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Automatic Transmission Fluids for the Dodge Ram 48RE


Megatron

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 Well its been a busy year and I haven't got to post much so today I'm going to try and catch up haha.

 

  Okay, my topic is about transmission fluids. Mainly Chrysler based ATF+4 transmissions. To back up a bit I have the 2006 Ram 3500 MegaCab with the Cummins and the problematic 48RE, I meant automatic 48RE lol. My truck is sitting around 80k miles with limited modifications for performance.

 

    At around 60 some thousand miles it started shuttle shifting (Check the forums here for those details and fixes). Those problems were fixed then but they have returned again recently with a twist. Shuttle shift and not wanting to shift out of first at all. I threw a couple small parts at it and in doing so I realized overall wear was a factor and I think a bad seal deep within needed replaced. Well at 80k miles you have to be honest with yourself and assume a rebuild for this transmission isn't out of the question. So with that prospect I did some research. To be honest the 48RE doesn't respond well to performance upgrades, at least not in a stock configuration.

 

  I know the topic is fluid and I will get to that. After doing the math on a local transmission shop to rebuild with upgrades versus getting a commercial built unit with some upgrades, I decided to buy commercially. My choice was the BD Performance 48RE Performance Plus transmission with billet triple disk torque converter and new billet flex plate. The transmission comes with a matching billet input shaft and the torque converter has an enhanced stall and a host of internal upgrades. I had planned for some power enhancement later so it seemed wise to get a better built transmission first. I also got a dual stacked extruded transmission cooler from BD with its own temp sensor and electric fan setup. The transmission kit also included a remote mount transmission filter that must be installed with the new transmission. The biggest gain was the 150,000 mile 36 month warranty which no local shops would offer (mainly 3 months, not good). That was a big factor in my purchase plus BD's reputation in the diesel community for quality products.

 

  Okay back to the topic lol. Now since this transmission is new and literally sitting on my shop floor now with zero miles, I wanted to start its life off with some quality fluids. This way I could truly track what its addition to service life would be and overall quality. After reading countless forums and web pages I think I have come to understand that Chrysler engineered the ATF+4 fluid specific for their transmissions and its very important that you run that specific fluid in them. Apparently they will let others duplicate this formula but they must follow guidelines and join the secret fraternity of fluids producers.... Maybe I'm right maybe I'm wrong??

 

 This post comes down to me wanting to run something like Royal Purple or Amsoil but not be steered either way by "I've run it for years with no problems". I'm more about the science. Yes others testimonial reports are helpful and appreciated but I like proven data. The Term "Snake Oils" comes up a lot when researching this topic. I know companies like Royal Purple have testing facilities and groups of mad scientist cooking stuff up and trying it out. My understanding is the ATF+4 is truly just a full synthetic fluid and anything less would be possible a mix of synthetics and dinosaur fluid.

 

  Now BD says to run factory recommended fluids. The new system should hold around 15 quarts (give or take a little). I know it will not be cheap to run any of the top shelf fluids. Normally I would say if you were changing fluids at 100k miles why change? Life expectancy isn't much further and the price to make the switch wouldn't pay back. Since I'm starting from zero I believe the expense will be justified assuming the top shelf fluids are truly better and not just a promotional stunt.

 

 I believe that there are fluid standards and companies like Amsoil reproduce add to these formulas with their own additives to reduce wear and shed heat easier. Much like engine oils, coolant and fuel itself. But I'm no expert nor do I have the ability or time to contact every person for their companies research paperwork lol. I'm hoping maybe someone here can shed some light on this topic or add to it. I have run Amsoil and Royal Purple in other applications before without problems and I believe both are quality products, however this BD transmission setup is close to a 10K investment in my truck. I want to see to it that it has the best fluids for a full service life and if 300$ now helps me out at 150k miles later, then I'm all in.

 

 Let me know what you all think and if you can point me in the direction of other topics here to research that would be great.

 

 I will take plenty of pictures of the transmission upgrade to share with you guys later..

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Great to see your post, Megatron!...I do understand busy and welcome your return, always worthwhile to other members and the large number of guests who frequent our forums!  Thanks for the thoughtful questions and the humor that never ceases to put a smile on my face when I read your comments.

 

I spent time at the 2014 SEMA Show visiting with the Sonnax crew.  Sonnax, as I've shared in the past, has the "fixes" for OEM quirks in automatic transmissions.  They have a variety of valve body plus major hard parts upgrades for the 48RE.  (Click to my coverage of the Sonnax valve body fix for the 48RE.)  The key tech person at Sonnax walked me through their line of "survival" items for the 48RE transmissions.  Since I do my own manual and automatic transmission rebuilding, when (not if) the time comes, Sonnax will be my source for upgrade parts and, more specifically, the survival items needed for the Chrysler/Ram truck 48RE automatic transmission.

