ATF, the strait and skinny???

Looking for knowledge on automatic transmission fluid.
The transmission (powerglide) manufacturer wants ATF, the converter manufacturer wants hydraulic fluid.
The car is a top dragster, blown Chevrolet, weighs 2070, runs six teens, approaching 230 mph.
I do run a cooler. Have tried Type F, & FTI's newly released fluid, with the same results. Cooked discolored and stinky fluid after a few laps. Clutches, steels, and the band all look fine (20 plus laps on them so far).
Transynd, compressor oil, hydraulic oil, dexron 6, type f, seems there are a lot of options available, but at this power level, how much information from the normal super categories, and bracket racers is pertinent. That's why I ask here.

 

I burnt my hydraulic fluid for the first time ever earlier this year. Ran 3 passes pretty close together before I checked converter temp. It was over 250. I cooled it down, made one more pass, then drained. It was pretty stinky but I've had worse. Didn't appear to do any damage other than to the fluid.

My normal routine is to put a blower on the converter as soon as I get back to the pits if it has heat in it, just spaced on the routine this time around.

Are you checking converter temps after a run?

 

How often are you changing it?

 

Cant give a number for temp at the converter. I too use a blower in the bell housing to cool it between rounds.
How often are you replacing it?

 

I'm nowhere near that number with fluid. 5 to 6 and i get nervous about it.

 

I probably end up draining it between 10-20 runs for one reason or another (converter swap, health check, etc.). But I'll reuse it at least once if it looks and smells ok. To be fair, this is more of a 6.30s combo, your mileage may vary. I would definetely suggest a temperature gun to shoot the converter after the run.

I've found that refiring and driving off the track can lower my converter temp (and therefore max fluid temp) by an easy 20 degrees. Something I keep in mind if going rounds and I know I got the lean out before I shut it off (i.e doesnt need backed down)

 

Assuming the fluid heat issues are much less with a lockup converter deal?

 

Was there not a Catepillar fluid that Mike Janis was using that was supposed to be vastly superior in terms of heat stability?

 

Don't know of a CAT fluid, but there seems to be a lot of users of Jon Deere Hy-Guard.

Been reading the internet all day on this subject. The Hy-Guard, or AMSOIL compressor fluid are where I'm leaning at the moment.

 

This may be my problem. I've been shutting the fuel off after going through the lights. Will try letting it run with the chutes out, and see what difference there is.

 

So when your doing valves between rounds does that move the fluid thru the drive unit enough to make a difference

 

Buy a cooler for between rounds. Onboard coolers a waste of time.

 

Bob, I was going to suggest the external cooler also.
On our Procharged deal we were running the John Deere Hy-Guard and plugging in the external cooler in between rounds.
We swapped the fluid after 2 races and never burned any of it, I think the trick is getting it cooled back off as much as you can before the next round. We also checked the band adjustment every race.

 

I did use hyguard this time. Leaf blower on the converter between laps. Will work on a chiller this winter.

 

Went through the same issue that you are having. Decided to try the Amsoil trans fluid and haven't burnt the fluid since ..