Transmission Fluid

I have a dilemma about transmission fluid.

My car is a 1988 Dodge Aries with a 3 speed automatic that has operated
perfectly for over 150,000 miles. No problems at all.

Last month I had the transmission fluid changed. Right away after that the
1-2 shift has become slippy and sometimes there is a lag in downshifting
when I am decelerating then have to speed up again, resulting in a clunk.

The lube place put in Dexron II fluid.

Now, I know my 1990 LeBaron needs Plus3 fluid so I checked my Dodge Aries
factory manual and it says to use Plus 7176 fluid which you cannot but.
However, The Texaco web site says that Plus 3 is meant to replace Plus fluid
no problem in Mopars.

So I pick up a case of Plus 3 and go back to the lube shop who said they
would be happy to swap the fluid for me at no charge.

So I see the man and he shows me my tranny dip stick and it says to use
Dexron II in it.

What the heck????

The tranny says to use Dexron and the Chrysler Corporation says to use Plus
fluid.

I'd be happy with the Dexron except that immediately afterwards the tranny
starts to act different than before. Still better than my LeBaron but on an
old car, change in how something works is NOT a good think.

I want to keep this car because I am putting a daughter through college and
I don't really want to buy a new car. Special;ly since I rebuilt the engine
last year.

Anyway, can anyone enlighten me about what fluid to use.

My personal e-mail address is . Please cc me there
with any message.

Thanks.

Only one way to be 100% sure of the fluid type, There is a seven digit
number stamped on the rear of the transaxle oil pan flange. Take that
number to Dodge parts dept. That number tells all! It could of been a
late model car for that year and some changes were made.

Only one way to be 100% sure of the fluid type, There is a seven digit
number stamped on the rear of the transaxle oil pan flange. Take that
number to Dodge parts dept. That number tells all! It could of been a
late model car for that year and some changes were made.

"Dan Fraser" > wrote in message
news
> I have a dilemma about transmission fluid.
>
> My car is a 1988 Dodge Aries with a 3 speed automatic that has operated
> perfectly for over 150,000 miles. No problems at all.
>
> Last month I had the transmission fluid changed. Right away after that the
> 1-2 shift has become slippy and sometimes there is a lag in downshifting
> when I am decelerating then have to speed up again, resulting in a clunk.
>
> The lube place put in Dexron II fluid.
>
> Now, I know my 1990 LeBaron needs Plus3 fluid so I checked my Dodge Aries
> factory manual and it says to use Plus 7176 fluid which you cannot but.
> However, The Texaco web site says that Plus 3 is meant to replace Plus
fluid
> no problem in Mopars.
>
> So I pick up a case of Plus 3 and go back to the lube shop who said they
> would be happy to swap the fluid for me at no charge.
>
> So I see the man and he shows me my tranny dip stick and it says to use
> Dexron II in it.
>
> What the heck????
>
> The tranny says to use Dexron and the Chrysler Corporation says to use
Plus
> fluid.
>
> I'd be happy with the Dexron except that immediately afterwards the tranny
> starts to act different than before. Still better than my LeBaron but on
an
> old car, change in how something works is NOT a good think.
>
> I want to keep this car because I am putting a daughter through college
and
> I don't really want to buy a new car. Special;ly since I rebuilt the
engine
> last year.
>
> Anyway, can anyone enlighten me about what fluid to use.
>
> My personal e-mail address is . Please cc me there
> with any message.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
Just curious, why didn't you rebuild the trans. when you did the engine?
I've seen this happen before, new engine old tranny, tranny croaks shortly
there after. 150k miles on an automatic is lots, they don't last forever.

