Transmission Fluid - Using Redline D6

I use D6 so far no issues. The main reason is the transmission is oil cooled and runs hot. I also tow trailers sometimes and the VI is better with D6 then WS especially when high heat is a concern.

 

It always puzzles me: Owner's Manual says this:



And then people come back with "what else can I use?".

I wouldn't much care if the other stuff is in fact compatible, and never mind the "hassle": why risk it?

 

I’ve keep one or the other. I’ve been using the D6 because I use my vehicle in very high heat and tow with it. In about 10 years I should have 300,000 miles and I can report back

 

i'd be comfortable at 65% redline and 35% oem.

 

That's a "tall" statement. Anyway: with so much riding on it, if the Owner's Manual tells me emphatically to use one specific fluid or risk damage, I'm not going to get clever. This is just one more reason I always buy new.

 

if it were just another automatic transmission, and not one with two large electric motors inside, i'd go 100% redline. as it is a hybrid, a hybrid tranny fluid makes sense.

 

Maybe our resident chemical engineer can chime in and give some advice.

 

I use Toyota atf ws .

For the number of times you have to do this job, the economics don’t outweigh the other facets.

I have not done elemental analysis on any of the options to know specifically what the differences are or if those differences are acceptable. I do know that the labels do not reveal all the information .

So in the absence of clarity (and a compelling reason), I use what was specified.

But I agree with @Mendel Leisk in the fact that we buy new to avoid prior owner habits or guesses.

 

I checked the Owner's Manual for our daughter's Pilot. In that case too a specific Honda fluid is spec'd, and there's a warning that using anything else could cause damage.

Any or all of these warnings might be bogus, but what's the upside in flaunting it: the kosher fluid cost is about the same, available, and with transmissions the changes are few and far between.

 

Toyota WS is basic transmission fluid. Nothing special at all. It isn't even synthetic. I'd definitely be comfortable switching it to a full synthetic. If you can do better than the factory do it! I just did in my C-max. I don't mess with anything that isn't synthetic!

 

This is great. And are you still on the stock HV battery?

 

I can understand discussions like this if the transmission fluid were used in just a transmission, but doesn't the (trans-axle, power splitter, etc...) in a Prius also have M1/M2 windings?
I'm thinking that this would make me a little hesitant about experimentation in modern chemistry and I would just use the stuff that the OEM recommends....IN THIS CASE....pun almost unintended.
If I'm correct in my suspicions about the windings, and how they are electrically insulated, and how using Gucci transmission fluid with unknown additives of unknown properties will affect those windings, then it's simply not worth the risk to derive.....what advantage exactly?

Otherwise, this is just a 6 versus half dozen argument....

 

There are no more "ordinary" automatic transmissions. This comes up on every auto forum for every kind of car. We haven't had ours anywhere near long enough to need fluid replacements but I'm happy to see that our prius is essentially the same as our previous cars: it's not that hard to get the genuine OEM stuff, nor is it expensive. The replacement job isn't hard.

We probably won't use more than a few gallons of it over the entire life of the vehicle, not worth playing guessing games on alternates.

 

Yes so far so good. I'll be getting Prolong kit but need to complete a new garage first.

 

The main reason why I use Redline is due to heat while towing. I see MG2 temps at 270F on Hill decents due to the engine not running fast enough to turn the trans oil pump. WS can't take the heat as well. Redline keeps viscosity in the heat. Also the transaxle is oil cooled so it does tend to run hotter regardless. You may notice that the Prius transaxle oil is not as dark as the Prius C oil at any interval.

Quite a few people use it on their Prius's if you search here. No problems as of yet from anyone? For some cars though you must run OEM fluids such as Honda.

 

Why I buy new.

 

yep, you never know what experiments have been done on a used car.