Preffered Manual Trans Fluid for a 420a?

[dolph8886]

Hello everyone,
I have recently purchased a 1999 Eclipse RS 420a/5spd and am getting parts and fluids together to do routine maintenance. The car has 72,000 miles on it and I do not have service records of any kind. I plan on owning this dsm for some time and put atleast 500 miles a week on it (mostly interstate driving).

Well, enough with the rambling.

I was planning on running a mix of Redline MTL / MT-90 in hopes that it will make shifts smoother while still providing protection but after doing some searching on dsmtuner and dsmtalk forums I am unable to determine what I should use.

Please recommend or not, the preffered fluid from your experiences(please take into consideration that I will be doing mostly hwy speeds and driving as well as mostly taking it easy)

1.Mix of Redline MTL/MT-90
2.Pennzoil Synchromesh
3.BG Synchroshift
4.TEXACO MTX Fluid FM (or rather the stuff from the dealer)
5.Other

 

[92ArcticTSi]

pennzoil syncromesh as per John Shepherd's reccomendation.

 

[dolph8886]

Thanks for the input 92ArcticTSi, until now I didn't know who he was or what he did.
I checked out his website and yes, he recommends most dsm owners to use pennzoil
synchromesh.
As of yet I have no plans of racing & modding my 420a so I picked up some synchromesh at the Zone.

Maybe this thread will help others make a decision and thanks to everyone who has/is voting

 

[Spoolin4Ever]

Straight MT90 or mix of MT90 and shockproof.

BG is great if you have a 2G tranny or a shep rebuild, but not on a worn 1G tranny.

 

[Blk95gs]

GM Synchromesh.

 

[ZiggysDSM]

GM Synchromesh.

Pennzoil and GM synchromesh are the same thing just a different part number and you pay more at GM

 

[Talon ESI-T]

Woah hold on...DO NOT take advise from a 4g63 guy on the 420a trans. This is critical. USe only ATF +4 from mopar unless you had the trans rebuilt with brass synchro's. Gear lube will eat the lining on the Synchro. You want pictures, i have them. I rebuild the NVT-350 trans in my spare time and trust me gear lube will eat em up and this is common problem.

BG synchroshift has worked fine but no one can comment on the useage past 1.5 years so far on 2gnt. The 2GNT trans is a totally different design than the 4g63 getrag trans.

The factory synchro's have a fiber type lining that is very much like the lining on an automatic trans clutch plate.

IF you have not worked with a Non Turbo Trans, do not comment on the useage of fluid!

Terry

 

[dolph8886]

Whoa, Thanks Talon ESI-T I have already purchased some pennzoil synchromesh but have yet to put it in.
So what you are saying is that I should not run this in my 420a/2GNT tranny?
Where can I get ATF +4?dealer?

Any additional help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Talon ESI-T]

Unless you know someone who has ran it in his trans for more than a year, i wouldnt use it. so far the only aftermarket fluid that hs been tested is the BG synchromesh. Our Synchros are very easily damaged and our trans is not cheap to rebuild. the kit alone which only comes with bearings and brass synchros is 400.00. that doesnt come with the forks, dogs, dog teeth, or sliders. Those additional parts are all dealer and add up quick.

ATF +4 is dealer only 8.00 a qt and you need 2.1 q to fill the trans. Its actually cheaper than the older dealer fluid that was used......that fluid was 16.00 a qt.

Terry

 

[dolph8886]

Well, I took your recommendation and dropped by a mopar dealer and the parts guy had no Idea what I was asking for (even gave the transmission code NVT-350) so I went to a mitsubishi dealer and the parts person knew exactly what I needed even though it was 13.35 a qt.

I know the fluid needs to be changed every 30,000 miles according to a TSB on alldata, the car currently has 72000 miles and I do not have records indicating if the fluid has ever been changed.

Will simply changing to fresh fluid help the way shifting feels? Or should I get some BG Synchroshift 1or2 if shift quality does not improve? (you did say BG is a tested aftermarket fluid?)

 

[mitsuclipsegsx]

For n/a you only want the stuff from the dealer.

 

[Talon ESI-T]

Mitsu sold you the old stuff, no problem really.

For future, go to dodge and ask for the ATF +4. That fluid supercedes the older fluid, new venture no longer uses the fluid Mitsu sold you. Exile racing contacted New Venture (who makes your trans) to verify and they agreed.

Too bad ATF +4 is dodge only and cant be purchased in a parts store.

Terry

 

[dolph8886]

this is what I was given by the mitsu dealer, when I asked the mopar guy about atf+4 he said something about only 2003+ vehicles used it or something like that so I took off. I attached an image of the stuff I bought is this the new or old stuff?

 

[Talon ESI-T]

yup thats the stuff, i think i still have the remainder of a quart left in my oil cabinet. The ATF +4 is what you can use in the future. New Venture is still making the neon trans for 03 and up. The 03 3.94 neon trans is the same trans you have in your 2GNT. The SRT 4 trans is different but still uses the same material in the synchro's.

Terry

 

[dolph8886]

Thanks Terry, there must be a reason they switched to atf+4? I guess next time I will say I need some ATF+4 for a 2003 Neon w/5spd.

 

[Talon ESI-T]

The reason they switched is probably the same reason they do everything....its cheaper for production.... Seriously, if new venture can design a fluid that works in automatics as well as thier manual synchro's then fluid stock is easier and cheaper to deal with. the fluid you have is fine, just use the atf +4 next time to save some money. If you ask the mopar parts guy for the fluid chart they have.....it will show you to use the ATF +4. when i went last month i told the guy he was wrong and he proved it to me.....i left feeling like an A$$ for not knowing and trusting what I was told previously.

Terry