 

The good news:  According to Sonnax, my favorite source for identifying and fixing the minor and major quirks in automatic transmissions, the 48RE is a great transmissions!  This uplifting view will come as a shock to those who cruise truck forums and find the cryptic remarks and negative comments about these transmissions.  Even in stock form, the 48RE bears the legacy of the A-727 three-speed automatic transmission, stepped up from a three-speed to a four-speed overdrive.  The overdrive design went through the A518, 42RE, 46RE and 47RE iterations before Chrysler boastfully claimed that the 48RE was its most rugged automatic transmission built to date.  (This coincided with a boost to 610 lb-ft torque and 325 horsepower from the Cummins 5.9L HO engine.)  This statement was reason enough for our purchase of the 2005 Ram 3500 4WD Quad-Cab with HO Cummins new in the fall of 2004. The truck just celebrated its tenth birthday.

 

There must be some truth to this, as both Sonnax and BD improve and upgrade this transmission.  BD would otherwise be selling a conversion kit for installing an Allison automatic behind a Cummins diesel engine...On that note, I stumbled onto such a mate-up.  A local CAT and heavy equipment repair facility bought two used 12-valve Cummins 5.9L ISB engines with Allison automatics attached.  The source:  worn out UPS delivery vans that went to scrap.

 

Anyway, with our confidence restored in the 48RE, and your healthy "investment" in the BD transmission with all of its performance and durability modifications in place, transmission fluid does come up as a survival and maintenance concern.  I cleave toward BD's recommendation on this one:  OEs know their transmission needs.  Without reducing the merits of Royal Purple or Amsoil products in the least, and I have used Amsoil in many performance applications over the years, the key to automatic transmission survival is a quality fluid that will work with the friction materials in the clutch assemblies and also overcome the critical issue of foaming.   

 

This insight came years ago around the issue of Ford Type-F transmission fluid versus GM Dexron.  Those of us with indelible grease under our fingernails recall the horror stories about using the wrong fluid in a Ford versus GM automatic transmission.  Eventually, Ford got tired of making a proprietary issue out of friction materials that demanded the use of a special ATF.  When I rebuilt vintage automatic transmissions professionally in more recent times, I was relieved to find that parts suppliers provided replacement clutch packs with Raybestos "universal" friction materials.  These frictions could survive with popular, readily available Dexron-based ATF chemistry.  Today, Ford recommends Dexron-Mercon ATF for its contemporary transmissions.

 

So, it's not about the planetary gear sets, bearings, thrusts or the heat factor, as a multitude of modern synthetic ATF brands can satisfy these needs.  The role that synthetic ATF plays is clear.  When I began promoting Mobil 1 ATF synthetic in the 1980s, data revealed a 50-degree Fahrenheit drop in fluid temperatures by simply switching to a synthetic base stock.  This is now an industry standard, as heat destroys automatic transmissions.

 

Considering that BD recommends "OEM" fluids, and presuming in the process that BD uses OE compatible friction materials in the build, I would stick to the OEM ATF or its equivalent.  Here, I want to be specific.  When referring to "equivalent", I don't mean "compatible".  We're concerned about the chemical engineering that goes into the replacement oil.

 

We could get carried away here and toss in with Mopar as the only source for our ATF-4 fluid.  I personally have used the Mopar ATF-4 and felt good about it.  There are Mopar sources online and elsewhere that will whittle the price substantially, so price is not always the deal breaker.  On the other hand, Mopar is not in the oil refining business, and its lubricants are private label products that come from reliable mainstream producers.  Surely Mopar dictates that these ATF products meet the needs of its transmission designs and engineering.

 

I'm not aware who fills the Mopar ATF-4 bottles with fluid, and if I knew, out of courtesy to the brand, I'd not broadcast the source.  However, it's safe to say that there are traditional oil producers at North America that do make equivalent products.  After engaging the debate on the Jeep AX15 manual transmission lubricant, a beaten to death topic across the 'net, I rediscovered something learned when I was a young adult and light/medium duty truck fleet mechanic in the late 1960s.  I worked closely with NAPA commercial parts, including Valvoline oil products.  The lesson was that companies like Valvoline offer specific lubricants for distinct applications.  When everyone had an opinion about the correct AX15 lube, I turned back to Valvoline, and they have some interesting things to share! 

 

After debating AX15 transmission lube to the point of exhaustion, I came up with the Valvoline manual transmission fluid catalog: Valvoline Transmission Lube Catalog.pdf.  For automatic transmissions, here's the Valvoline approach:  http://www.valvoline.com/products/consumer-products/automatic-transmission-products/automatic-transmission-fluid/.  Lo and behold, they have a Chrysler licensed and approved ATF-4 transmission fluid!  Here's the MSDS and some additional product details:  Valvoline ATF-4 Product Information.pdf.

 

So, you have pricing leverage at the least.  Licensed and approved is well beyond "compatible".  Valvoline ATF-4 is definitely an option.  Would I take the Valvoline approach?  Yes, if I could not find the Mopar label product at a reasonable fare.  Is this Valvoline the same oil?  Who's to say.  I will say that many fleet operators have a strong affinity for Valvoline products.  And what really matters here is two-fold: 1) what BD recommends for maintaining the warranty, and 2) how often you change fluid.

