The Most Common T56 & TR6060 Fluid Questions
Proper Tremec T56 and TR6060 Fluid
We get asked about proper T56 and TR6060 transmission fluid every day. There’s a big difference between what will work and what is best. If you are interested in keeping your Tremec transmission running at its best, you’ll want to pay close attention to the fluid you’re using.
Which type of fluid should I put in my Tremec T56/TR6060 transmission?
Non-synthetic ATF (automatic transmission fluid) only. It will say one or more of these things on the bottle and could be in small print on the back side.
- Dexron/Mercon (Dex/Merc) equivalent
- Universal ATF
- Dex 3 ATF
Not Recommended:
- MTF (manual transmission fluid)
- Synchromesh
- Gear oil
- Synthetic ATF
- Semi-synthetic ATF
- Dex 4 or higher
- Mixes of the above fluids
Why not use synthetic fluid? Isn’t it better?
We’ve concluded that synthetic ATF has additives which allow the synchro rings to slip a small amount, causing excessive wear. These additives are made to benefit an automatic transmission which has fluid under high pressure, unlike a manual transmission which isn’t pressurized. We’ve found that the life of the synchro rings is drastically shortened when using synthetic fluid.
I’ve used synthetic fluid in my transmission, and it feels fine. Do I need to change it back to non-synthetic fluid?
Theoretically, one could put nearly any type of oil in a Tremec transmission, and it will probably seem fine. While any oil will work to an extent, the issue is longevity of the synchro ring friction material. It will not last long with anything besides non-synthetic ATF.
