Toyota parts seller on T-IV ATF: "It's just Dextron 3"

I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some, he
said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."

I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.

What's your take on this?

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
>parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some, he
>said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
>
>I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
>confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
>wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
>
>What's your take on this?
>[/color]

Your 'parts' guy is absolutely WRONG!

T-IV ATG is NOT Dextron 3!

--

Scott in Florida

"Scott in Florida" <MoveOn@outa.here> wrote in message
news:a54nv1tjbmqascbgnphg3rbd704beg4af0@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
>>parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some,
>>he
>>said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
>>
>>I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
>>confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
>>wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
>>
>>What's your take on this?
>>[/color]
>
> Your 'parts' guy is absolutely WRONG!
>
> T-IV ATG is NOT Dextron 3!
>
> --
>
> Scott in Florida[/color]

Thanks. Good thing I checked. It would be a bummer if I wrecked my tranny
on account of some bad advice.

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:40:13 -0600, Ernie Sty wrote:
[color=blue]
>
> "Scott in Florida" <MoveOn@outa.here> wrote in message
> news:a54nv1tjbmqascbgnphg3rbd704beg4af0@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
>> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>>I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
>>>parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some,
>>>he
>>>said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
>>>
>>>I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
>>>confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
>>>wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
>>>
>>>What's your take on this?
>>>[/color]
>>
>> Your 'parts' guy is absolutely WRONG!
>>
>> T-IV ATG is NOT Dextron 3!
>>
>> --
>>
>> Scott in Florida[/color]
>
> Thanks. Good thing I checked. It would be a bummer if I wrecked my tranny
> on account of some bad advice.[/color]

The main cause of tranny failure in Chryslers is people failing to heed
the ATF+3 or +4 designation and walking into the conveniece store for a
quart of "Trnny fluid...they're all the same"

Go with what it says in the manual.

--
In the grand scheme fo things...
What difference does it make?

Also don't use any additives not recommended by Toyota. Even dealers
sometimes stick them in your AT.


"Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:Jd-dnWb5BuhQC2benZ2dnUVZ_sGdnZ2d@giganews.com...[color=blue]
>
> "Scott in Florida" <MoveOn@outa.here> wrote in message
> news:a54nv1tjbmqascbgnphg3rbd704beg4af0@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
>> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>>I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
>>>parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some,
>>>he
>>>said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
>>>
>>>I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
>>>confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
>>>wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
>>>
>>>What's your take on this?
>>>[/color]
>>
>> Your 'parts' guy is absolutely WRONG!
>>
>> T-IV ATG is NOT Dextron 3!
>>
>> --
>>
>> Scott in Florida[/color]
>
> Thanks. Good thing I checked. It would be a bummer if I wrecked my
> tranny on account of some bad advice.
>[/color]

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
>parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some, he
>said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
>
>I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
>confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
>wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
>
>What's your take on this?[/color]

It's not the same stuff - T-IV is a totally different beast than
Dexron family fluids, and you'll end up with big trouble if you
substitute something else. The only aftermarket replacement I've seen
that meets the specs for Aisin-AW (Aisin-Warner) transmissions is from
Mobil Oil - ATF-3309

[url]http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Other_Products/Mobil_ATF_3309.aspx[/url]

Go have a casual conversation with the Owner of the dealership one
afternoon and make sure he or she knows what the parts guys are doing,
and that it's wrong to the point of negligence.

If a few people blow up their trannies and they can prove they broke
because the dealer put in (or sold them) the wrong fluid (not that
difficult) the dealer will be buying those people rebuilt
transmissions. And that gets expensive real fast.

--<< Bruce >>--

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 00:57:17 +0000, Art wrote:
[color=blue]
> Also don't use any additives not recommended by Toyota. Even dealers
> sometimes stick them in your AT.[/color]

You never did tell me...did you give that CLUNKER to your in-laws?
[color=blue]
>
>
> "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:Jd-dnWb5BuhQC2benZ2dnUVZ_sGdnZ2d@giganews.com...[color=green]
>>
>> "Scott in Florida" <MoveOn@outa.here> wrote in message
>> news:a54nv1tjbmqascbgnphg3rbd704beg4af0@4ax.com...[color=darkred]
>>> On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
>>>>parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some,
>>>>he
>>>>said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
>>>>
>>>>I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
>>>>confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
>>>>wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
>>>>
>>>>What's your take on this?
>>>>
>>>
>>> Your 'parts' guy is absolutely WRONG!
>>>
>>> T-IV ATG is NOT Dextron 3!
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Scott in Florida[/color]
>>
>> Thanks. Good thing I checked. It would be a bummer if I wrecked my
>> tranny on account of some bad advice.
>>[/color][/color]

--
In the grand scheme fo things...
What difference does it make?

"Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
news:fninv15i143e70c0l2054rd75i4lom11v0@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
>>parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some,
>>he
>>said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
>>
>>I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
>>confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
>>wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
>>
>>What's your take on this?[/color]
>
> It's not the same stuff - T-IV is a totally different beast than
> Dexron family fluids, and you'll end up with big trouble if you
> substitute something else. The only aftermarket replacement I've seen
> that meets the specs for Aisin-AW (Aisin-Warner) transmissions is from
> Mobil Oil - ATF-3309[/color]


Amsoil claims their Synthetic Universal Automatic Transmission Fluid is
Toyota Type IV specs:
[url]https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/atf.aspx[/url]


[color=blue]
>
> [url]http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Other_Products/Mobil_ATF_3309.aspx[/url]
>
> Go have a casual conversation with the Owner of the dealership one
> afternoon and make sure he or she knows what the parts guys are doing,
> and that it's wrong to the point of negligence.[/color]

Thanks, I may just do that.

