JT-KGY

Anyone here change your own tranny fluid?

The user manual asks for P/N:88862472... and G85 or not doesnt seem to matter...
Is that what everyone is using?

I searched on the forum.. and I think someone said it's a 75w85 GL4... which I plan on
running the Amsoil equivalent for it...

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtg.aspx

Thoughts?

jsscooby

Sub'd

BRHumbert

I am going with the stuff recommended in the manual. This will explain why https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/drivetrain-79/tranny-fluid-140474/. Look through that thread and find posts mentioning our transmissioin. I believe Amsoil MTG was mentioned as a not so good substitute for the recommended stuff.

orbalt08

iTrader: (4)

i believe the gm oil has special additives specific for our cars

edit: Here is a post from Maven

Syncromesh isnt designed for either Cobalt manual transmission.

The F23 in the 2.2/2.4 uses Dexron VI
The F35 in the 2008-9 2.0's uses P/N:88862472
this is a new number than was used for the 2004-2007 trans'. This "new" fluid is a 75w85 GL4 GM switched to this to help fuel economy, and make the synchros happy, its also available from Mitusbishi(the EVO 6speed uses it) as DiaQueen, and its actually Castrol Syntrans, if you want non dealer specific stuff. Its not cheap because its synthetic, but its good stuff, it also gets used in the big NVG4500 trans in trucks.

And btw I dont know where youre getting your info, but Synchromesh isnt used in high end GM transmissions. Its the stuff that went in the crappy NV1500 of S10 fame, and lots of older transmissions. All the new "high end" cars (Vette, CTS, CTS-V, Monaro, etc....) all use either "Manual Transmission Fluid" otherwise known as Dexron III, or they use 75w90 GL5 just like the F35 in the IRL and SS/SC(the Solstice uses 75w90 but in GL3 spec)


Quote:
Originally Posted by ikeryder13
I am gonna be replacing my clutch and i need to know how much i have to use and what weight?

If youve got an F23 you need Dexron VI if youve got an F35 you need a GL5 rated 75w90

2qts will be enough for either trans. Just fill up till it comes out the hole.

80vetteL82

Why are you changing it already? How many miles on your car? Usually these fluids last a while.

Fulton 1

iTrader: (1)

I changed mine at ~ 5000 miles. I normally use Redline fluids, but decided to stick with the OEM 21018899 in this case. Mine took just over 1.5qts to fill.

007G5GT

"Why are you changing it already? How many miles on your car? Usually these fluids last a while. "

^^x2, GM says the stuff in the '08+ tranny is rated for life and doesn't need to be changed. I don't think I'll go that far but unless you're dropping the trans to swap clutches or something it doesn't need to be done before 50,000 miles.

"The MU3 (F35) uses a Castrol Burmah (BOT 0063) manual transmission fluid, and is validated as "fill-for-life". No maintenance is required for normal operation. "

That is straight from the GM MU3 (F35) transmission summary doc for the 08+ models.

Fulton 1

iTrader: (1)

I always change my manual trans fluid within the first 5k miles. When you clean off that magnet you'll see why

007G5GT

That's what the magnet is for though, to catch that stuff. The magnet may be full of shavings yes, but that doesn't mean your trans fluid is... at least not to a point that will affect your transmissions performance. Re-drain the fluid after another 10,000 miles and the magnet will have just as many shavings on it. It doesn't mean you need to drain your fluid every 10k miles, it means the magnet is doing it's job. I'm not going to go so far as NEVER change the stuff like GM says you can, but every 40-50K will work.

I dunno, just seems like a waste to me, GM designed and tested it that way for a reason but to each their own.

JT-KGY

exactly.. then change it every 15k thereafter....

maybe I'll just do one change with oem fluid...


I read that other tranny fluid thread...

Maven recommended "Redline 75w90 NS" which is a GL5 fluid.... putting GL5 fluid
in GL4 transaxles is usually a ?? Isnt it?

New Creation

I changed the tranny to Royal Purple Syncro oil. The shifts feel like they a greased. It seems to be much smoother shifting than with the Dex VI.

