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SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS, INC.

400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, Pa. 15096

Development of
Type C-3 Torque Fluid for
Heavy-Duty Power Shift
Transmissions

C. R. Potter and R. H. Schaefer

Detroit Diesel Allison
Division of General Motors Corporation

Earthmoving Industry Conference

Central Illinois Section
Peoria, Illinois 770513
April 18-20, 1977
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770513

Development of
Type C-3 Torque Fluid for
Heavy-Duty Power Shift
Transmissions

C. R. Potter and R. H. Schaefer

Detroit Diesel Allison
Division of General Motors Corporation

HEAVY DUTY off-highway automatic or power

shift transmissions place rigorous demands on a
transmission fluid (See Figure 1). The torque con
verter and hydraulic retarder generate heat; this
requires a fluid with a high degree of oxidation
stability and viscosity control. These qualities are
necessary because sludge, varnish and changes in
the fluid viscosity can seriously impair performance
of either manual or automatic hydraulic controls.
Bearings, gears and hydraulic pumps require good
anti-wear properties and viscosity control in order
to provide long life. Various compounds used in the
seals for pistons, shafts, and static applications re
quire a fluid which minimizes the degree of swell
and hardening so that the seals remain pliable for
the life of the transmission. Because the friction
surfaces of clutches get very hot, good control of fluid requirement since there are several areas
fluid oxidation and friction stability is required in within a transmission where serious intermixing of
order to maintain consistent and reliable shifts. air and fluid could occur and result in spewing oil
Anti-foam properties are another very important from the transmission breather. The hydraulic

ABSTRACT

The Type C-3 transmission fluid specification which calls for the use of test hardware that is more
has been completed which defines tighter require readily available. Seal-swell requirements were ex
ments for fluids used in heavy-duty off-highway panded to include the latest materials used in
automatic or power shift transmissions. A transmission seals. The cooperative efforts of the
laboratory test program was conducted to develop petroleum and additive industries, along with
and prove-out the uprated requirements. The C-3 Detroit Diesel Allison, are now providing an im
specification now provides for control of the fluid's proved fluid for use in the latest off-highway heavy
effect on clutch friction retention and durability. A duty transmissions.
redefined oxidation stability test has been included

