

SL082

 

SL083

 

SL085

 

SL086

 

SL087

 

SL092

 

SL093

 

SL095

 

SL096

 

SL097

 

SL099

 

SL101

 

SL102

 

SL103

 

SL105

 

SL107

 

SL108

 

SL112

 

SL117

 

SL130

 

SL138

 

SL142

 

SL143

Available from dealer.

 

SL145

Available from dealer.

 

SL150

 

ULV

 

VFT02

 

VTF03

 

VTF04

 

VTF05

 

VTF06

 

VTF10

 

VTF11

 

VTF12

 

VFT13

 

VTF18

 

VTF19

 

VTF20

 

T-IV

 

TIV

 

WS

 

How To Choose the Right Automatic Transmission Fluid

To choose the right transmission fluid you can use the search bar at our site to find your car. Just type, for example, “Toyota Corolla transmission fluid”, then click on the post to read it, and there you can scroll to your model’s year to see the transmission fluid you need to use.

There are many different categories of automatic transmission fluid, but the one that you need depends on what type of car or truck you drive.

1. Requirements

There are many different types of car lubricants, each one designed for specific purposes. Automatic transmissions come in many more varieties than manual transmission cars, so there is an increased need for automatic fluids.

2. Backwards Compatibility

Many people argue that the latest automatic transmission fluids are backwards compatible, but this is not always true. It may be suggested that DEXRON-VI fluid would be best for GM 4L60E transmissions in 2000 Camaro or Corvette models since it has a lower viscosity and high stability at a higher temperature.

On paper, DEXRON-VI is compatible with older transmissions like the TH350 and 400. In reality, this isn’t true since DEXRON-VI is best for newer vehicles.

First, DEXRON-VI was released in 2005, so older transmissions were filled with DEXRON-III from the factory. While you can use DEXRON-VI in these transmissions, experiments of inserting it into cars originally designed to work with only Dextron-3 have shown a small increase in converter stall speed.

How often do you need to change the transmission fluid in your vehicle?

It is important to change your transmission fluid regularly. This can depend on the requirements set out in your vehicle’s maintenance schedule, however. Some carmakers prescribe that you change the transmission fluid at specific intervals, like every 60,000 miles for example.

Others will tell you to inspect the condition of this fluid periodically. If you can still see some of the original color (it is often pink when it’s new), then it is probably fine – but if it has turned dark brown and/or has taken on a burnt smell, then it time to do so again.

Your transmission’s performance might give you clues it’s time to change the fluid. Your automatic or manual transmission pressurizes its lubricant and transmits hydraulic force to activate valves that tell your transmission when to shift gears and what gear to use. If the fluids are in poor condition, low fluids, or a leak – You may notice your transmissions not performing as they should any longer.

There are some automatic transmission fluids available that don’t require changing. These synthetic automatic transmission fluids are expected to last the entire life of the vehicle, so eventually transmission fluid changes may become a thing of the past. Currently, these ATFs costs more than traditional fluids and only new vehicles will have them installed in their engines for now.

What Is Proper Fill?

One common mistake that can kill or damage an automatic transmission is improper filling. The accepted standard is that, with the engine running and the transmission fully warm, fluid should be level with the trans pan rail height. Mixing transmissions and dip sticks may produce an erroneous reading.

It is important to note that most trans builders, including those at TCI’s Kevin Winstead and the guys at PerformaBuilt automatics, as well as Lightweight Turbo 400 trans builder John Kilgore recommend overfilling or exceeding this level by roughly one quart for performance applications. The reasoning behind this is that high drag racing launches and high acceleration rates will push a certain amount of fluid away from the filter/pickup and towards the extension housing.

If the clutch is slipping, air that has leaked in during acceleration will come out again when it slows. This creates a vacuum, which pulls oil to be pulled into line pressure loss — a first step towards creating failure of the trans.

It is crucial not to over-fill the transmission because doing so may damage delicate parts and create a problem with transmission fluid. Transmission fluid should only be added until it reaches “1 quart” of capacity – fully warmed up, according to sources we spoke with during our research.

If you notice that the fluid begins coming out of the top, this indicates that it’s been overfilled, and you’ll need to dispose of some excess fluid as soon as possible.

 

Best Manual Transmission Fluid by Specifications

It is not difficult to choose an oil since car manufacturers indicate the recommended parameters and type (GL-4, GL-5) of transmission fluid in the instructions.

Basic requirements for the quality of transmission oil:

• Strong oil film.
• High protection at any temperature.
• Nonoxidizability under thermal action.

However, an incorrectly selected product will lead to additional loads and unpleasant consequences for the checkpoint.

 

GL-3

 

GL-4

 

GL-5

 

GLS

 

MA5

 

SJ

 

SL

 

SLF

WSS-M2C200-C. Available from dealer.

Last update on 2021-09-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API