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Powerglide Transmission

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66 chevy

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I have recently purchased a 1966 1/2 ton pickup with a Powerglide Transmission and Power Steering. The owners manual said to use Automatic Transmission fluid type AQ-ATF for both the transmission and power steering. I have not been able to locate this type of ATF. Any suggestions? :
 
My understanding is that the Dexron III Auto. tranny fluid is compatible. Havoline, Penzoil and others all offer this type; like I said I'm almost certain but you could always give your local tranny shop a quick call to verify.
 
I have a 65 Chevrolet C10 with a original aluminum case Powerglide transmission and when I had it rebuilt a couple years ago, I am pretty sure that that the shop and the tech alike stated that it would use Dextron III ATF in it. I would check with a local transmission shop that is reputatable and has flamiliarity with these older transmissions to make sure, because using the wrong type of fluid can damage the transmission. Different transmission fluids have different temperature ratings and contain certain additives for anti-foaming, corrosion resistance and proper lubrication. Most transmission shops are flamilar with these transmissions due to the progressive popularity of these old pickups for restoration and they are also used in drag racing circuits as well.


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Mark A. Bailey

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>My understanding is that the Dexron III Auto. tranny fluid
>is compatible. Havoline, Penzoil and others all offer this
>type; like I said I'm almost certain but you could always
>give your local tranny shop a quick call to verify.
 
Many years ago I took a transmission rebuilding class. The instructor recommended using Ford fluid (type F) in all Powerglide or Turbo 350 transmissions. It is heavier duty fluid than the fluid that came in the transmission originally. I have used this fluid ever since in both Powerglide and Turbo 350s and never had any problems.
 
I don't know if I could ever bring myself to use a Ford product in my Chevrolet pickup. That would be an awfully big pill to swallow. I think I will stick with my Dextron III ATF in my Powerglide.

In all seriousness though, I have been told and read in many tech publications that the Type F ATF is a thicker, more full bodied, heavier duty fluid. That is a true fact. Just to bad it is made for a Ford, you would think that since Chevrolet and GMC pickups are built better, they would have a heavier duty fluid in their transmissions. Oh well, where a Ford lacks in other things versus a Chevrolet/GMC, I guess they can claim they have the heavier duty ATF. That is some bragging rights, don't you think??

I can just hear them now....."Hey there Chevy man, my Ford here has a heavier, more full bodied ATF than yours....."


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Mark A. Bailey

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Mark, if it makes you feel better, type F fluid was the result of a Fomoco mistake. Seems in the early days of automatic transmissions all of them used the same fluid. However, due to higher heat generated by the Ford automatics, they began failing at a higher than normal rate. Ford then developed their own thicker fluid to keep their transmissions from burning up.
 
Yes, this is true. There were originally only one type of ATF used in automatic transmissions. There were very few models that even offered automatics and the different types of ATF were developed to meet different manufactuers specs and transmissions over the years. I just was being "stupid" and thought I would poke a little joke at the Ford guys when I was talking about not wanting to put a type F ATF in my transmission.

On a side note I stopped by the transmission shop that I had my transmission rebuilt at a few years ago. I asked the techs there about the ATF to use, which I know all of them well. They said that the transmission was originally designed to use ATF Type A, as documented in the manual. Dextron III can also be used if type A cannot be found.

I checked in my manual, and it does say that type A fluid is to be used in the Powerglide automatisc. I also looked in the Chilton manual I have for my 65 and there is a complete section of transmissions and the alum case Powerglide is well documented in there. It also states in the specs that ATF type A fluid is to be used.

Well just thought I would pass this along, for what it is worth.


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Mark A. Bailey

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