I had Pep Boys, Autozone, and a dealer tell me that the GL-4 gear oil (for
my '79 Celica) was no longer available and had been superseded by GL-5. Not
true. I wound up buying 35 poundsof GL4 from oil-store.com . If I develop
any problems with the tranny, it won't be due to using GL-5.
"Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
news:fninv15i143e70c0l2054rd75i4lom11v0@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>[color=green]
> >I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
> >parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some,[/color][/color]
he[color=blue][color=green]
> >said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
> >
> >I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
> >confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
> >wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
> >
> >What's your take on this?[/color]
>
> It's not the same stuff - T-IV is a totally different beast than
> Dexron family fluids, and you'll end up with big trouble if you
> substitute something else. The only aftermarket replacement I've seen
> that meets the specs for Aisin-AW (Aisin-Warner) transmissions is from
> Mobil Oil - ATF-3309
>
>[/color]
[url]http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Other_Products/Mobil_ATF_3309.aspx[/url][color=blue]
>
> Go have a casual conversation with the Owner of the dealership one
> afternoon and make sure he or she knows what the parts guys are doing,
> and that it's wrong to the point of negligence.
>
> If a few people blow up their trannies and they can prove they broke
> because the dealer put in (or sold them) the wrong fluid (not that
> difficult) the dealer will be buying those people rebuilt
> transmissions. And that gets expensive real fast.
>
> --<< Bruce >>--
>
> --
> Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
> Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
> 5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
> Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.[/color]

On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:06:12 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
wrote:[color=blue]
>"Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
>news:fninv15i143e70c0l2054rd75i4lom11v0@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
>> wrote:[/color][/color]
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>>I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
>>>parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some,
>>>he said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
>>>
>>>I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
>>>confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
>>>wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
>>>
>>>What's your take on this?[/color]
>>
>> It's not the same stuff - T-IV is a totally different beast than
>> Dexron family fluids, and you'll end up with big trouble if you
>> substitute something else. The only aftermarket replacement I've seen
>> that meets the specs for Aisin-AW (Aisin-Warner) transmissions is from
>> Mobil Oil - ATF-3309
>> http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Other_Products/Mobil_ATF_3309.aspx>[/color]
>
>Amsoil claims their Synthetic Universal Automatic Transmission Fluid is
>Toyota Type IV specs:
>[url]https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/atf.aspx[/url][/color]

Not to diss you, but AMSOIL has a long history of rather grandly
inflated claims with no apparent basis in fact, and I don't know if
they have cleaned up their act - if a corporate representative told me
it was 8:30 AM and sunny, I'd check my watch and look out the window
to verify.

Fluid compatibility is a very black and white item - it either is
the right stuff or it isn't. And it has to be verified by an
independent laboratory, a little detail that AMSOIL has been extremely
reluctant to do - which is why many of their items do not have an API
rating or carry the mark, samples were never submitted to the API for
independent testing.

But if you believe them - and you believe they'll stand behind the
product in case it /isn't/ the right stuff and something bad (and
expensive) happens - that's another source of aftermarket T-IV
compatible ATF.
[color=blue][color=green]
>> Go have a casual conversation with the Owner of the dealership one
>> afternoon and make sure he or she knows what the parts guys are doing,
>> and that it's wrong to the point of negligence.[/color]
>
>Thanks, I may just do that.[/color]

If they have to buy a few customers new transmissions because their
parts guy sold the wrong stuff and claimed it was correct out of
ignorance (to steal a police term "under color of authority" provided
by the corporate logo on their shirt), that comes right out of the
dealership profits - that should provide the owner with sufficient
incentive to get the problem fixed.

--<< Bruce >>--

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

"Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
news:13gqv1p9182qh2o28buq030ds83va920mb@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:06:12 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
> wrote:[color=green]
>>"Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
>>news:fninv15i143e70c0l2054rd75i4lom11v0@4ax.com...[color=darkred]
>>> On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:53:31 -0600, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
>>> wrote:[/color][/color]
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>>I tried to buy some ATF T-IV for my 2003 Corolla today and the dealer's
>>>>parts guy said they were out and when I asked him if I could order some,
>>>>he said, "It's just Dextron 3. You can buy it anywhere."
>>>>
>>>>I know the guy a little from past experiences with him, and I'm pretty
>>>>confident he knows exactly what he's talking about, but I figured it
>>>>wouldn't hurt to check with you guys to be doubly sure.
>>>>
>>>>What's your take on this?
>>>
>>> It's not the same stuff - T-IV is a totally different beast than
>>> Dexron family fluids, and you'll end up with big trouble if you
>>> substitute something else. The only aftermarket replacement I've seen
>>> that meets the specs for Aisin-AW (Aisin-Warner) transmissions is from
>>> Mobil Oil - ATF-3309
>>> http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Other_Products/Mobil_ATF_3309.aspx>[/color]
>>
>>Amsoil claims their Synthetic Universal Automatic Transmission Fluid is
>>Toyota Type IV specs:
>>[url]https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/atf.aspx[/url][/color]
>
> Not to diss you, but AMSOIL has a long history of rather grandly
> inflated claims with no apparent basis in fact, and I don't know if
> they have cleaned up their act - if a corporate representative told me
> it was 8:30 AM and sunny, I'd check my watch and look out the window
> to verify.[/color]


Not a diss at all--I appreciate information like this. I probably wouldn't
have used Amsoil anyway, but it's good to know these things.