The official best-fluids thread (unofficially)

[Ahheck01]

Let's discuss which fluids perform the best on our cars. Take this list and tell us what you think is best for each in a manual M3:

Transmission Fluid:

Brake/Clutch Fluid:

Oil:

Differential Fluid:

Coolant:

Power Steering Fluid:

Windshield Washer Fluid:

Headlight fluid:

__________________________________________________ ___________________
The leader in its category is in red, and everything with only one vote is greyed.

Tallied Up to Post #103:

Transmission Fluid:
Royal Purple Synchomax - 17
Redline D4ATF - 17
Amsoil ATF + BG tranny additive - 2
Red Line MTL - 1
OE BMW ATF - 1
Castrol ATF - 1
Lubro Moly ATF - 1
Pentosin MTF-2 - 1
Awepco Vlue Aynth 75-90 - 1


Brake/Clutch Fluid:
ATE Super Blue/200 - 31
Valvoline Synpower - 2
Mercedes DOT 4 - 2
Motul RBF600 - 2
OE - 1
Distilled Water - 1

Oil:
Mobil1 15w50 - 23
Castrol TWS 10w60 - 11
Amsoil Euro car 5w-40 - 5
Royal Purple 10w40 - 3
Pentosin Pentosynth 5W-40 - 3
Red Line 10w-40 - 2
Lubro Moly 5-40 - 2
Valvoline SynPower 20w50 - 2
Shell Rotella T 5-40 - 1
Amoco Lawnmower Oil - 1

Differential Fluid:
RedLine 75w-90 - 25
Royal Purple 75W-90 - 13
Swepco 201 Gear Lube - 2
Amsoil 75w-90 + BG LS additive - 2
Mobile 1 Synthetic - 2
Liqui-Moly Vollsynthese Synthetic Gear Oil - 1
OE - 1
Tap water - 1

Coolant:
BMW Coolant + Distilled Water + Redline Water Wetter - 21
BMW Coolant + Distilled Water - 19
Valvoline Zerex G-05 + Redline Water Wetter - 3
Whisky - 1

Power Steering Fluid:
OE - 6
Mobil 1 ATF - 6
Royal Purple ATF - 4
Redline Synthetic Power Steering Fluid - 3
Castrol ATF - 1
Pentosin CHF 11S - 1
Redline D4ATF - 1
Amsoil ATF - 1
Catpiss - 1


Windshield Washer Fluid:
Rain X - 5
Tap water - 2
OE - 1
P21S - 1

Headlight Fluid:
Man Juice - 2
AEM Honda Type-R RaCing Red High grade 1 fluid - 1
50-50 toothpaste/sea water - 1
Bacon Grease - 1
__________________________________________________ ___________________
Ask questions in the thread, I'll put them here, along with an answer any time someone has one.

Questions and Answers


Q: Is it good to swap between ATE blue/gold so you know when you've cycled out all the old fluid?
A: Yes, that's why they made them. You switch between each so you know when the old fluid is out.

Q: Is ATE blue DOT approved?
A: No. Brake Fluid must be clear to amber, thus the blue is technically illegal.

Q: With the ATE super blue brake fluid, doesn't it stain your reservoir so it's hard to determine how much you have in there?
A: Yes. People have had different experiences with this, though, but it has been known to stain.

Q: Who changed from D4ATF in trans to Royal Purple Synmax and noticed a favorable difference?
A: (If you have a response to this question please post about it!)

Q: (if you have a fluids related question, post in the thread!)

__________________________________________________ ___________________

[Braymond141]

Oil: Castrol TWS 10w60

[Mr.M]

Let's discuss which fluids perform the best on our cars. Take this list and tell us what you think is best for each in a manual M3:

Transmission Fluid: Royal Purple Synchomax

Brake/Clutch Fluid: ATE Super Blue

Oil: Mobil 1/Redline/Castrol/Royal Purple
Anywhere from 5W-40 to 10W-60

Differential Fluid: Royal Purple 75W-90

Coolant: BMW Coolant ONLY; 20% Coolant 80% water + 1-2 bottles redline water wetter

Power Steering Fluid: IDK

Windshield Washer Fluid:

Headlight fluid:

START POSTING A LINK TO THIS THREAD IN EVERY DAILY OIL/FLUID THREAD.

[Scotth]

Transmission Fluid: RL D4ATF or RP Syncromax

Brake/Clutch Fluid: ATE Superblue or ATE Type 200 (gold)

Oil: Amsoil Euro car 5w-40

Differential Fluid: RL 75w-90

Coolant: BMW OEM + Water wetter

[Ahheck01]

START POSTING A LINK TO THIS THREAD IN EVERY DAILY OIL/FLUID THREAD.

That's the goal. Maybe even get it up as a sticky. I can tally up the different things people put and the number of people that put them in the original post so it's a one-stop deal for newbies.