Copyright © Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc. 1977

All rights reserved.
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retarder and gears are typical of these areas. Final use of a new Powerglide oxidation test, it was felt
ly, since this type of transmission is drained of oil that a separate friction retention test was not neces
before shipment and may be in storage under high sary. Audit testing of Type C-2 fluids over the next
humidity conditions, it is important that the fluid several years verified this conclusion.
possess anti-rust properties so that the ferrous parts
are protected. CURRENT FLUID STATUS. During the late
In late 1976, the Type C-3 fluid specification was 1960s, a program was moving ahead to develop a
published which defines an improved oil to be used new line of automatic power shift transmissions to
with heavy-duty off-highway automatic or power be used for on-highway vehicles in the 12,000 to
shift transmissions. This paper describes the steps 120,000 lb. gross weight range. Because of the need
leading from inception of the original Type C to service these vehicles in gas stations and truck
specification to the release of the Type C-3 stops, a decision was made to specify DEXRON®
specification. This paper also covers several of the fluids for both initial and service fill rather than
more distinctive requirements of the new Type C-3 Type C-2 fluids. However, fluids formulated to the
specification. C-2 specification were still preferred for use in the
heavy-duty off-highway power shift transmissions
TYPE C FLUID EVOLUTION
shown in Figure 2. This preference was due to im
portant property differences (e.g., anti-rust and
anti-wear) and the fact that C-2 fluids were less ex
The mid-1940s marked the introduction of heavy pensive than DEXRON®, in most cases. Thus, the
duty power shift transmissions to the earthmoving
and construction industries. These transmissions
were initially lubricated with engine oil. But, the
need for improved transmission fluids became ap
parent as early field experience revealed serious
fluid-related problems. The most serious of these
was the formation of sludge and varnish which in
terfered with proper transmission function.
After several years of development testing and
close work with the additive manufacturers and
General Motors Research, the Type C specification
for heavy-duty off-highway transmission fluids was
released in 1955. The purpose of this specification
was to provide a guide for the petroleum industry
so they could produce a line of fluids acceptable to
both manual and automatic power shift transmissions.
The Type C-1 fluid specification was released in
1959. This specification defined a procedure that Type C-2 fluids had proven themselves in over eight
allowed fluid suppliers to submit a statement say years of successful transmission operation with a
ing that their product conformed to the Type C-1 minimum of fluid-related problems. By 1974, 268
specification requirements. The name of their fluid fluids had been qualified to the Type C-2 specifica
was then added to an "approved" fluid list. This list tion (although 150 of these were initially developed
was furnished to transmission customers by the as DEXRON® fluids). Table 1 illustrates the evolu
DDA Service Department. By 1967, demands on tion of characteristics for Type C fluids.
transmission performance and durability had in
creased. As a result, the Type C-2 specification was DEXRON® II. In 1972 a DEXRON® II specification
issued which included an improved fluid oxidation was proposed. The purpose of this new specification
stability requirement and rust protection was add was to provide an increase in oxidation stability and
ed. The C-2 specification also defined a new fluid have a fluid qualified for use in:
listing procedure, which required the fluid suppliers Passenger car automatic transmissions
to furnish documentation from an independent Heavy duty automatic transmissions
source verifying that their fluid has conformed to Industrial gas turbine engines.
the requirements of the C-2 specification. Work began immediately on the development of
While the Type C-2 specification was being additive systems capable of meeting the re
developed, many fluids were tested. It was found quirements for these three usages. The formal
that friction stability and oxidation stability cor DEXRON® II specification was released in July
related very well. Because of these results and the 1973, and fluids to this specification are currently
upgrading of the Type C-2 specification through the available across the country.
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tested. Typical clutch materials are paper,
graphitic paper, bronze, and resin graphite.
The friction machine is capable of energy levels
ranging from 239 ft-lb. per in.2, which is typical of
on-highway automatic transmission service, to 825
ft-lb. per in.2, which represents very severe duty for
off-highway power shift transmissions. One clutch
disc is run for 2000 cycles through each of the ap
propriate energy levels and then another disc is
used for a 20,000-cycle durability test. The 2000
cycle tests are used to evaluate the basic energy
capacity and friction stability (typical energy
capacity results are shown in Figure 4) while the
20,000-cycle test simulates wear rate and friction
stability under more normal conditions (reference
Figure 5).

Since many oil companies had taken the oppor

tunity to qualify their DEXRON® fluids to the
Type C-2 specification, and since DEXRON® II
would automatically replace DEXRON®, a pro
gram was established to evaluate the effect of
DEXRON® II fluids on transmission performance,
primarily in the area of clutch friction charac
teristics. Tests were performed using on-highway
automatic transmissions and off-highway power
shift transmissions, as well as an inertia-stop fric
tion clutch machine.

FRICTION RETENTION AND DURABILITY

TESTS. The laboratory tests for evaluating both
clutch plate materials and fluids use an inertia-stop
friction machine similar to the one shown in Figure
3. The machine has spray lubrication to the single

This testing procedure has been used for over

twenty years to evaluate fluids and friction mate
rials. This type of testing has proven to be effective
clutch disc and an engagement speed of 2450 rpm. since field reliability data has shown a steady and
A clutch engagement can be made every ten consistent reduction in clutch failures as new and
seconds. There are four energy levels that can be improved friction materials and fluids have been so
run, depending upon the type of material to be tested and then used in production transmissions.
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CLUTCH FRICTION CHARACTERISTICS curves, for the C-2 formulation and a typical
WITH DEXRON® II. By the latter part of 1973, the DEXRON®, show acceptable friction retention.
new DEXRON® II fluid formulations were fairly These fluids also have a very good field performance
well defined; therefore, a program was initiated to history. The third curve, for the Series 3 engine oil,
evaluate these fluids in a full-scale clutch plate fric shows the characteristics of a glazing problem, but
tion test machine. The program included the ad only at the higher energy level. The fourth curve, for
ditive from each of the companies which formulate a DEXRON® II fluid, has poor friction retention at
those compounds. Each additive was blended with all three energy levels.
two different base stocks and tested with friction
materials typical of those used in production
transmissions.
The first friction material to be tested with the
new DEXRON® II fluids was a graphitic paper
since this is the material used in most on-highway
automatic transmissions and since DEXRON® was
the only fluid specified for such use. Test results
were very good, as shown in Figure 6. The only
significant difference in the performance of the
fluids was in the static lockup torque and this was
not felt to be a problem.

