Transmission Fluid Upgrade?

[danrstevens]

I have a 2013 2.0T base,automatic transmission. Took it to the track with Driver's Edge Performance Driving school this last weekend and the 3.1 mile Motor Sport Ranch track in Cresson Texas. Tight track, 16 turns - though there are a couple of spots where you can exceed 100mph - great fun and excellent instruction. The car was great and held it's own very well. However, near the end of my 6th run (about 23 minutes each, with an hour or two between runs). I frothed/boiled some transmission fluid. It vented and looked like a huge cloud of smoke coming out of the bottom of the car. So I sat out the last two runs not wanting to damage the car (it seems fine so far, no leaks, shifts fine). Has anyone upgraded to a high temperature transmission fluid? Wondering what is out there that is compatible in case I go again, I do NOT want to add a cooler. I did flush the brakes and upgrade the brake fluid before I went and had no brake problems at all, even without Brembos or upgraded pads (none available, I checked).

 

[bello]

:Hello danrstevens- you practically told our story! Last February we took my wife's Base 2.0T Coupe to a Drivers' Ed at Roebling Road, near Savannah, GA, with PCA. I am an Instructor and she runs Solo. The car was great! But- The Traction Control and Stability Management were woefully conservative... Both systems kept intervening as soon as we entered a turn at speed and any slipping & sliding occurred. Had to disable both systems. Then we were able to go faster and have more fun. Finally mastered the use of the Paddle Shifters and were able to scoot around the track at a good clip. As we learned the car (this was our first outing in this car, previously ran an e46 BMW M3 6-speed) and started to go fast enough to stay with most of the Porsches there, the trans acted up! Apparently the trans fluid heated up enough to boil and generally get very angry! On left turns, as the fluid sloshed to the right, it apparently climbed up and out of the tranny case thru the breather vent. You guessed it! the fluid ended up on the exhaust, just past the turbo... and there we were smoking up the track and impressing those behind us! Fifty or 100 yards out of the turn, on the straights, the smoke would cease. Only to be repeated on the next lap! As in your case, there were no other issues, the transmission performed flawlessly otherwise. Long story short: we traded it in for a 2.0T R-Spec. Same power, better handling, much better brakes, no Cruise Control (why?) a 6-speed manual, and Limited Slip diff. This is an awesome car. In May, we took the car to Sebring for a Lapping Day with PBOC- a much faster crowd than the DE @ Roebling Road! The car was great! Had a number of people question what kind of car is that? Truly, the car exceeded our expectations- no issues at all! Every bit as competent as the M3 was! Anyway, is anyone else "tracking" a Genesis Coupe? Tell us a story! Ernie

 

[homeofstone]

I have a 2013 2.0T base,automatic transmission. Took it to the track with Driver's Edge Performance Driving school this last weekend and the 3.1 mile Motor Sport Ranch track in Cresson Texas. Tight track, 16 turns - though there are a couple of spots where you can exceed 100mph - great fun and excellent instruction. The car was great and held it's own very well. However, near the end of my 6th run (about 23 minutes each, with an hour or two between runs). I frothed/boiled some transmission fluid. It vented and looked like a huge cloud of smoke coming out of the bottom of the car. So I sat out the last two runs not wanting to damage the car (it seems fine so far, no leaks, shifts fine). Has anyone upgraded to a high temperature transmission fluid? Wondering what is out there that is compatible in case I go again, I do NOT want to add a cooler. I did flush the brakes and upgrade the brake fluid before I went and had no brake problems at all, even without Brembos or upgraded pads (none available, I checked).

If you change to a non spec fluid then warranty may be void on the transmission. And from Edmunds " If you scour Internet message boards, there are plenty of articles noting how dealers and automakers monitor racing events (and even attend events to record license plate numbers) in order to deny warranty service the next time those cars come in for service. Though these may sound like conspiracy theories, you may want to think twice before competing in your car."

 

[danrstevens]

homeofstone, does it specifically state that you cannot track the car in the warranty? I took a quick look and did not see anything specifically on this subject. I do not and will not race it, but I will drive it very hard, on the road as well as at the track in the context of a driving school.

Bello,

When you upgraded to the R-Spec, how much did you have to give up on the ride for normal driving? I love the ride and driving qualities of my base. It is smooth on the road, but still handles great. It is one of the few sports cars on the market that I would take on a cross country trip with my wife (and it has the room for that as well). I do wish I had gotten the manual tranny, but traffic where I live is getting to the point where that is just a pain. Most of my cars in the past had manual shifts, so I understand the appeal, but I also know, that for most cars now, the same driver - no matter how skilled will get better times with the new automatics they are putting in the cars now (or the electronic controlled clutches, which practically is the same thing). I know the magazines complain a lot about both transmissions, and I hope they do upgrade to be in line with the state of the art, but in is the car you live with you learn how to compensate for the slow downshifts or lack of crispness (the latter of which is feel NOT function). I rode with a guy in an 80's camaro, tracked out of course, but the engine and tranny would not pass muster by today's standards, heavy metal american technology, but he gets around the track like you would not believe, it's brutal in the passenger seat.

 

[danrstevens]

I succumbed to temptation and last October I traded my 2.0T base in for a 3.8 Track 6 spd manny. To be honest, the 2.0T is a sweeter ride in city driving, but the raw power of this thing is fantastic! Haven't been to the track yet, but hope to get there before too long. Really wanted and R-Spec but couldn't find one, and the deal they made was pretty hard to pass up. Took it home for under 30K.