Is ATF in the Primary OK with MoCo?

[sportcruiser]

I have read many of the posts here and am convinced ATF will improve shifting and eliminate the cold start clutch drag that occurs in my '09 FLHT.

The question I have is whether this is viewed as a legitimate choice by MoCo. I know all of the oil debates rage on, but to me, this is different as an ATF is certainly a different fluid than anything Harley recommends. So, if I have ATF in the primary and have a failure, and the dealer drains that obviously different, red fluid out. Am I screwed?

[nightrob]

Drain it before you take it to the dealer if your worried about it. But I must say I run mobil atf in mine and it has never performed better. I have several thousand miles on it!!

[Dave63]

Do they recommend it? No....they'll tell you to use Syn3.

Will they try to blame it on the ATF? Count on it.


Will it cause a failure? Highly doubt it.

[vindex1963]

Interesting question finally in the oil section!!! I'm going to watch to see where this goes. I used ATF in my 04 but now have an 09. I really like it and will continue to use it.

edit: Does it have any effect on the auto tensioner?

[Dave63]

Originally Posted by vindex1963

edit: Does it have any effect on the auto tensioner?

None that I've seen in 3500 miles of use. I use Type-F. Seems to make the clutch grab/feel better. Placebo effect, maybe.

[vindex1963]

Originally Posted by Dave63

Placebo effect, maybe.

I don't think so. In my 04 it made clutch engagement MUCH smoother and no drag on disengagement.

[Superglidebob]

I gotta think that if ATF works as well as in does in automatic transmissions with all the complex stuff going on in there,(complex to me, anyway!), using it in a relatively simple primary is going to be fine.

I tried Type F and I could believe the difference. I also think it will be fine with my M-6 tensioner.

I cant see going back to any other fluid!

[arealinvestor]

Wow very interesting???

[sportcruiser]

Guess I'll give it a shot.

[dynarule]

Originally Posted by Dave63

None that I've seen in 3500 miles of use. I use Type-F. Seems to make the clutch grab/feel better. Placebo effect, maybe.

Have you noticed any difference with metal shavings on the drain plug between Atf and and whatever else you were using?

[vindex1963]

Originally Posted by arealinvestor

Wow very interesting???

It is as far as the MoCo bitching about it.

[arealinvestor]

Has anybody tried Torco's synthetic blend for the primary???

[Dave63]

Originally Posted by dynarule

Have you noticed any difference with metal shavings on the drain plug between Atf and and whatever else you were using?

No. I dropped a new chain and HD auto tensioner in at the same time in my 1995 Dyna. Magnetic plug was neither worse or better then before, despite fluid change.

[claydbal]

Originally Posted by vindex1963

Interesting question finally in the oil section!!! I'm going to watch to see where this goes. I used ATF in my 04 but now have an 09. I really like it and will continue to use it.

edit: Does it have any effect on the auto tensioner?

auto tensioner is spring loaded ratchet, so no effect whatsoever. a thicker oil may quieten the roaring noise after the auto tensioner jumps another notch, but no harmful effect. you can tell when the tensioner has made another notch on the ramp, you will hear the tight chain whirring for a couple hundred miles. but you hear the same noise with amsoil, syn 3, mobil 1 , or atf.

[Dave63]

Originally Posted by vindex1963

It is as far as the MoCo bitching about it.

Well....cause you're not using "their" fluids.

Geez....look how they whined like a bitch with a skinned knee over synthetics and "needle bearing skipping/flat spot" until they came out with their own synthetic (*cough*semi-synthetic*cough*cough*) oil.......