Indmar says 15W-40. <BR> <BR>I think I remeber it right that the MC manual says ATF in one place and 15W-40 in another. Dealer says ATF. <BR> <BR>ZF manual says ATF, and the 2 ZF reps I have talked to are very suprised by the 15W-40 concept. <BR> <BR>Engine/tranny comes shipped from Indmar with 15W-40. <BR> <BR>What to use? Has anyone gotten a straight answer on this? <BR> <BR>(Note, ZF tranny / v-drive is all in one unit, no separate v-drive).

Whoa, the tranny does not get standard 15W-40. The transmission definitely gets ATF. I am surprised is came shipped with 15W-40. When you pumped the fluid out of the tranny was it redish color?

It for sure is 15W-40 in there. I was just as surprised. But Indmar says they ship all of them like that, and to continue using it over tranny fluid. .. They even put a sticker on the tranny by the fill/empty cap saying 15W-40. I find the whole thing kinda weird.

with a ZF you use ATF. The 15-40 is for the seperate v-drive on bu's. I use synthetic ATF and have changed it twice with no probs. I would definately go with what the ZF reps say.

But if it already has 15W-40 in it, how do you get it all out? If 15W-40 is bad for it, I can't imagine a mixture of the 2 is any better.

i've got a pump you can borrow to get it out. Call the factory to make sure your putting in the right stuff. Malibu shipped my by boat with tractor fluid in the trans. Malibu factory rep recommended replacing it with ATF. It's been 3 years, no problems yet.

Mine ZF trans says atf only and has red atf fluid in it. My V drive uses sae 30 as called out in manual. Two diferent units although bolted together as one

Yes, the ZF and the Walters V-drive are two different pieces. Make sure you are putting the fluids in the proper places.

This is the ZF 63 IV. Tranny / v drive in one, and only one fluid. (I think MCs used to have a tranny and Walters v-drive, correct?) <BR> <BR>The ZF reps didn't seem that appaled by the 15W-40 idea, more surprised than anything that Indmar is shipping with it, and recommending continued use of it. <BR> <BR>Well calling the factory is just that, depending on which factory, the answer varies... I can't immagine Indmar being totally ignorant on this, so perhaps it doesen't really matter that much and both are fine? (Obvioulsy just not a mix of the two...) <BR> <BR>Thanks for the offer Rick, but we have a pump. I think what Jess means is that there of course will be some left no matter how much you try to pump out that last bit. Why can't these things have a drain on the bottom like the engine. Seems easier than dealing with pumps...

It's under warranty so I wouldn't mess with it. Is oil heavy than tranny fluid? Think so, which means you'd have a real tough time getting it all out because the tranny pump probably pulls from the bottom and would continue circulating the stuff around with the ATF.