Engine: ´63 Avanti R2 Fluids/Oil

[nicotwo]

Hi from Hamburg,
I hope these are some easy questions for you: I dont know what kind of liquids I should use in the Avanti. The swiss aoai chapter said I can use everything And the previous owner couldnt help. But from my old Land Rover I knew that there are some specialties.

engine oil: mineral oil sae 20w-50
automatic transmission: ATF dextron II-III (red is inside kow)
paxton charger: ATF dextron II-III
power steering: ATF dextron II-III (in general I would use a special power steering liquid which is yello, but red is in there now)
brake fluid: dot3 (or is 4 or 5 possible too?)
differential:?
Cooling Liquid:?


Thanks and best wishes from Germany, nico

[Gunslinger]

Engine oil...match the oil to the driving conditions and climate you plan on driving the car in. In hot summer a straight 30W is fine. A multi-grade can be used year 'round.

Transmission oil...some say Dexron others say Ford Mercon or Type "F" if you can find it. The GM Dexron will give smoother shifts...the Ford spec fluid will give firmer shifts.

The Paxton...I don't have the answer...someone more knowledgeable can provide that answer.

Power steering...the same as what's in the transmission or power steering specific fluid.

Brake fluid...DOT 3, DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 but DO NOT mix in DOT 5 silicone fluid. That is not compatible and will create a mushy brake pedal or worse. If you want to convert to DOT 5 silicone fluid, you first need to completely flush the system of all mineral based brake fluid. Changing the hoses and rubber seals would be a help as well for that.

Differential...normal rear axle fluid is fine but with limited slip additive if your car has Twin-Traction.

Coolant...stick with ethylene glycol coolant in a 50-50 mix with water.

[Deaf Mute]

Do European oils still have the necessary zink and phosphorus or will they need to add ZDDP to the oil?

[drrotor]

On the supercharger, I recently had mine rebuilt by Jon Erb in Carson City. When I received it back from him, it came with VERY SPECIFIC instructions to use ONLY ONLY atf type "F"! I'm sorry I am not knowledgeable as to why, but he made as strong a point as was possible on the matter... anyone care to elaborate as to why he would insist on this?

[Gunslinger]

While I cannot say this is definitive, I have read that superchargers with planetary balls like the Paxton require some friction to allow the balls to roll properly. Ford Type F is supposed to give the proper amount of rolling friction and protection as opposed to Dexron or a synthetic fluid which are too slick and allow the planetary balls to slip rather than roll.

Accurate or not, I can't say.

[BobPalma]

The important thing about Ford Type F transmission fluid for Paxton and McCullough superchargers is to try to find genuine Ford Motorcraft Brand Type F, not those from other oil companies.

Obviously, this requires a trip to a Ford dealer Parts Department, and maybe a special order. They were phasing it out, so I am not sure of the current availability.

But you should try to find and use genuine Ford Motorcraft Type F fluid in our superchargers. BP

[PlainBrownR2]

While I cannot say this is definitive, I have read that superchargers with planetary balls like the Paxton require some friction to allow the balls to roll properly. Ford Type F is supposed to give the proper amount of rolling friction and protection as opposed to Dexron or a synthetic fluid which are too slick and allow the planetary balls to slip rather than roll.

Accurate or not, I can't say.

That's it! I received the same explanation from Dave Thiebault when I had my supercharger rebuilt. The Paxton is essentially a ball bearing driven clutch, of sorts. When it is spinning, the balls engage the disc, which results in the impeller to spin. The unit needs a fluid with a friction additive in it, which the Type F contains, to keep the balls engaged to the disc. The balls cannot have a fluid in it that causes them to slide, such as motor oil, because once they slip, then a flat spot is potentially introduced into the ball or balls after that, which then sometime shortly after that, the supercharger destroys itself.

[63 R2 Hawk]

I have been using NAPA type "F" fluid in my Erb Paxton, it has been going strong for over 10 years now. I draw the old fluid out with a "Mitey Vac" and replace it every year or two and haven't had any problems yet. I don't baby it, but I don't race it either.