Like most legends, this one is partly true. Up until the late 50s,
transmission oil was based on whale blubber (not sperm!). It was great
stuff, sort of yellow in color, and it lasts forever. I still have it in
one of my Packards - it has perfect characteristics for the designs used in
those days for clutches and bands. Dexron/Mercon is an attempt to duplicate
the lubricity, anti-foaming and detergent properties, and it comes pretty
darn close. The original AQ-ATF type A was indeed whale oil. The
environmental activists caused the demise of that industry - you can't go
out and harpoon your own whales anymore.
Dick Benjamin
----- Original Message -----
From: <tomswift@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 2:39 PM
Subject: IML: The ATF/ Moby Dick connection
> I was talking to somebody and they told me that automatic transmission
fluid used to be made out of whale sperm.
>
> No, no joke. I thought he was kidding, but . . . is this true? Anybody?
>
> Mark M
>
>
>
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network