[ihc] Limited slip additive in automatic trannies?

["Dennis Bernth" <scoutdude@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Group-
Besides the general digest, I directed this question to Greg H. and Colin,
since they seem to be somewhat gurus on this stuff. Through a friend, I ran
across a website where a guy is proposing to add Mopar limited slip additive
to his automatic transmission, along with Mopar anti-foaming additive. Here is
a paste of the first part of his page, with a brief explanation;
Well, many people have asked me for more info on the "fluids additive package"
that a certian performance company sells (they will remain nameless because
this is not info I want to use against them) for the Dodge trucks with a
tranny shift kit.  I purchased a Trans-Go shift kit from said supplier and
when I was ordering it I was told of the "fluids additive package" and decided
to go for it. The kit cost me 15 bucks, plus 15 bucks for "hazardous
materials" shipping! As soon as the shift kit arried I found that I had bought
a bunch of fluids that are easliy obtainable from Mopar Performance and your
local Dodge dealer! I spend 30 bucks where I could have spend 9! So here you
can find out what the fluids are, what they do, and you don't have to pay the
extra 15 bucks for "hazardous materials" crap...

Anyway, there are two fluids in this kit, one is the same Sure Grip additive
in a 4 oz bottle you would put in your Sure Grip rear end; weather it be in
your older muscle car with an 8 3/4 rear end, or your new Dodge Ram with its
new style Sure Grip. The other is an 1 oz bottle of Anti Foaming agent used to
prevent foaming in certain applications such as smaller high performance
engines, some transmissions, and even in some rear ends prone to high load.
Here is what he has to say about older transmissions, like ours;
I see no reason that this "kit" cant be used in a completely stock tranny in
the newer Rams, or even in much older muscle cars which use the same basic
tranny design. (Look in a Factory Service Manul from the mid to late 60s for
the internals of a 727 or 904, then look at your tranny in the Ram. I still
think they just copied the pics out of the old service manual!) It may not
help your tranny shift harder but in theory the life could be extended. Here
are a coupla reasons:

(1) If fluid starts to foam, you can loose pressure within the tranny, when a
fluid pump is pumping fluid at a certain pressure, it is also spinning at a
pretty constant RPM (at constant speed, and load). A foaming pressure which
cause the pressure to drop when passing through the pump will cause the pump
to spin faster to try and maintain the pressure. (kinda like trying to suck
your drink through a straw when suddenly it develops a hole, kinda hard aint
it???!!)

Anyway, this cuase the pump to work harder, and spin faster, hence less life.
Even if the fluid does nothing, it wont hurt anything. Its been used for years
as an additive, this is just a newer area.

(2) Clutch failure in a tranny is emminent, it will happen eventually becuase
the clutchs slip to provide a nice smooth shift. The Hypoid Gear Additive
helps the clutchs to grip a little better instead of slip. Less slip in this
case will help the tranny to live longer, and with no shift kit installed it
probably wont even be noticable when shifting. If not, it wont hurt anything,
hasnt in mine. Even if it does nothing, maybe it might add a little piece of
mind if nothing else.
And lastly, here is what he has to say about using Mopar 'new generation'
fluid in older trannies;
Again, most of the above info if my thoughts, experiences and opinions with my
own tranny. If its wrong, so be it, I take NO RESPONSIBILITY WHAT SO EVER if
you decide to add these fluids to your transmission. A transmission is a
precision piece of machinary and can easily be ruined by inproper care and
maintence. (trust me, Mopar trannys HATE Dextron/Mercon tranny fluid!! Just
ask the 727 behind my 600+ hp 440, it died in a year, not knowing that Dextron
fluid sucks and my driving style probably didnt help!)
So, any thoughts on this? Harmful, possibly helpful? Seems to me the LS
additive does the opposite of what he thinks it does, but I may just be
thinking wrong.  Inquiring minds want to know!
Dennis