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Gjac's avatar
Gjac
Explorer III
Jun 16, 2014

480LE Transmission Fluid Change

I just got through removing the pan for a fluid change and went to the store, Walmart and Auto Zone and neither had Dextron III transmission fluid. The young girl at Auto Zone said it was replaced with Dextron/mercon. I look up on line for some answers and it said that it was a suitable replacement for Dexron III for passenger cars and light duty trucks nothing about HD trucks or MH's. Those of you with the older 480LE's what kind of fluid do you use? Last two times I changed the fluid I used Dextron III.
Class A
  • Born_To_Travel's avatar
    Born_To_Travel
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2014
    Try some other auto parts stores.. Dexron 3 is one of the most popular trans fluids out there... You are just getting bad advice... Also final torque the pan bolts to 10 ft pds. to keep from distorting the sheet metal pan...
  • MountainAir05's avatar
    MountainAir05
    Explorer II
    Jun 16, 2014
    Dexron VI is what is current. Read up . Have not seen 3 in many years here local.
  • Gjac's avatar
    Gjac
    Explorer III
    Jun 16, 2014
    Born To Travel wrote:
    Try some other auto parts stores.. Dexron 3 is one of the most popular trans fluids out there... You are just getting bad advice... Also final torque the pan bolts to 10 ft pds. to keep from distorting the sheet metal pan...
    tried another Auto Zone and all they carry is Dextron/mercon also. Thanks for the pan torque I had to soak mine in Kroil oil several days to loosen them. I have broken to many small bolts.
  • Gjac's avatar
    Gjac
    Explorer III
    Jun 16, 2014
    MountainAir05 wrote:
    Dexron VI is what is current. Read up . Have not seen 3 in many years here local.
    My last chg was about 4 years ago. Fluid still looked good and very little stuff on magnet inside pan but was 30k miles since last fluid chg. Dextron VI is a syn fluid and my trans has 99 k miles on it and does not leak. I do not want to create any leaks now.
  • Born_To_Travel's avatar
    Born_To_Travel
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2014
    You can use Dex 6, as it is backwards compatible.. But it is at the lower level for viscosity, Meaning it is already as thin cold as Dex 3 is hot... Do you really want that in a engine compartment that runs as hot as the enclosed engine in an RV?.. I run Dex 3 in my 1995 4l80e in my RV..
  • Bird_chaser's avatar
    Bird_chaser
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2014
    Worked heavy line for GM dealer which included 4L80. They were all changed over to D VI in 09. Be sure not to overfill this transmission as bad things will happen.
  • Gjac's avatar
    Gjac
    Explorer III
    Jun 16, 2014
    Born To Travel wrote:
    You can use Dex 6, as it is backwards compatible.. But it is at the lower level for viscosity, Meaning it is already as thin cold as Dex 3 is hot... Do you really want that in a engine compartment that runs as hot as the enclosed engine in an RV?.. I run Dex 3 in my 1995 4l80e in my RV..
    From my previous post I don't want to run syn in an 18 year old trans with 99 k miles on it. I decided to go with the Super Tech(Dextron/Mercon) from Walmart that is compatible with Dextron 3, which was nowhere to be found in my area.

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