Quote:
Why not use GM Part #U.S. 88861800?
Because that stuff is stupid expensive (as are all OEM fluids marketed at the parts counter by GM, Ford and others). When I bought one bottle, it was nearly $9/qrt when any DEX/Merc would have been 1/4 that price.
As for the story behind that fluid, here is the info:
That is the former DEX III fluid. GM directly says so; see the quote in red below.
This information applies to 2007 and prior GM passenger cars and trucks.
Dexron III is being phased out as a product name. It is being renamed Manual Transmission and Transfer Case Fluid and carries p/n 88861800 US (88861801 Canada).
If fluid p/n 88861800 US (88861801 Canada) is not yet available when servicing a manual transmission or transfer case, Dexron III can be used in its place.
DO NOT used Dexron VI in place of manual transmission fluid in any manual transmissions or transfer cases that specify Dexron III, as a failure may result.
When GM dropped the licensing of products for the DEX III, they still needed a service fill part number for the (former) DEX III applications instead of using their new DEX VI. Hence, it's called "manual transmission and transfer case fluid". It is the typical red color we see in so many ATFs. The GM fluid spec for that newly-named product is #9986252.
Be sure not to confuse that fluid spec with GM's other manual transmission fluid, which is a synchro-mesh type fluid (part #12345349). That fluid has the typical goldish-brown color.
Your application essentially calls for the use of ATF (what was formerly DEX III). Therefore, any decent Dex/Merc type fluid would work fine in your application. That includes any DEX/Merc equivalent (D3/M, Dex/Merc, DIII/Merc, etc etc etc) and any synthetic based "upgrade" to those fluids like Mobil 1 ATF, Amsoil ATF or ATD, Maxlife ATF, etc, etc.
Here is a picture of it:
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=120745&d=1313187746
The picture link is from a conversation I had over at DP about this fluid; I am the one who purchased that (grossly overpriced) bottle of GM fluid and posted the picture.
