Transaxle fluid

[fulscaltyz]

Dose anyone know of any other fluids that can be used in the neon manual trans? All the manuals that I have read recomend to use the mopar part#. It dose not tell you what type of fluid it is. I am tired of paying the dealer cost .

[Rabbit07]

ATF was used in later years, but Mobil 1 5w-30 works best.

[PSherm]

I've started using Royal Purple Synchromax, no problems yet. And it's half the price of the Mopar fluid.

[fulscaltyz]

:119: Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll use the opar fluid till I get a quaiff. I just changed it before my last race and it was fine. I had a half dozen races on it before I changed it.

[Chris Wire]

ATF was used in later years, but Mobil 1 5w-30 works best.
[/b]

So the Mopar fluid is not a "gear oil" like 75w90? I am renting a friend's car this weekend and wanted to change the transaxle fluid.

Can I really use Mobil 1 5w30?

The car is a 96 DOHC ACR.

Thanks.

[77ITA]

First and foremost, there is no need to change the transaxle fluid that often. Once a year should be fine unless you are doing a lot of enduros. There's also a magnet on the inside of the transmission case that picks up the chunky stuff, but it's only accessible during a re-build.

Anyway, the only suitable fluid for use in the NV T350 is the MS9417 Mopar NV T350 transaxle lubricant; p/n: 4773167 (may superseed to updated p/n)

Sometime around '02 or '03, MS9417 was superseeded to ATF for both service and factory-fill due to supply issues (I was a parts guy at a Dodge dealership then). It has since superseeded back to the original fluid, but at a cheaper list price and with a new design lable on the bottle.

The Mopar MS9417 fluid was specifically designed, produced, bottled, and sold for the NV T350 transmission. It is listed to contain unique friction modifiers and that's reason enough for me to use it.

Alternatively, Royal Purple cross-referances one of their lubricants for MS9417 but I have never used it. I've also never heard bad things from people using it or Redline... Who knows, the transmission could be fine with beer for a lubricant!

[Streetwise guy]

Instead of brass blocker rings in the synchro the Neons (and Cavaliers with the same box) have a 3 piece fibrous clutch type blocker. Quaker State makes a "Synchromesh" fluid that is the proper replacement, but its still $10 or so per liter. I have put the wrong oil in one and it WILL NOT shift without grinding. I'm afraid you're just gonna have to suck it up and pay the dough. I do think once a year on a race car is lots often for changing, its designed as a "lifetime" lube from the factory.

[Matt Rowe]

I've had good experiences running the reline MTL on the street cars and the track day neon. Typically it will handle cold temperatures far better as well as hot once the car/gbx is warmed up.

[ScotMac]

In my Fiero (yes may not translate), the recommended lube was originally 5-30w and then a GM *only* produced "Synchromesh" in the later cars. Sound familiar? I ran the Synchromesh for a while, but then switched to the redline MTL, and it is working well. YMMV.

-Scot

[GregM]

ATF was used in later years, but Mobil 1 5w-30 works best.
[/b]

We alway's ran the Mopar fluid. When I met Chris we switched to Mobil 1 without a problem.

I was sponsored in Grand Am Cup by Royal Purple. The only trans failures I ever had in my Cobra R's was from using their trans fluid and not the recomended SynchroMesh GM fluid for our Tremecs. Lost two trans in two cars in one weekend. That hurt. We went back to Synchromesh.

I am not big on switching from the proven. When Chris / Skytek / Fernandez said Mobil 1 that was good enough for me.