Transmission Oil
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 750
Likes: 297
From: Central MO
Transmission Oil
Been seeing and reading a lot about the transmission needing 2 extra quarts of oil for "track" use?
Would this be a good recommendation for spirited road use? I tend to drive my car aggressive in my opinion (probably not in most) but would it hurt normal day driving?
And why was it underfilled from the factory?
Would this be a good recommendation for spirited road use? I tend to drive my car aggressive in my opinion (probably not in most) but would it hurt normal day driving?
And why was it underfilled from the factory?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,391
Likes: 1,166
From: Early 2020 Z51 Coupe, Original Owner, Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ
As you have identified yourself as a spirited driver the answer is yes add in the extra 2 quarts C8 factory recommended transmission fluid.
I'm a spirited driver as well and added the 2 extra quarts after changing the transmission filter at 1300 miles, car shifts perfect and now has 2400 miles. Have no plans to track the car.
Did the oil and filter at 1300 miles as well, not waiting for the 7500 miles especially living in the desert. Will do the free oil and filter along with the transmission filter change at 7500 miles.
I'm a spirited driver as well and added the 2 extra quarts after changing the transmission filter at 1300 miles, car shifts perfect and now has 2400 miles. Have no plans to track the car.
Did the oil and filter at 1300 miles as well, not waiting for the 7500 miles especially living in the desert. Will do the free oil and filter along with the transmission filter change at 7500 miles.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 5,529
Likes: 1,943
From: Austin Texas
At the track, I can get the water temperature up to 230şF and the oil temperature up to 275şF in my F355 Ferrari in 103şF Texas summer heat.
Driving as hard as I dare on backroads, I can't get my water temp over 220şF nor my oil temperature over 245şF in similar heat.
So from the ability to put heat into the engine or transmission, it is unlikely you can put enough heat in (off the track) to need the added transmission fluid.
It is also likely that you can add the fluid and nothing bad will happen, too.
Driving as hard as I dare on backroads, I can't get my water temp over 220şF nor my oil temperature over 245şF in similar heat.
So from the ability to put heat into the engine or transmission, it is unlikely you can put enough heat in (off the track) to need the added transmission fluid.
It is also likely that you can add the fluid and nothing bad will happen, too.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 13,180
Likes: 10,521
What Mitch said. Even spirited road driving won't come close to putting the loads on the DCT that lap after lap of track use will. Not in terms of oil temp or side loading. You might get 1G lateral loads on the car occasionally on the street. On the track, you'll do that corner after corner, lap after lap.
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Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 119
Likes: 34
Just another example of pathetic GM trying to save a few bucks per unit and screw Corvette owners. You order the Z51 package and pay 6K - and these cheap bastards do not even fill the fluid levels up??? So many problems with this car, and such lack of quality control-I am thinking about cancelling my 2021 Z51 3LT-nothing but problems, problems, problems.