"Dan Fraser" > wrote in message
news
> I have a dilemma about transmission fluid.
>
> My car is a 1988 Dodge Aries with a 3 speed automatic that has operated
> perfectly for over 150,000 miles. No problems at all.
>
> Last month I had the transmission fluid changed. Right away after that the
> 1-2 shift has become slippy and sometimes there is a lag in downshifting
> when I am decelerating then have to speed up again, resulting in a clunk.
>
> The lube place put in Dexron II fluid.
>
> Now, I know my 1990 LeBaron needs Plus3 fluid so I checked my Dodge Aries
> factory manual and it says to use Plus 7176 fluid which you cannot but.
> However, The Texaco web site says that Plus 3 is meant to replace Plus
fluid
> no problem in Mopars.
>
> So I pick up a case of Plus 3 and go back to the lube shop who said they
> would be happy to swap the fluid for me at no charge.
>
> So I see the man and he shows me my tranny dip stick and it says to use
> Dexron II in it.
>
> What the heck????
>
> The tranny says to use Dexron and the Chrysler Corporation says to use
Plus
> fluid.
>
> I'd be happy with the Dexron except that immediately afterwards the tranny
> starts to act different than before. Still better than my LeBaron but on
an
> old car, change in how something works is NOT a good think.
>
> I want to keep this car because I am putting a daughter through college
and
> I don't really want to buy a new car. Special;ly since I rebuilt the
engine
> last year.
>
> Anyway, can anyone enlighten me about what fluid to use.
>
> My personal e-mail address is . Please cc me there
> with any message.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
Just curious, why didn't you rebuild the trans. when you did the engine?
I've seen this happen before, new engine old tranny, tranny croaks shortly
there after. 150k miles on an automatic is lots, they don't last forever.

HI could not find a number stamped into the pan. The bell housing has
424-24-B stamped in it. A 7 digit number you say. I'll keep looking.

Dan

"Daytona1" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> Only one way to be 100% sure of the fluid type, There is a seven digit
> number stamped on the rear of the transaxle oil pan flange. Take that
> number to Dodge parts dept. That number tells all! It could of been a
> late model car for that year and some changes were made.
>

HI could not find a number stamped into the pan. The bell housing has
424-24-B stamped in it. A 7 digit number you say. I'll keep looking.

Dan

"Daytona1" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> Only one way to be 100% sure of the fluid type, There is a seven digit
> number stamped on the rear of the transaxle oil pan flange. Take that
> number to Dodge parts dept. That number tells all! It could of been a
> late model car for that year and some changes were made.
>

I could not find the number on the bottom of the transmision so I asked a
Dodge dealer and they said to believe the manual. That they use +3 on all
late 80s FWD automatic transmissions.

So I bit the bullet, wrote off the $100.00 I spent on a transmission fluid
change a weeks before, bought 10 quarts of +3 and went to a different quick
lube place and they put it for $49.00.

I now have my transmission back. Its working again like it used to. Better
1-2 shifting and no clunking on down shifts.

You'd think that people who specialize in lube, who make it their life's
work would know this stuff.

How many Mopar transmissions have died because of this? I would have thought
Chrysler would have made sure all these places knew this stuff.

I could not find the number on the bottom of the transmision so I asked a
Dodge dealer and they said to believe the manual. That they use +3 on all
late 80s FWD automatic transmissions.

So I bit the bullet, wrote off the $100.00 I spent on a transmission fluid
change a weeks before, bought 10 quarts of +3 and went to a different quick
lube place and they put it for $49.00.

I now have my transmission back. Its working again like it used to. Better
1-2 shifting and no clunking on down shifts.

You'd think that people who specialize in lube, who make it their life's
work would know this stuff.

How many Mopar transmissions have died because of this? I would have thought
Chrysler would have made sure all these places knew this stuff.

Dan Fraser wrote:

> I could not find the number on the bottom of the transmision so I asked a
> Dodge dealer and they said to believe the manual. That they use +3 on all
> late 80s FWD automatic transmissions.
>
> So I bit the bullet, wrote off the $100.00 I spent on a transmission fluid
> change a weeks before, bought 10 quarts of +3 and went to a different quick
> lube place and they put it for $49.00.
>
> I now have my transmission back. Its working again like it used to. Better
> 1-2 shifting and no clunking on down shifts.
>
> You'd think that people who specialize in lube, who make it their life's
> work would know this stuff.
>
> How many Mopar transmissions have died because of this? I would have thought
> Chrysler would have made sure all these places knew this stuff.
===============================================

The people who run these lube places don't bother to LEARN what they
need to know. The information is out there, but maybe they service so
many GM and Ford cars that use Dexron, they consider it "Universal Fluid."

If "civilians" like most on this newsgroup know about the special
requirements of Chrysler transmissions, these "SO CALLED" professionals
sure should. In a lot of cases their own company manual says what they
SHOULD be using but the pimplefaced high school dropout who services
your car is either illiterate or too lazy to look it up.

He's also the one who either leaves your oil drain plug loose or strips
the threads tightening it.