GM Auto-trac II fluid

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Can anyone tell me anything other than "go to the dealer" about this auto-trac II fluid? What can replace it? What is the closest type of product?
I know someone who has drained it out of their 2005 trailblazer and discarded it. The dealer says they know nothing about the fluid. Only that it has a part number.
Has anyone analyzed it or does anyone have any ideas?
 
analysis might be nice. I should have 1/2 qt, ill try to find it and maybe will send it out.

It seems to be a blue-dye ATF. Surely it is improved in some way, but many systems specced for ATF were then specced for ATII, and many systems not specced for ATII do perfect on it.

JMH
 
I wouldn't call blue dye an improvement.
Its has a friction modifier to eliminate the chatter that the xcase suffers from when using regular DexATF. HFM'd ATF????

Royalpurple has a substitute.
I've used DexIII with a doubleshot of LubegardPlatinum.
 
Originally Posted By: unDummy
I wouldn't call blue dye an improvement.
Its has a friction modifier to eliminate the chatter that the xcase suffers from when using regular DexATF. HFM'd ATF????

Royalpurple has a substitute.
I've used DexIII with a doubleshot of LubegardPlatinum.





I feel sorry for your customers.

crazy2.gif
 
I feel sorry for those brainwashed by OE.
My customers don't have mechanical failures, even with known weak failure prone OE components. I must be doing something right.
 
Originally Posted By: unDummy
I wouldn't call blue dye an improvement.
Its has a friction modifier to eliminate the chatter that the xcase suffers from when using regular DexATF. HFM'd ATF????

Royalpurple has a substitute.
I've used DexIII with a doubleshot of LubegardPlatinum.


unDummy;

Just curious about something. What is the Royal Purple substitute for the Autotrak fluid? When I checked with them about a year ago the head of RP Tech( Mr. Canitz )told me RP does not make a fluid to replace it.

You aren't by any chance thinking of using Synchromax in place of Versatrak fluid are you?
 
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Search the RP website with the GM autotrak PN. But, you already know what you need.
 
Originally Posted By: unDummy
Search the RP website with the GM autotrak PN. But, you already know what you need.


The GM part# is 12378508. RP has nothing for it.
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Thanks. I wouldn't do it but you were right they do say they have a substitute. I was clicking on the tranny fluids. Never dawned on me to click the mfg. DUH!
happy2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: unDummy
I wouldn't call blue dye an improvement.
Its has a friction modifier to eliminate the chatter that the xcase suffers from when using regular DexATF. HFM'd ATF????


I didnt say that blue dye was an improvement. I said that it was effectively blue dyed ATF that surely was improved in some way compared to dex III.

I'm not going to mislead someone in stating to what extent the fluid is FM'd if I do not know. Your doubleshot of lubeguard might be fine... or it might not be optimal. Given the cost of lubeguard platinum, I dont see how that setup can be substantially cheaper than the actual correct fluid - unless a super cheap ATF is being used.

Most cases take what? 1-2 qts of ATII fluid? so at best youre saving $5-10?

JMH
 
The question here is not cost, but availability. The dealers do not stock it. Once they flew it in disguised as spare parts and did not get caught either by the airline or by customs.
(customs would have required analysis, IR scans, certifications by an agency that charges $200, and then 40% duty on top of all that.
The only dealer that imports oil is the Chevrolet/Suzuki one, and they are the Shell distributor for the country with Argentine Shell products.
 
What the Critic said is correct, there is only one approved product so if you can't get it that's a problem. It is, as others have said, a high FM DEXRON-III type product. Why not contact GM SPO and see if they have encountered this issue before.
 
If you cannot get the correct fluid, it's better to leave the factory fill in there than to change it out with some witches' blend.
 
We are talking about a lot of people who assume that every transmission or transfer case uses 80w-90. The lucky ones stop and ask when it comes out the wrong color.
 
Well first they don't use the same fluids (because they don't use the same materials).
Your next problem is that if you can't get the correct fluid, then what do you use?
I'm not sure what to say right because every alternative carries some degree of risk.
 
A neighbor of mine installed RP Synchromax in his Autotrac t-case... based on a dealer tech recommendation. When called, RP confirmed it was formulated for Autotrac, so he went with it. That's a year and 20K miles ago. No troubles.
 
You are right. It becomes a matter of trying to find all the alternatives and evaluate or guess the risks.
I ended up telling him to use a synthetic universal ATF (ATF+4, Mercon V, SP-3, etc.) and telling him to holler if it makes any noises.
I was between that recommendation and a synthetic motor oil. But I still want to know more.
 
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