At this point, it was decided to run actual

transmission tests on DEXRON® II in order to es
tablish a correlation with the clutch machine. For
off-highway evaluation, a full throttle forward and
reverse shift cycle was selected. This cycle, as
shown in Figure 8, is typical of a heavy-duty front
loader in a stockpiling operation. The transmission

Resin graphite was the next material tested since

it was used in the most severe service, off-highway
power shift transmissions. Major friction stability
problems were encountered very quickly with this
combination of friction material and DEXRON® II
fluid. Discussions were held with various oil and ad
ditive companies in an effort to define the cause of
the problem, but they had no experience with this
condition. They did indicate that the Caterpillar
Tractor Co. was also having some problems with
friction stability with bronze clutch plates. Contact
with Caterpillar confirmed this, and they provided
a sample of an A.P.I. "CD" (Series 3) engine oil was set up on an engine durability test stand and
that they felt was very marginal in providing ade first run for 100 hours with a known Type C-2
quate field performance. This fluid was tested with torque fluid. At the end of this time, the clutch
the resin graphite clutch material. These test plates were in excellent condition and clutch
results were compared with a conventional Type C engagement time had increased by only five per
2 formulation, a typical DEXRON® and a typical cent. The transmission was then rebuilt with new
DEXRON® II (See Figure 7. In this Figure, the in clutch plates and a typical DEXRON® II fluid was
itials "E.L." stand for energy level). The upper two used. After 27 hours of durability, the reverse-to
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forward engagement time had increased 31 percent ed at 300 ft-lb. per in.2 maximum. This limitation
while the forward-to-reverse had increased only allows the use of DEXRON® II with all Allison on
three percent. Inspection showed that the friction highway automatic transmission having resin
plates in the forward clutch pack, which absorbs graphite clutch plates, since their maximum energy
more energy than the reverse pack, were glazed and level falls below the 300 ft-lb. per in.2 limit.
the steel reaction plates had overheated and were
distorted. FRICTION TEST DEVELOPMENT. The only
The less severe, on-highway evaluation was run practical way to provide fluids with adequate fric
using a five-speed automatic transmission with tion stability for off-highway power shift
resin graphite clutches in a fully loaded highway transmissions was through upgrading of the Type
tractor-trailer rig on a mountain durability test C-2 specification requirements to include a friction
route (See Figure 9). This test route gave the test using resin graphite clutch plates. These re
transmission approximately 1.8 wide open throttle quirements are defined in the C-3 specification.
shifts per mile. The test was concluded at 60,000 Since all Type C-2 testing was being done by oil
miles with the transmission shifting normally. The companies, additive companies and independent
transmission and clutch machine results are com test labs, it was imperative that any new tests
pared in Figure 10, which shows friction loss and specified include equipment readily available to
clutch energy for each test. These results show that those organizations. The most universal test in use
the friction stability of resin graphite clutch plates is the DEXRON® II High Energy Friction and
with DEXRON® II is satisfactory when operating at Durability Test, which uses an SAE No. 2 clutch
low energy levels. machine (See Figure 11). This machine uses 20
ounces of test fluid with the clutch plates totally
submerged. Cooling is controlled by water flowing
around the outside of the test cavity.

The four fluids discussed previously, and

referenced in Figure 7, were used to establish a test
severity to match the results obtained during the
full scale testing on the DDA clutch machine.
Typical torque traces for this test are shown in
Figure 12. More than 60 tests were conducted with
these four fluids in order to establish test
parameters that would give results similar to the
full scale tests previously run. The results of these
tests are shown in Figure 13. The test parameters
established are listed below.
clutch plates - standard resin graphite
reaction plates - standard
Based upon these results and the fact that clutch plate fixture - standard
DEXRON® II has been used in the field for over a temperature - 235°F
year now, an energy limit for DEXRON® II usage cycle rate - four per minute
with resin graphite clutch plates has been establish two-level test - break-in and durability
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total cycles - 5500 Hydraulic Systems Fluid (2)
energy - 726 ft-lb. per in.2 for durability Two independent laboratories are now capable of
Except for the clutch plates and fixtures, all running these qualification tests and are handling
changes were machine settings only, thus making complete C-3 approvals, including the C-3 friction
the procedure easy to accomplish. retention test.

