The Automatic Transmission Fluid market has seen many significant changes in recent years. Each OEM is striving to have an exclusive fluid specifically designed for their transmissions. Incorporated into this development is the trend to require lower viscosity fluids, enabling the OEM to further improve fuel economy and meet associated federal fuel economy requirements. Most experts claim there are as many as 35 types of ATF in the marketplace.
At the end of 2006, all GM DEXRON® IIIH licenses expired. Likewise, on June 30, 2007 all Ford MERCON® licenses expired. This marked the first time in nearly two decades these specifications have not been met by the same fluid.
With the termination of these licenses, GM has now developed their DEXRON® VI specification. It is backwards compatible for applicable GM vehicles previously serviced by DEXRON® II or DEXRON® III fluids. The lower viscometrics makes this new fluid exclusive of other MERCON® fluids, including the new MERCON® LV, which possesses unique additives, distinguishing it from DEXRON® VI.
The chart above illustrates the inability for the fluids to meet the same viscosity specifications. The DEXRON® VI has a maximum viscosity of 6.4 cSt at 100ºC, whereas the MERCON® fluids have a minimum viscosity of 6.8 cSt at 100ºC.
Please contact your Universal Sales Representative or Technical Services for questions and information concerning the newer ATF formulations and applications.
As always, if you have any questions about our lubricants or your equipment applications, please feel free to callTechnical Services Dept. at 1-800-444-6457.
