Re:BW66s

[Tom Bernett <71117.2222@CompuServe.COM>]

Jim Legge wrote:
 
"Hello Jaggers,     I saw the following post from Tom Graham, and  being a 
fellow BW66          trannie owner (SIII XJ6) and about to  do a filter/fluid 
change, I         noticed the mention of using  Type F fluid.  My manual just 
says         Duckhams or type 'G'  neither of which I can find.  I just wanted  
       to get an  opinion on what the best fluid to use is when the          
criteria  for choice is longevity.  I'm getting a little nervous          
reading the horror stories about BW66s.  Mine has 93K miles on           it 
and stills seems to work fine (and smooth :) ).  TIA          Jim Legge "
 
FWIW, the following was in the Technical Correspondence Section of Road & Track 
magazine in 1990.  I quote:
 
". . . As the editor of Automatic Transmission and Transaxles, 2nd Edition, 
an automotive textbook published by Chek-Chart, I have thoroughly researched 
automatic transmission fluid types and applications.  I would like to make 
the following points concerning your reader's letter and the response from 
Doctor Jaguar.
 
"There are currently two forms of DEXRON fluid available: DEXRON-B, the original 
version, and DEXRON-IID, the latest version.  Although it is 
difficult to find in the retail market today, DEXRON-B fluid remains a 
distinct product from DEXRON-IID, and the earlier formulation is still 
recommended by some vehicle manufacturers.
 
"Like most people, the reader assumes that DEXRON-B is superseded by DEXRON-IID 
fluid.  Although this is true in the case of General Motors passenger-car 
transmissions (such as the Turbo Hydramatic 400 transmission used in some 
Jaguars), it is not true in all applications.  As an aside, DEXRON-IID fluid is 
also recommended in the ZF automatics used in Jaguar 
cars.
 
"I have never heard of a Type E transmission fluid that predates Type F.  
However, Type G fluid definitely exists and was introduced in 1972 by Ford of 
Europe.  This fluid has improved high-temperature stability to cope with 
European high-speed driving conditions.  Type G fluid is typically unavailable 
in the U.S., and manufacturers who use it as factory fill (Saab and Jaguar, 
for example) generally recommend Type F fluid for top-up or replacement in 
this country.
 
"The short answer to the question of whether DEXRON fluids can cause accelerated 
wear in transmissions designed for Type F/G fluid is yes.  
Despite claims to the contrary by oil companies that sell "universal" 
transmission fluids, DEXRON and Type F/G fluids are fundamentally opposite in 
their frictional properties.  Only Type F/G fluid should be used in 
transmissions designed for it (such as the Borg-Warner automatics used in 
some Jaguar cars).
 
 					Signed,	  Michael T. Calkins"
 
This was enough to convince me to use Type F in my '87 XJ6.  I also checked my 
old Saab Club newsletters and found similar references to the use of Type 
F in place of the specified Type G.  I'm just passing on what I read in Road & 
Track.  I hope it helps.
 
They give the number of 800-622-6277 for Chek-Chart as a source of the book 
cited, but don't forget, this is a 6 or 7 year old article.
 
 
Tom [05-Feb-97,16:05]

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