Four years in a garage is tough on a car.

Lasiorhinus

Leaving Skid Marks
Lifetime Member
Location
Darwin
First Name
Stephen
Drive
White FL Legnum
I've been overseas for the last four years, and my Legnum has been in the care of my father, and apparently the local Mitsubishi dealer for all number of random services.

To cut a long story COVID, I have the car back again, and after a long road-trip where they got the car as far as Alice Springs, I now have my car back in the NT with some work that needs to be done.

The radiator, which I thought had cracked, turned out to have simply had a loose hose, but that's OK, the new all-aluminium radiator is in the post and will be here soon.

The rocker covers are leaking, the engine is absolutely filthy from years of a slow oil leak, but that's OK, some new gaskets are on the way and that will be replaced pretty soon.

What concerns me though is that the automatic transmission appears to be almost empty of fluid. There's definitely a slow leak from the transmission, and I have paperwork from the dealer who seems to have used a non-genuine fluid to flush and top up the transmission. I do have a recollection that only only only genuine Mitsubishi ATF SP3 fluid can be used, not just any fluid that claims to meet those specifications - but is my memory perhaps confusing this with the fluid for the AYC Diff?

Is it a problem to have used non-genuine fluid in the automatic transmission?
 

jungle

3 AYC Bars
Lifetime Member
Location
QLD
First Name
Simon
Drive
1 PFL & 1 FL Legnum
Welcome back Stephen! 4 years is a long time. How often did your dad drive it?

Non genuine, Depends, i know some use AMSOIL ATF. You are correct the Mitsu ATF is the go. However, i don't have an auto and can't speak from experience. I would suggest as long as its SP3 you'd be fine. The Mitsubishi stuff is pretty cheap, just use that.

Also most now are on FB, so this site isn't visited as much. I'd answer your question on there for more and faster responses.

Hope that helps
 

Lasiorhinus

Leaving Skid Marks
Lifetime Member
Location
Darwin
First Name
Stephen
Drive
White FL Legnum
Thank you! Yes, a long time for the poor car. It drove 10,000km in the last four years - 2,500km of which was to get it from Sale to Alice Springs in December. I know what you mean about the lack of traffic here - I did indeed crosspost this post to Facebook at the same time, and yes the general consensus is for the transmission itself, anything SP3 is suitable. I live about 3 hours drive from the nearest Mitsubishi parts shop, so I'll use an aftermarket SP3 fluid for now.

I think the critical use of Mitsubishi only fluid is for the AYC Diff.

It's been a productive week though - the car sitting off the road for a bit has given me time to change the Lower Control Arms, purely as a preventative measure, but now gives me security that my wheel isn't going to try to go chasing kangaroos in a paddock when I try to drive.

The road trip cut short in Alice Springs, which initially looked to be because of a cracked radiator - and having heard that the plastic radiators are prone to failure, I ordered a new all-metal radiator.

Weirdly it came with a set of fans, smaller than the originals and will not fit into the original mounting shroud. I think I'll just re-use the OEM fans, since there was nothing wrong with them. Should be ok, I'd imagine.
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Lasiorhinus

Leaving Skid Marks
Lifetime Member
Location
Darwin
First Name
Stephen
Drive
White FL Legnum
Further updates on the restoration and re-loving of my car...

New spark plugs installed today. The old ones were very oily, and two of the front spark plug seals were crushed in a weird way. I have a receipt from a Mitsubishi dealer that claims they've changed the rocker cover gaskets - though I very much get the feeling they perhaps did the front gasket only, and mangled the spark plug seals on the way. New seals and gaskets on order, should be here early next week.
 

Lasiorhinus

Leaving Skid Marks
Lifetime Member
Location
Darwin
First Name
Stephen
Drive
White FL Legnum
I don't think I had much fluid in the transmission, which does explain the limp mode it experienced at Alice Springs.
So far I've put 4.2 litres of fluid in, and its barely reading on the dipstick when following the correct procedure. Its Saturday, and I live in Woop-Woop, so I have to wait til Monday to buy more fluid.
 

Lasiorhinus

Leaving Skid Marks
Lifetime Member
Location
Darwin
First Name
Stephen
Drive
White FL Legnum
5.2 litres of fluid topping up the transmission and it sat right in the middle of the HOT range. So, with some trepidation and expectation of loud crunchy noises, I took it for a drive.
All works well!
 
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