-Evan

[Mr.M]

I can tally up the different things people put and the number of people that put them in the original post so it's a one-stop deal for newbies.

Sweet deal.

[vinnymac]

This is what I use:

Transmission Fluid: Royal Purple Synchromax

Brake/Clutch Fluid: ATE Super Blue

Oil: Mobil One 15w50

Differential Fluid: Redline Gear Oil 75w90

Coolant: OEM BMW + Water Wetter

Power Steering Fluid: Amsoil ATF or Redline D4 ATF

Windshield Washer Fluid: Whatever Walmart stocks.

Headlight fluid: ???

[CTW]

Transmission Fluid: Red Line MTL

Brake/Clutch Fluid: ATE Super Blue

Engine Oil: Red Line 10w-40

Differential Fluid: Red Line 75w-90

Coolant: BMW + Water Wetter

[shift.shape]

Transmission Fluid: Royal Purple Synchromax

Brake/Clutch Fluid: ATE Super Blue

Engine Oil: Mobil 1 15w-50

Differential Fluid: Royal Purple 75w-90

Coolant: BMW (water wetter for the fan delete)



oh and type 200 is the same as ATE super blue, its just gold, but a different name to screw with everyone

[bmwpowere36m3]

Transmission Fluid: Royal Purple Synchromax

Brake/Clutch Fluid: Ate Super Blue

Engine Oil: Pentosin Pentosynth Synthetic Oil 5W-40

Differential Fluid:Liqui-Moly Vollsynthese Synthetic Gear Oil

Coolant: BMW Coolant + Water Wetter

[rcM3]

Transmission Fluid: Royal Purple Synchromax

Brake/Clutch Fluid: Ate Super is good, Motul is better (but more expensive, so i just use ate blue/gold)

Engine Oil: Royal Purple 10w40

Differential Fluid: Royal Purple MaxGear 75w90

Coolant: BMW Coolant + Water Wetter

[///Mundr]

Brake/Clutch Fluid:
ATE Super Blue

Oil:
Mobil1 15w50

Differential Fluid:
RedLine 75w-90

Coolant:
BMW Coolant

Thats all I got folks

[hc1001]

tranny: OE BMW ATF (i have a 6 speed)
brake: ATE super blue racing
oil: mobil 1 15-50 extended performance
differential: redline 75W90
coolant: OE BMW coolant
powersteering: mobil 1 ATF

[Sadiq]

Brake/Clutch Fluid:
Distilled Water

Oil:
Amoco Lawnmower Oil

Differential Fluid:
Tap water

Coolant:
Whiskey

[argento]

Is it good to swap between ATE blue/gold so you know when you've cycled out all the old fluid?

[Ahheck01]

Is it good to swap between ATE blue/gold so you know when you've cycled out all the old fluid?

Sweet idea - we'll add a Q and A section after the tally - this can be like the ultimate fluids thread. Good call.

-Evan

[Mr.M]

Brake/Clutch Fluid:
Distilled Water
Coolant:
Whiskey

[hc1001]

Sweet idea - we'll add a Q and A section after the tally - this can be like the ultimate fluids thread. Good call.

-Evan

yes, thats y they made them. u switch between each so u kno when the old fluid is out.

PS: super blue and super blue racing is the same thing.

[Ahheck01]

PS: super blue and super blue racing is the same thing.

Thanks for the clarification. I'll change that.

[techno550]

super blue and ATE typ 200 are the same thing. Swapping between them does help when you flush the system as you then have a visual indicator of "all the old fluid is out".
As a side note, ATE super blue is not DOT legal. I know a lot of people that "always run blue". if you're going to do that, then always run typ 200 instead.

For brake fluid, I always use valvoline synpower.
For oil, Mobil1 15-50

[CrazyINP]

Ate Blue and Blue race are the same thing

[Ahheck01]

Ate Blue and Blue race are the same thing

That was mentioned and taken care of some time ago

[qidm67]

This is very easy

Transmission Fluid: Castrol ATF (Dexron on whatever)

Brake/Clutch Fluid: ATE Super Blue

Oil: Castrol (without any doubt) EDIT: Castrol GTX non-synthetic

Differential Fluid: Mobil 1 Synthetic

Coolant: BMW Blue Coolant

Power Steering Fluid: Castrol ATF Fluid

Windshield Washer Fluid: Rain X (Best I have used so far, anything more expensive than Rain-x is a waste)

Headlight fluid: AEM Honda Type-R RaCing Red High grade 1 fluid-while supplies last on Ebay

[Daved]

My votes go to:

Castrol 10w60

BMW coolant

[equate975]

Oil: Mobile 1 15w50
Coolant: OE BMW
Diff: OE BMW Synthetic
Tranny: OE? I dunno my dealer did that one for me.
Brakes: OE