Fulton 1

iTrader: (1)

Its been my experience that the more "clogged" that the magnet is the less efficient it is at capturing the shavings. On vehicles equipped with a magnetic engine drain plug (unlike these Cobalts, unfortunately) you can clearly see the volume of metal shavings reduced after just the first couple of oil changes. In gearboxes and differentials that have no filtration and therefore can't do much except keep the shavings in suspension when the magnet becomes "clogged" my preference is to change the fluid more frequently than GM's recommendations - at least during the first 5-10k miles. After that I usually go with a 2 yr/25k interval. Two qts of the OEM fluid costs me something like $25 from my local dealer so its cheap insurance. I do UOA with my engine oil, but with the differentials and gearboxes it usually costs me less just to swap the fluid and be done with it.

Maybe its a waste, but this approach has served me very well over the last couple of decades and the two dozen or so GM vehicles I've owned during that time. YMMV, of course.

Staged07SS

iTrader: (25)

there is no reason to be changing your tranny fluid already. waste of time and money.

JT-KGY

bought some tranny fluid today... minimum order is 6 qts.. so I got more than I need...
so if anyone wants to do some DIY fluid change.. I'm more than happy to sell just 2 qts to you.

sport-o!

i was at a recent corvette show and spoke to a amsoil rep....currently there is NOTHING available for the 08' or 09' ss/tc trans. this gentleman called headquarters (as i was standing there and on speaker phone). we also looked it up on the site...you can put in our specific vehicle and there it will explain what we need...

JT-KGY

Yup.. I wrote to Amsoil myself.. and the tech told me that there are currently no fluid for
the SS/TC trans just yet...

I think it's b/c that it's a lifetime fluid... ?? :?

Personally I think the GL-4 fluid should work... I put that in my Evo transaxle back then...
I wouldnt put in GL-5 fluids though...

blackbird

GM references Castrol Burmah BOT 0063 as the fill for the F35. Castrol Burmah is not a type of fluid but is the name of their division in South Africa that produces this fluid. If you do a search you won't find BOT 0063 but GM Powertrain shows BOT 0063 or BOT 0402 as the fluids for this transaxle. That fluid is actually BOT 402 and my guess is that the BOT 0063 is fluid made specifically for GM and is their number for it.

There's a tech bulletin for the BOT 402 fluid at this link. The MSDS can be found here. It is a synthetic 75w90 manual trans fluid meeting API's GL-4 specification and also used in all Opel manual transmission worldwide according the document.

I personally wouldn't be trying random fluids in this transaxle and stick with the factory fill. It's sealed/fill-for-life but if you want to change it every so often, say 50-60k miles, I'd pay for the GM fluid or maybe see if it's cheaper at the Saab dealer. GM says you don't need to change it, and while I can understand some people maybe uncomfortable with that, I also can't understand how some of those same people are willing to try a possibly incompatible fluid that very well could lead to increased wear and/or damage.

Could you find another GL-4 75w-90 gear oil that might work okay? Possibly, but I don't want to risk my powertrain warranty on it. This transaxle has been around since 1984 and Saab had a lot more issues with it in the early years. They've manage to refine and strengthen it over the years and I'd trust their recommended fluid. You can find other Castrol 75w-90 oil such as Castrol TAF-X but if you compare the properties of these fluids to the BOT 402 it appears Saab/GM specified a unique formulation for their transmissions.

JT-KGY

blackbird,

thanks for the detailed info on the fluid...

I think that the amsoil fluid will work... but like you said.. I wouldnt risk a tranny for it
especially after amsoil told me that they do not have a fluid for our car. And it's the exact
reason that I bought the GM fluids...

As for whether to change out the fluid or not... I think it's good to change it out once at
least in the lifetime of the car... to get rid of all that metal shavings made from breaking in
the tranny... I plan to do it at around 10k miles.

damn.. i forgot to mention.. that I bought the GM tranny fluids... part#88862472...

fakameanrepresent

iTrader: (4)

so minimum is 6 quart huh? i thought you can just walk in to the dealership and just get the amount that you need.

JT-KGY

paid $19.5x a bottle.. so I'm hoping to sell two bottles to someone local... and keep 4 for
myself... you can walk in to the dealer and ask for a quote for a single bottle... let me
know, how much..