Based on results with the reference fluids, the

minimum limits for acceptability were established
just below the DEXRON® and above the Series 3
engine oil. These limits are shown in Figure 14. The
final step in the program was assisting independent OTHER C-3 REQUIREMENTS
test laboratories to set up qualification tests. While
assistance was being provided to the test labora It was felt that two other properties of transmis
tories, and in an effort to move the C-3 program sion fluids were in need of improvement. Oxidation
forward, friction tests continued to be run. and seal-swell requirements were evaluated and up
Since the test was initially established, 135 fluid rated.
tests have been run. Of these, 73 have been for in
formation purposes or repeats for verification and OXIDATION STABILITY. The old oxidation re
62 have been for qualification. Forty-five of the 62 quirements were based on the Powerglide oxidation
fluids have successfully passed this test. See Figure test, which had done an excellent job of qualifying
15 for a comparison of the test results of these 62 fluids free of oxidation problems for many years. It
fluids. Note the wide spread between the most was decided, therefore, to maintain the test severity
stable and least stable fluids. The acceptable fluids at its present level but to modify the test to use a
are of the following types (the quantities of each current production transmission. An investigation
type that have been qualified are noted in of the Turbo-Hydramatic Oxidation Test
parentheses). (T.H.O.T.) in the DEXRON® II specification was
MIL-L-2104C Oil (12) the starting point of the oxidation stability test
MIL-L-46152 Oil (4) modification program. Facilities for both tests are
Universal Engine Oil (7) available at the independent test laboratories.
C-2, C-3 Formulation (20) Two known fluids were selected for reference pur
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poses. One fluid marginally passed and one
marginally failed the Powerglide oxidation test.
Two modified Turbo-Hydramatic oxidation tests
were run on each fluid. The initial test was modified
to the extent that sump temperature, oil flow and
air flow were maintained at the levels used in the
Powerglide test. The results of this test showed that
the initial modified T.H.O.T. was not as severe as
the Powerglide test.
Discussions with General Motors Research per
sonnel, who control the test specifications, indicated
that the final modified test should be able to match
the Powerglide severity by increasing the oil flow
from 1.0 to 1.37 gpm and by increasing the air flow
from 15 to 30 cc/min as shown in Table 2. An ad
ditional four tests were run under these final test
conditions, and the results were almost identical to
those of the old Powerglide tests.

SUMMARY AND STATUS

The new Type C-3 transmission fluid specifica

tion has been completed which defines more
stringent requirements for fluids used in heavy
duty off-highway automatic or power shift
The new oxidation test has now been established transmissions. This specification was released in
using a current production THM-350 transmission, December 1976 and became effective for use in
which is manufactured by the Chevrolet Motor Allison heavy-duty off-highway transmissions
Division of General Motors. Figure 16 shows a com January 1, 1977. The new Type C-3 specification is
parison of sludge conditions in the forward clutch more demanding than previous specifications since
drum, which is used for oxidation rating. it provides for control of clutch friction retention
characteristics. The oil industry has qualified many
SEAL SWELL CONTROL. Since most heavy duty fluids to this specification.
transmissions use a combination of Buna-N, At present, 110 fluids have been qualified. The
polyacrylate and silicone seals, it seemed advisable newly qualified oils are performing very well. Many
to protect such seals against problems related to of the fluids being qualified are previously approved
hardening or excessive seal swell. Therefore, the Type C-2 fluids. The remainder are predominantly
Type C-3 specification was uprated by using the engine oils or special Type C-3 formulations which
DEXRON® II seal swell tests, which add control on will be replacing Type C-2 approved DEXRON®
both polyacrylate and silicone materials, as well as fluids that are no longer available. The cooperative
the current Buna-N. effort of the petroleum industry with Detroit Diesel
Allison has provided a step forward in upgrading
the fluids used in heavy-duty off-highway
transmissions.

This paper is subject to revision. Statements and opinions in SAE Transactions. For permission to publish this paper in full or in part,
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