Synthetic Dexron III recommended in '96 or '99 Camry transmission?

Is synthetic tranny fluid recommended on the '96 or '99 automatic
tranny?

I've read some posts saying it's beneficial, and at least one post
saying the car wouldn't run very well afterwards.

I'm thinking of doing a drain-and-fill with new fluid, and wondering
if I should stick to Castrol or go with Mobil1 synthetic.

Thanks,

Michael

On Oct 10, 11:21 am, mrdarr...@ wrote:
> Is synthetic tranny fluid recommended on the '96 or '99 automatic
> tranny?
>
> I've read some posts saying it's beneficial, and at least one post
> saying the car wouldn't run very well afterwards.
>
> I'm thinking of doing a drain-and-fill with new fluid, and wondering
> if I should stick to Castrol or go with Mobil1 synthetic.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Michael

I'm sure the synthetic wouldn't hurt anything... but I think you'd be
better off doing several drain and fills using a good quality
conventional Dex III, than just one drain and fill with syntetic.

I have a '93 4 cyl auto with almost 200,000 miles and the trans is
perfect with simple drain and fills every 20,000 or so with regular
dexron III. Never used synthetic.

On Oct 10, 3:16 pm, clomi...@ wrote:
> On Oct 10, 11:21 am, mrdarr...@ wrote:
>
> > Is synthetic tranny fluid recommended on the '96 or '99 automatic
> > tranny?
>
> > I've read some posts saying it's beneficial, and at least one post
> > saying the car wouldn't run very well afterwards.
>
> > I'm thinking of doing a drain-and-fill with new fluid, and wondering
> > if I should stick to Castrol or go with Mobil1 synthetic.
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > Michael
>
> I'm sure the synthetic wouldn't hurt anything... but I think you'd be
> better off doing several drain and fills using a good quality
> conventional Dex III, than just one drain and fill with syntetic.
>
> I have a '93 4 cyl auto with almost 200,000 miles and the trans is
> perfect with simple drain and fills every 20,000 or so with regular
> dexron III. Never used synthetic.

I notice better shifting and downshifting and power

mrdarr...@ wrote:
> Is synthetic tranny fluid recommended on the '96 or '99 automatic
> tranny?
===
I run Mobil 1 synthetic ATF with 8 oz. Lucas Transmission Fix as
preventative maintenance.
Drain and fill regularly to keep the fluid clean.
==
Synthetic lubricants are more resistant to temperature breakdown, that
is viscosity changing at higher operating temperatures.
Over heating transmission fluid can kill transmissions, also dirty
fluid, so the syhthetic is extra insurance, but may not provide any
real world benefit for cars driven normally.
I maintain mine to the utmost, so I use the synthetic Mobil 1 ATF.
Now keeping the radiator, coolant, thermostat, radiator cap, etc., in
top condition are also important, because the transmission cooler
("heat exhanger") is in the lower radiator tank.
==
One reason I use all synthetic fluids (power steering also) is that
occasionally I do run the car hard and or fast and expect it to
operate flawlessly forever.
The odd thing about the Gen 3 Camry, is that with ideal maintenance,
it probably can last forever.
My 1977 Toyota pickup is still running strong.

Synthetics do have better operational properties. However, with the
Aisin A series transmissions you also need to consider the amount of
clutch and brake band material that gets dumped into the fluid. So
with either the synthetic oil for the engine or synthetic ATF, you
still have to change no later than the specified intervals. Never play
the extended drain interval game on Toyotas -- they're not designed
for it.

The likes of the ZF Friedrichshafen and the new compact GM 6T/6L
clutch-to-clutch transmissions are sealed and require no ATF changes.
But these use much harder clutch materials that wear a lot less.

Ideally you should drain and refill no longer than 12-15K miles if you
don't sell the car back after 5 years when Toyota starts mailing you
all the ads about new a car. I do mine at 7.5K miles (and strainer at
15K) because the fluid gets dirtier than I like (but some may say it's
OK, so YMMV).

Valvoline GM-Dexron III conventional fluid is about $2 a quart these
days. Less than $10 each drain, cheap enough.

If you never ever pulled the pan and change out the strainer, consider
doing that too. Fram ATF kit with strainer and cork rubber gasket
costs about $20. Just follow Haynes directions.

On Oct 10, 8:21 am, mrdarr...@ wrote:
> Is synthetic tranny fluid recommended on the '96 or '99 automatic
> tranny?
>
> I've read some posts saying it's beneficial, and at least one post
> saying the car wouldn't run very well afterwards.
>
> I'm thinking of doing a drain-and-fill with new fluid, and wondering
> if I should stick to Castrol or go with Mobil1 synthetic.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Michael

Pszemol wrote:
> Does it mean that synthetic has simply no longer life because
> the same amount of clutch dust will be dumped into the fluid?
==
That's what he's saying, just hasn't been my experience.
Perhaps because I always leave the ECT power set on, ('94) or don't
slip the clutches very much, for whatever reason the transmission
fluid (synthetic) has stayed quite clean, and the times I've removed
the pan it is also spotless, but then I'd been changing the fluid with
each oil change to protect and extend transmission life, so just
recently switched to every other oil change, unless the fluid remains
as clean as it is now, may let it go longer.