engine fluids... recommendations/suggestions?

[V]

Ok, pretty soon I have to start filling just about all the fluids in the SS, and some i havent decided what to use yet and such. Also i dont know if there are special fluid types out there that work better. I'll do a quick rundown of what i plan on using and If you see something not right or know something better, let me know...

Engine oil: Conventional 5w30 for break-in, (20 min run time then new oil again) Then 5w30 till 500 miles, change oil, then stick with conventional?

Power steering: all drained, basic power steering fluid im thinking

Brakes: DOT 3...any special suggestions?

Clutch: ? brake fluid as well?

Transmission T56: ATF fluid.. but synthetic worth it?

Coolant: engine is Dry, rad is dry, all hoses empty, only heater core may have something left but i'll flush it. I was planning on using like the prestone "all types" with a 50/50 mix w/distilled water

...i think that covers everything. The rear is still fine.

[97Formula]

Break-in with conventional oil, then switch to Mobil1 Synthetic.

Not sure on the rest.

[NJSPEEDER]

97Formula is right about the break in oil, dino then switch to synthetic.

PS fluid, i would go with normal stuff but add a little bit of lucas to it. it will help to lower the fluid temps a little bit and help everything to last longer.

clutch/brake fluid, conventional DOT3 is fine. no need to get fancy with it. jsut check for condensation from time to time and the occasional bleed out jsut to keep it perfect.

trans fluid, synthetic is definately the way to go. there is actually a product out from royal purple that is designed specifically for manual transmissions that use ATF. i forget the name of it, little g uses it in his car so you can PM him about it.

also, don't forget the rear end fluid. it should be changed at least once a year if you do a lot of track or "spirited" driving. i would also suggest going with some royal purple sythetic there. it is good stuff, costs a few bucks more, but has been shown to keep temps lower and release a few extra ponies.

hope this helps.

[Tru2Chevy]

It's called Royal Purple Synchromax:

http://www.royalpurple.com/prodsa/scmax.html

- Justin

[V]

ah ok thanks, ill use that for my trans then.

as for the rear, it has <30k miles and no track passes yet. If i dont get aroudn to changing the fluid when im drop the gas tank again, ill change the rear fluid at 500 mile oil change.

This will be the second time draining the gas tank.... im not gonna enjoy it, but at least this time theres only about 4 gallons it in. Last time i did it was to get the diesel/gas mix out(~13 gallons), now its to get the 1.5 year old gas out, lol.

[Knipps]

ah ok thanks, ill use that for my trans then.

as for the rear, it has <30k miles and no track passes yet. If i dont get aroudn to changing the fluid when im drop the gas tank again, ill change the rear fluid at 500 mile oil change.

This will be the second time draining the gas tank.... im not gonna enjoy it, but at least this time theres only about 4 gallons it in. Last time i did it was to get the diesel/gas mix out(~13 gallons), now its to get the 1.5 year old gas out, lol.

how are you going to drain it?

i tried to syphon the gas out of the caprice before we donated it but had 0 luck

[NJSPEEDER]

easiest thing to do really is to hook a booster pack or battery up to the motor and let it run it out with the pump. that will get it 99% empty. that is enough that the fresh full tank will more than offset whatever few drops of old gas are left

[98tadriver]

i read somewhere that synthetic fluid for T56's is a no-no, because it eats up the blocker rings or something? if this is all a farse, then i will put royal purple in my T56

[V]

hmm ill look into the t56 vs. synthetic thing before i do it, thanks for the heads up.

Chevelle.. i remove the whole tank to drain it. Then i completely wipe down the inside till its bone dry and clean. I did it once before to get all the bad fuel out. At that time i changed the fuel filter as well, and blew out all the fuel from the lines before i started it again. But it was all in vain since the 2 injectors were screwed already and i didnt find those till last. This time ill drain the tank again the same way and wipe it all clean, maybe not as crazy as i did last time though( i just want all the gas out thats been in there since aug. '05). And keep in mind, my tank is the plastic version so its a little lighter to handle.

edit: and why bother siphoning gas out when ur dontating it(unless u just wanna use it) Hell, the cars i junk, i REALLY hope no one ever tries using those gas tanks.....

[Knipps]

i only donated the car b/c of a bad trans, mechanically there was nothing else wrong with it

[Pampered-Z]

Here is what I like in my cars:

I use Redline ATF in my T5s and T56 for years with no problems! I didn't notice any difference in warm weather but in the cold of winter it shifts 100% easier.

For the power steering use synthetic. It seems to reduce the sticking problems with the racks as they get older. Now I don't know this for a fact, it could just be from the fluid splashing or maybe even overfilled? But folks I know that road race think the 4th gens tend to heat/boil the oil enough to expand it to seep out the fill cap and the synthetic handles the heat better?

For engine: I also add a bottle of GM break in lube on the initial start up ( 20 minutes, change oil and again add GM additive, and drive 25-50 miles, then another oil change for 500 miles. I like to do the extra oil change just to ensure any of the other break in lubes or any shavings are removed from the oil and filter quickly. After that, I think that depends on how often and much you drive the car. I drive a limited amount and change oil every 6 months/1,000 niles so I feel synthetic would be a waste of my money.

I don't think there is any real difference in coolant, I use the eviroment friendly stuff. But I always add a bottle of redline weterwater as well.

JB

[Batman]

I would use 10W-40 conventional for the break in. Then change it, run regular 5W30 for the first few hundred miles, them switch to full synthetic.

DO NOT PUT SYNTHETIC IN A T56 !!!!! Royal Purple isn't supposed to be used in a T56, I had it in mine and it killed the synchro's (according to my friend who rebuilds them for a living anyway, that was the cause of death) Turned a brand new T56 to junk in about 400 miles. I know a few people who haven't had problems but according to my friend and GM it is supposed to be regular dexron III

For a stock rear I would use synthetic fluid, shouldn't use it in a moser ( I believe it is an Eaton Posi thing...)

Valvoline also has a synthetic brake fluid now, it is marginally more expensive then regular (like $2-$3 a bottle) but it is supposed to be water resistant so it won't pick up moisture. I have it in my car now but haven't had alot of driving time on it so I can't give you a real good opinion on it yet.