[Jeepman]

Less demand for ATF+4 as it becomes a thing of the past, I suppose. I couldn't find any ATF+4 at Walmart here recently except for one small container of Castrol, going at a reduced price to clear.

Warren Oil makes Coastal ATF+4 and likely some house brands as well. Perhaps they are dropping that product line.

The best price here lately was Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic ATF+4 at NAPA and when on sale at Carquest. NAPA Brand ATF+4 is more expensive. PP comes in those stupid 946 ml containers though. I figure the Pennzoil should be topish of the top tier. Mobil, for example, says their ATF+4 is:

Semi-Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid

PdsDetailsPage

Mobil™ ATF +4 is specially formulated to ensure optimal performance in Chrysler automatic transmissions.

www.mobil.com

ATF+4s aren't all the same, Pour Points can vary too.

PS: Is Chrysler even doing any quality checks on ATF+4 these days?

The Center for Quality Assurance (CQA) monitors quality standards through each step in the fluid’s progress from license through commercialization. Each Blender and Rebrander involved in the production and sale of ATF+4 must be licensed and undergo a range of product testing prior to final licensing. Licensed brand names are periodically market-sampled to ensure consistent quality.

Yeah, right.

 

[Jeepman]

I had a great deal in 2023 for Approved and Licensed ATF+4.
I bought all they had at the time.

View attachment 88493

That's the best.
I use PP over any other. Pennzoil makes Chrysler fluids.
It seems that ATF+4 these days is not the lifetime fluid it was purported to be years back. Lax quality monitoring? Most likely, it's a thing of the past and that's why it's disappearing from the shelves.

 

[Jeepman]

The lubrication fluid producers must meet appropriate specifications and if they don't, the engineers at the automobile manufacturers will not put up with it.

Pennzoil and others have serious chemical engineers and quality control and testing labs and procedures in place. So, I'm not worried about the ATF+4 versions from others like Castrol or Napa, to name a couple.

Whether ATF+4 meets Chrysler licensing requirements, or not, depends on conformance checks by the "Center for Quality Assurance". Heard anything about them lately?
Amsoil seems to think it's unlicensed ATF will do the job, so do some other producers of unlicensed "universal" ATF. Castrol?
Trusting oil companies to police themselves and API to police them is a given, unfortunately, but seems to work quite well, I guess, considering there are Blenders involved in the process (a third party?).
Then again, there's the PQIA which picks up delinquents from time to time, a breath of fresh air.
Sometimes oil companies will police each other but that doesn't happen often. Some years back Mobil 1 was under attack for its synthetic 5W-30 not meeting wearability specs.

Center for Quality Assurance:

Center for Quality Assurance - Licensing Programs for OEMs

The Center for Quality Assurance develops, implements, and administers licensing programs for OEM specified materials such as oils, lubricants, and greases.

www.centerforqa.com

The Challenge to Mobil 1 from Valvoline and others:

https://www.chryslerminivan.net/threads/the-5w20-5w30-10w30-debate-info-and-fyi.45777/page-3?post_id=421417#post-421417

PQIA:

The Petroleum Quality Institute of America

pqia.org

 

[Jeepman]

One way to check out these fluids is to get their specification sheets, to see and compare the values of viscosity and other parameters that are tested. Also they'll state which ASTM and other standards they meet, which can be compared across brands. I'd definitely trust Pennzoil because they have labs and a research arm. Checking with Bobistheoilguy.com might shed more light on these matters.

The oil company data sheets are easy enough to obtain online. I did comparisons in the past and posted some information. Petro Canada ATF+4 seemed to have the most impressive figures back then, then again it was the synthetic base component used in the design of ATF+4. Consider that Mobil doesn't even call their ATF+4 synthetic. Pour Points can vary from product to product. I think the ATF+4 difference is the Lubrizol additive, if they still use it.

The design of ATF+4:

https://300mclub.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11347

 

[Jeepman]

NAPA got slammed big and hard with a HUGE class action lawsuit for not meeting transmission specification. Many machines locked up and even the trans exploded.

it's a big payout in history for the aftermarket. Warren the oil maker was listed in the suit with other store brands.

The last thing we need to hear about are 41TE exploding under normal driving condition.

The settlement:

LEGAL NOTICE: Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement By RG/2

/PRNewswire/ -- READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY. YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED WHETHER YOU ACT OR DO NOT ACT. If you purchased NAPA Quality Tractor Hydraulic &...

www.prnewswire.com

Third party Blenders & Packagers are involved with many oil products and things can go wrong there. There's a past history of that where the oil manufacture decided to change their operating procedure and do their own.