I read that ATF fluid is mostly highly refined mineral oil-but it contains a small percentage of whale oil. Is this true? Since commercial whaling is banned today, where would you get whale oil? What is so special about ATF anyway? it costs quite a bit more than ordinary oil.
Not true for a long time, but it used to be: http://www.tacticalcourses.com/lite/topic.html?b=3&f=7&t=353582&page=2
You read this where? Anywhere reputable?
I just wanted to add that while commercial whaling has technically stopped, Japanese “scientific whaling” is of such immense scale that it is difficult to believe the Japanese effort is anything other than commercial whaling smelling just as sweet.
And I wouldn’t let a whale anywhere near my transmission, either. They’re terrible when they’re given power tools.
Inertial guidance systems in ICBMs used sperm whale oil. I don’t know if it was ever replaced with a synthetic oil.
It is the most complex fluid used in a car today. Among other additives ATF has :
Anti-foaming additives / properties
Anti- oxidants
Detergents
Plus a bunch more I am not awake enough to recall right at the moment.
There are some very specific friction properties which vary from type to type of ATF. Dexron is different that type F which is different from Mercon (which is very close to Dexron) plus there are some full synthetics out there, that none of the above are compatible with.
No whale oil.