Substitute for Dex II/III?

[5shot]

For making Ben's Red, is there a sub? Hard to find and expensive.

 

[Ian]

Dexron III/Mercon ATF is the cheapest stuff there is. I wouldn't substitute anything else due to viscosity and oil base.

 

[5shot]

I'll have to check again. Google prices were crazy.

 

[5shot]

I guess I'm blind. Thanks.

 

[Ian]

Don't look for II, it's been obsolete for something like 50 years. Any auto parts store will carry III/Merc, Walmart has it, look for store brands.

 

[fiver]

you can buy it by the gallon in the blue jugs at wal-mart pretty cheap.
i'd have to put my shoes on and walk out to the shed to remember the store brand, but it's whatever.
you can't mess up dexron-3 and mercon unless it's some sort of cheapass 59 cent recycled stuff.

 

[Ian]

"Super Tech" I think. I've been to Walmart twice since I moved back south fifteen years ago, both times only to buy a hunting license.

 

[Bret4207]

I buy it in either 2 gal jugs or 5 gallon buckets. ATF is a great all round lube that also cleans better than straight oils and penetrates better too.

 

[Ben]

You should be able to walk into any parts store or Wal Mart and buy all the Dexron III/Merc you want.

Ben

 

[L Ross]

When your wife is wandering around an estate sale looking at furniture and quilting fabric, you sneak out to the garage and the basement and find all kinds of cool stuff. The Estate Sellers can't wait to get shed of old oil, ATF, solvents and other stuff the family will otherwise have to take to the County's hazardous waste facility. Boxes of real Ohio Blue Tip matches, old ATF with sperm whale oil in it, paraffin, bee's wax candles, solder. The older and grimier the garage or basement the better. Like the time I found an All American gasketless #23 1/2 pressure canner on a window ledge in a basement covered on cob webs and dirt. 50 cents said the seller with a question mark in her voice when I asked what she wanted.

Oh, and some of the hazardous waste centers will let you take things. Like a 5 gallon sealed bucket of mineral oil.

 

[pcmacd]

Go to an auto parts store and buy the cheapest old fashioned ATF you can find, none of that SYNTHETIC STUFF (it separates in the mix.) I made up two more gallons, less the acetone, for my ultrasound machine.

 

[JonB]

Many Counties have a Household Hazardous Waste collection centers.
The usually have a "free room" or "reuse room" for anyone to get items that are reusable...Mostly house paint, but I've got ATF there many times, along with many other garage chemicals...pretty much everything you'd need to make Ed's Red, so my Ed's Red is always free
Linseed oil is my fave thing to get free, often a gallon at a time.

 

[Rally]

JonB,
We do the same thing. My wife is a crafter and uses small amounts of multiple stains . Paints,and varnish’s. Rarely have to buy any, paint thinner almost every trip there too.

 

[Matt]

Exactly! I’ve never spent more than a nickel on linseed oil or turpentine. My first can of both were given to me by my grandfather the rest have been garage/estate sale finds. Once I smartened up maybe 10 years ago I stopped buying paint thinner, oil based paints, acetone, two stroke oil etc at a store. As noted above chemicals and paint are often giveaways. I got a case of Mercon ATF for $1 a few years ago. I did end up with a 5 gallon bucket of Chevron grease that will be something for my kids to get rid of. I’ve never had the motivation to fill grease guns from it.