 

The latter point is crucial, as automatic transmission fluid does break down.  Most fluid changes are just the pan capacity drain and fill, which "replenishes the additive package" in trade parlance, it does not drain out nearly enough fluid to consider this a true change.  "In the day", including my history with automatic transmissions, the torque converter had a drain plug or two, and this enabled draining the converter with each fluid change—not failsafe but surely a lot more fluid exchanged. 

 

Automatic transmission flushing machines have become popular, and that appeals to me.  Some fast-lube centers offer this approach.  Unfortunately, many of these facilities do not drop the pan or change the filter, which I find scary.  Flushing plus a filter change make far more sense.  Pan dropped, you can see debris and signs of wear in the pan.  Unless instructed otherwise by the flushing machine manufacturer, I would clean the pan thoroughly and change the filter before flushing an automatic transmission. 

 

A remote filter with the BD transmission is actually a great feature. Presumably, the OE filter remains in place.  Right?   If this is a canister spin-on type filter, you can dissect the filter and check for metal and frictional material in the filter.  I would periodically drop the pan, inspect the debris, clean the pan and change the filter.  There is a periodic band adjustment on this transmission, which should be mentioned in the BD instructions or maintenance literature.  Back to flushing, this is the only way to clean out the converter unless BD has an alternative like a drain plug(s) on the torque converter.  Flushing is useful because the machine will exchange the fluid in both the transmission unit and the torque converter.

 

The BD sounds like one durable, rugged transmission build!  Your custom converter will help tremendously, too.  Do you know the converter stall speed?  You won't be shy about towing or any 5.9L Cummins mods now, and a 150K mile warranty is surely a sign of good faith on BD's part.  If you're drawn toward the Valvoline ATF-4, confirm with BD that the "licensed and approved" by Chrysler statement is proof enough that the fluid meets BD's standard.

 

Moses

 

 

 

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As always thanks for the detailed reply.

 

 To answer a couple of your questions,

1: Yes the factory filter stays in place. The external filter is a screw in style with hoses and a remote mount housing.

2: Yes the converter has a drain plug. Pretty cool feature I think. Beats drilling a hole and plugging it later lol

3: Enhanced stall I believe is a bit more than stock but nothing crazy like a high stall.

 

  I liked the Sonnax parts but I'm not at the mechanical level to take on the build myself. I don't fear disassembly or assembly, just my lack of experience would not have me knowing all the little details and having the correct tools to measure line pressures etc. There is something to be said for a shop that can test a transmission not in a running vehicle and testing components individually. That was another fear of my local shops. After visiting a few they just didn't have the equipment to do what BD offered. I'm sure the guys were skilled in the art and could do it blindfolded, I just wanted the most for the money.

 

 After posting I did find your article on transmission survival. Awesome write up. The 48RE isn't scary and weak by any means. I think it just had a few weak parts that didn't like additional pressure.   

 

As for the fluid advice. Royal Purple claims (on the bottle of their MAX-ATF) it is recommended as a direct replacement for Chrysler ATF+, ATF+2, ATF+3, ATF+4 and Chrysler Mopar AS68RC. Now I know what your saying about equivalent and replacement. I have a shelf of broken "Equivalent" parts ha-ha.

 

 To me it seems that RP should work just fine... Right?? lol

 

   I also agree with you and transmission fluid changes. I cant understand why anyone would think a fluid can survive for 100's of thousands of miles and not be replaced. I have always had transmissions flushed and changed out and always demanded a new filter be installed. We abuse these things daily by not letting them warm up, hauling heavy loads etc. That goes for all fluids in my opinion. If you cant afford to service the vehicle properly you shouldn't own it. Sadly this society is more about throw it away after it breaks instead of preventing it from breaking.. Rant over ha-ha.

 

  Over the next 2 days I plan on getting the swap completed. Adding the remote filter and cooler added a half of day to the swap but it should be worth it.

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Megatron, while my experience isnt with the newer 48RE, it is however with several older Dodge A518's, A500's, and A904's, one of which in now sitting in my back yard because i used the wrong fluid. Anyway, i have several early model Dakotas, notably from 1991 to 1995, and one 2000 Dakota, and i have went through a host of transmission issues with them. With the 1991, i had the transmission rebuilt, and instead of using ATF+4, which is what was recommended for it, i used Royal Purple, which was supposedly a direct equivalent, and less than 8000 miles later, it lost 4th gear, and started slipping in the other gears as well. I had it rebuilt, again, and this time, i actually used, to be honest, walmart brand ATF+4, and it lasted more than 90,000 miles, until i tried to tow way too heavy of a trailer and burnt it up again. I also have a 1993, with an A500, that my brother was using, and put 3 quarts of regular ATF in, which caused it to burn up in less than 10,000 miles. I know they are older Dakotas, but those lessons taught me that when it comes to Dodge trucks, using the wrong fluid will come back on you later.

 

As for the transfer case, i normally use a full synthetic ATF in the Dakotas, and i havent seem to have had any problems there so far.

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