Properties of ATF lubricants

Unlike gear oils (manual transmission oils), automatic transmission oil is a dilute hydraulic oil. This oil has a lower viscosity than manual transmission oil, so it can perfectly lubricate sensitive parts of the system. The materials in the automatic transmission oil clean the communication channels of the gearbox oil in the system and thus increase the efficiency of the whole gearbox system. Automatic transmission oil also has excellent cooling properties because its function is similar to the coolant in the radiator system. Gearbox oil transfers heat from the gears and prevents them from getting hot in contact with each other. Of course, the boiling point in the automatic transmission oil is much lower than the manual transmission oil because adding special supplements boosts its life longevity. Another feature of automatic transmission oil is the ability to prevent the formation of foam or the so-called foaming of oil. Because foam and bubbling in the manual gearbox oil stop the transfer of power to the gearbox system, thus its efficiency is reduced. Therefore, automatic transmission oils have anti-foam and bubble formation properties. Other features of automatic transmission oil include oil dispersion and adhesion to surfaces, control of sludge and sediment in the system, anti-oxidation, anti-corrosion, and protection of solar gears with washers and bushings.