![\"Z28](\"http:\/\/www.rhoadescamaro.com\/build\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/P1030047.jpg\" "\\"P1030047\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nConventional wisdom has it, you don’t use synthetic fluids in these old cars, and pretty much everything here is synthetic. \u00a0Hopefully since the seals in everything are new, they won’t have “grown accustomed” to dino juice, and develop leaks, which is one of the main reasons given not to switch.<\/p>\n
I won’t need all of the above in the first fill, wanted to get plenty to handle any spillage, and leave some leftover for the first fluid change.<\/p>\n
Here’s a description of the Camaro’s new juices, from left to right-<\/p>\n
Power Steering Fluid<\/h4>\n
Went synthetic with the power steering fluid, because there is a real possibility, the system won’t be able to cope with autocross. \u00a0The later cars (3rd & 4th Gen, even C4 Corvettes) have trouble with boiled PS fluid in autocross settings. \u00a0I’m not allowed to run a cooler, or make any other mods to help the PS system out directly. \u00a0The PS lines run very close to the headers (which have been coated with the best stuff out there) but that’s another source of heat. \u00a0The Redline synthetic stuff is supposed to be able to handle much higher temps than regular fluids, and better resist foaming and other breakdowns.<\/p>\n
Manual Transmission Fluid<\/h4>\n
Here, some people say to never go synthetic. \u00a0Big reason besides leaks, is how it doesn’t work with the synchros. \u00a0Transmission synchronizers need some amount of friction to generate their speeds, and if the fluid is too slippery, they won’t work right, and cause crunchy shifts and increased wear. \u00a0Also, some of the elements present in modern GL-5 fluids, can be harmful to the metals in the synchros, mainly brass. \u00a0The Redline 75W90NS is formulated to be a good manual transmission fluid – it lacks the friction modifying agent present in traditional limited-slip gear oils, helping synchros work, and it doesn’t contain the elements so harmful to the synchro metals.<\/p>\n
Differential Fluid<\/h4>\n
This isn’t so bad a place to go synthetic. \u00a0If I was really worried about the limited slip not working well (as I was in the Viper) I’d run a “NS” fluid here, but I suspect the diff will work fine, and the 80W140 fluid has the friction modifying (reducing) elements to hopefully keep it from being a push monster in sweepers. \u00a0Redline makes some beefier stuff like the Shockproof, but I don’t think I’ll really be hitting the diff that hard with these street tires and a suspension setup almost the opposite of what you’d do in a drag car.<\/p>\n
Brake Fluid<\/h4>\n
ATE Super Blue is a fluid I was very fond of back in my S2000 track days. \u00a0It held up well to the abuse of the track in a car that was a little bit under-braked from the factory. \u00a0For whatever reason, the best brake pedal firmness I ever had in that car, was with the Super Blue. \u00a0I would say brake feel too, but the S2000’s brake feel was never very good. \u00a0It was also a color (blue) unlike any other, making it easy to tell when it had fully made it in, and later back out, of the braking system. \u00a0They used to sell a golden color fluid to use in alternating flushes, but the basic parts-store stuff (Valvoline Synpower was one of the best) was usually clear-ish, a good enough contrast.<\/p>\n