jonathan909 Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 Now I don't know what the hell is up with ATF anymore. Can someone tell me which fluid I should be using in this '06 OBW? I mean, something I can actually find around here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 Standard Dexron (used to be frequently labeled as Dexron/Mercon) used in Subarus for about 50 years. It is confusing - some labels downplay the 50 year standard Dex/Merc labeling standardized by the entire industry and owners manuals. I see “Asian Fluid”, “Foreign Vehicle”, “Compatible with…” and trademarked brands where you have to read the small print to find out it’s just the same old Dexron. Lame sauce. Subaru has good fluid too and it can be cross referenced to Idimetsu 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan909 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 So you're saying standard-issue, off-the-shelf Dexron is okay for this one? Which Dexron (there are so many...)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 9 hours ago, jonathan909 said: So you're saying standard-issue, off-the-shelf Dexron is okay for this one? Which Dexron (there are so many...)? Yes. Dex III or the newer Dex Vi. That’s practically all that’s available. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 Valvoline MaxLife is a good value. Did the Canadian '06 get the 5 speed trans?, that would need OEM or Idemitsu I think - especially in cold weather???? I may be confused when the spec changed and which trans..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan909 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 Good question - not my car, largely unfamiliar. I'd like to say "I dunno", but I think it may have been a US market car - speedo has big-number miles and little-number kms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan909 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 Fwiw, faxvin.com says 4-speed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan909 Posted May 10, 2022 Author Share Posted May 10, 2022 So the group's considered opinion is Dexron III or Dexron VI? Any further confirmation or dissent? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted May 10, 2022 Share Posted May 10, 2022 It's my understanding that there was some kind of trademark-related reason stuff couldn't boldly declare DEXRON and had to start saying they were Dex-comaptible. W'ever, plenty of folks do great with Valvoline MaxLife or similar, name brand dex-compaitble. Or, get OEM. trivia; the original Dexron (was not really Dexron 1 as they didn't know there would be a 2 or 3, etc.) had a small percentage of whale oil in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan909 Posted May 10, 2022 Author Share Posted May 10, 2022 Oh. Trademark lawyers. That sheds a whole different light on it. Ask me sometime about why Intel switched to naming (rather than numbering) their chips when the 486 made way for the Pentium... Trivia: Yup, sperm whales, in fact. And it started out as a pretty high percentage, as I recall. They had to get smarter about it when it became obvious that the whales would become extinct if the fluids weren't reformulated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 12, 2022 Share Posted May 12, 2022 Honestly you could probably run just about anything in the old 4 speed transmission - Dexron, 10w hydraulic oil, even 15w40 motor oil. The military has variously used all of these in Allisson auto transmissions for decades and as well as HMMWV's that have had 4L60's, turbo 400's, and more recently the 4L80E's. All used under pretty ugly conditions. My 26,000lb truck came with 15w40 in it's Allisson and it was built in 2008. I've even run across a couple EARLY Legacy's with Dex in the front differential. Seemingly to no real problem - one in particular was a 1990 that had well over 300k on it when it was finally retired. Ran ATF in the front for 200k miles that I know of. It's more about proper maintenance and observing the intervals of fluid changes - which does depend on what fluid you are running - some have longer life than others. Oil analysis is the best bet here. GD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted May 12, 2022 Share Posted May 12, 2022 interesting - probably explains the Mitsubishi a friend used to drive - it speced ATF for the 5spd manual! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 13, 2022 Share Posted May 13, 2022 4 hours ago, 1 Lucky Texan said: interesting - probably explains the Mitsubishi a friend used to drive - it speced ATF for the 5spd manual! That's quite common. It calls for ATF in my Firebird with the Tremec T5. Plenty of Honda's run 5w30 in their manuals. The world record 1.0 liter Justy used ATF in it's manual to reduce friction. GD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan909 Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 GD, thanks for that - very interesting and informative. Puts the lie to what we've been told all these years about the importance of friction-modifying additives in ATF. Fwiw, Walmart's house brand Dexron VI / Mercon LV specifically mentions compatibilty with Subaru ATF and ATF HP, so if one insists on playing by the rules it isn't that hard to find after all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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