AW71 ATF options?

[Casheye]

Originally Posted by RollingThunder

BTW, my 'take' on the drop'n'refill vs cooler line method is this:

If the fluid is black, that discolouring is likely due to debris from worn clutch plates as much as discolouring due to overheating. That debris is compensating for the clutch plates being worn - its passing between the clutch plates and assisting the friction between the plates, so if you then remove all the debris (using the cooler line method of fluid change), then all of a sudden that assistance is removed and the gearbox fails. This, I believe, is where all the doom n gloom reputation of gearboxes faling after using this methd comes from.

Using the drain and refill method still removes some of the debris, maybe about a third at each change, but as there is still a significant amount of debris in the system, the gearbox continues to work, albeit at a reduced efficiency I'd guess. The gearbox is still knackered, but its struggling along lol.

That is my very unscientific and totally unproven belief anyway

That was my thinking too. I've just replaced what was in the sump and I'll drive it for a while and see what happens. So far so good, Gear changes seem a bit smoother but that could just be a placebo effect.