Fluid and filter change SuperTech Dexron VI good?

[901Memphis]

No reason to buy a name brand Dex 6. I don't believe there is even a difference in the base oils between Supertech or name brand. Some people like to say Supertech is only a semi synthetic but I'm fairly sure it's similar to atf+4 where it's all about the same.

You really can't go wrong with either fluid. If you want to buy name brand it's your money, nothing wrong with brand loyalty.

 

[Ken2]

The performance specs for Dex-VI can't be met by a conventional base oil. Synthetic blend or better is needed to reach the required performance. Any Dex-VI will be a syn-blend unless the label says it is full syn.

 

[PhillyJoe]

My '07 Grand Prix specs Dex VI. When I went looking last week most of the major brands, Mobil, Castrol, etc. were blends. Valvoline VI and Maxlife were the only synthetics.
Since I couldn't find Valvoline VI locally and my car was over 100k, I went with Maxlife for $18.99/gal at AZ.

 

[901Memphis]

Just because Supertech doesn't say its synthetic, doesn't mean its not.

 

[MileHigh18]

Any way to find out if ST is synthetic ?

 

[901Memphis]

Doubtful to find out for sure, but in reality it doesn't matter as the cost to performance is top of the mark.

 

[MileHigh18]

Would u put it in a tranny with 114K though?

 

[kschachn]

Why, isn't that enough?

Originally Posted By: MileHigh18
Would u put it in a tranny with 114K though?

 

[MolaKule]

Originally Posted By: MileHigh18
Would u put it in a tranny with 114K though?


I don't know what year your TB is but we have two in the family that I have been running test fluids through, a 2006 with an I6 engine and a 2008 with the 5.3L engine but with the same tranny.

I used GM Dexron VI, Val Maxlife, ST DexronVI, Quaker State synthetic UATF, Redline D6 and my own in-house developed VI fluid.

In my daughters 2006 TB with 154,000 miles, my fluid and Maxlife shifted the best.

In my 2008 TB with 80,000 miles my fluid and Redline D6 shifted the best of all the fluids.

Our FS DexVI fluids are still undergoing extended OCI testing.

I have not run Amsoil LV in our testing but have seen good reports on it's shifting and longevity.


But the point is, with the current additive technology and quality of base oils, any DexronVI ATF out there is going to perform well.

 

[gomes512]

Our '03 TB has been chugging along the past 60K or so on SuperTech Dex 6. Even with the boat towing in the summer the fluid has stayed cherry red. No problems to report here.

As for drain plug, I just drilled a hole in the pan and installed one of those $5 drain plug bolts. Doesn't get 100% of the fluid out of the pan but it'll drain out a nice 3 qts everytime.

 

[gonefishin]

Except for the factory fill, my Trailblazer transmission has only seen Valvoline Dex VI. I currently have 108K miles. My advice would be to use any brand Dex VI fluid. About 50K back, I installed an auxiliary trans cooler.....cheap addition insurance.

 

[ChrisD46]

MileHigh18 & others : I Just picked up a used '02 TB LTZ (2WD) with 80K miles on it - while most fluids looked good , the ATF was dark reddish brown so I assume it has not been changed before . Do you know the first ATF recommended drain & fill schedule for that TB , how many qrts. it approx. takes for a drain & fill and lastly the drain bolt size ? Thank you for any details you can provide !

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: bvance554
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Buy and use the Super Tech Dex VI with confidence.

It is a licensed GM product which means it has undergone strict quality and specification controls. The Valvoline product can't say that. The SuperTech Product is I believe, a product of Citgo which is known for making high quality fluids like the other major oil companies.


+1. With confidence.


+2

 

[MileHigh18]

Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
MileHigh18 & others : I Just picked up a used '02 TB LTZ (2WD) with 80K miles on it - while most fluids looked good , the ATF was dark reddish brown so I assume it has not been changed before . Do you know the first ATF recommended drain & fill schedule for that TB , how many qrts. it approx. takes for a drain & fill and lastly the drain bolt size ? Thank you for any details you can provide !


11.3 quarts is a full ATF change, and a filter change and pan drop gets out about 5qts according to the owner's manual. I just bought mine 2 months ago, and I've changed the fluid in the front and rear diffs, and changed out the transfer case fluid as well. If you're unsure whether or not the services have been done like I am, go ahead and do them ASAP. I just got my tranny filter today and plan on doing a pan drop and filter change. I plan on using Super Tech Dexron VI which is 4.27 a qt at our local WalMart. I'm gonna pick up 6qts just to make sure I have enough, but like I said, the owner's manual states 5qts for a pan drop.

There is no drain bolt for the transmission pan unfortunately, unless the previous owner of your trailblazer added one to the pan. You just have to loosen the bolts so one end sags and starts to allow fluid out. The rear diff has a drain and fill bold, and all that takes is a 3/8 drive. Rear diff holds 2qts, I use Mobil 1 75w-90 full synthetic, and front holds a little under 1qt but I went ahead over filled it by a hair. Also note that some Trailblazers have a deep tranny pan and some have a shallow pan. Make sure you figure out what pan you have before you get your filter. Hope this helps. Any other questions, just let me know.

 

[oilmutt]

Go for the Dorman transmission pan. Got one from AZ for $50.Each time we drain it we get about 5.5 quarts, verses 7 quarts when drop the pan and change the filter.Since we broke off the head of one of the 12 bolts on the SATURN pan were never going back to dropping the pan!

 

[strat81]

Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
MileHigh18 & others : I Just picked up a used '02 TB LTZ (2WD) with 80K miles on it - while most fluids looked good , the ATF was dark reddish brown so I assume it has not been changed before . Do you know the first ATF recommended drain & fill schedule for that TB , how many qrts. it approx. takes for a drain & fill and lastly the drain bolt size ? Thank you for any details you can provide !


My advice is to change all of the fluids on a used vehicle of unknown pedigree. It's not terribly expensive and it gives you a baseline to start from. You can also switch to synthetic fluids which generally offer extended drain intervals, better protection, better economy, etc.

Severe service interval for the GMT360 platform is fluid and filter every 50k miles. The whole system contains around 12-16 quarts of fluid depending on who you ask, with about 4-5 quarts coming out from a pan drop.

I've never seen a GMT360 with a transmission drain plug from the factory, although it may exist. You'll need to crawl under there to see if you have a shallow or deep pan.

When you drop the pan, you can add a drain bolt if you want, or install a new pan with a drain already installed.

The 2002 GMT360s were spec'd for DexIII, but DexVI has replaced DexIII and works fine in the 4L60E. I run Valvoline Maxlife Dex/Merc in mine.

 

[MileHigh18]

Just picked up 6qts of ST DEXVI fluid. Not that I had a choice, as no one around me stocked Valvoline Maxlife ATF. It was ST or Castrol Transmax Dex/Merc.