Atf +4 In A 1996 Grand Caravan

[smokie]

Anyone See A Problem With Me Using Atf 4 In My 96 Grand Caravan With A 604 4 Speed Trans.i Know The Manuals All Say +3 But It Is Getting Real Hard To Find.my Buddy Who Is A Trans Rebuilder At A Dodge Dealer Says It Is Fine,actually Better For It As The Newer Fluid Is More Of A Synthetic And Performs Better When Cold.when I Do A Service On This Trans I Also Use A Bottle Of Lucas Trans Additive Just For A Little More Protection For The Sometimes Weak Differentials In These Units.any Comments Would Be Greatly Appreciated.thanks Smokie................

[Warlock_440]

You shouldn't have any troubles. The +4 will work fine. Its the same case in a vehicle that specifies Dexron II but Dex III will work. The fluid is more advanced than what was out when your van was built.

[dgc333]

Originally Posted by smokie

i Know The Manuals All Say +3 But It Is Getting Real Hard To Find

Gee! I have never seen ATF+4 anywhere but the dealer, everyone else only carries the +3. Where are you seeing +4 being sold besides the dealer?

[nhdriver]

+4 supercedes +3 You should have no problems using it in your G.C.

[Warlock_440]

We had to get the +4 straight from the dealer in the next town a half hour away. As far as I know none of the Generics (Esso, Shell, ) make a suitable equivalent for the +4.

[capev86]

i had the ford dealer do a flush w/ their sythetic atf on my 89 lesabre 3.8 4spd tranny. auto trannys run hot and i dont want mine to crap out while im working it hard (class 3 hitch). when i need to add fluid, i use that synthetic Mobil ATF which is expensive, but very slick!

[shelbydodgeimp]

. The fluid is more advanced than what was out when your van was built.

Ahh, but you're forgetting that ATF+3 (and there were SEVERAL revisions of it) and then later ATF+4 were all Chrysler inventions created to help keep the A604/A606's from killing themselves.

My 1990 FSM set says to use Mopar 7176 (ATF+3) in the A604, however it also says that "dexron can be used when it is the only fluid availble"- well, time has shown that to be 100% inacurate, dexron in an a604 is a sure way to do some major internal part damage.

ATF+4 can be used in ATF+3 applications. ATF+3 is getting hard to find, if you're talking about Chrysler/Dodge dealers since they don't make it anymore (just ATF+4).

I believe some companies make some ATF+3 or 4 (forget off hand) generic versions which work for some people in the A604, and others have had slippings from it.

Personally with a trans as weak as the A604, I am more comfortiable using the real stuff but thats just me.