I'm sorry for not backing this statement with data, but...sometimes those fluid recommendations are bullsh*t.
It seems there are, quite often, other fluids that will work quite well, but the factories want you to buy the one they have in their back pocket.
I've used Royal Purple with *amazing* success - the kind that makes me wonder if I just got *really* lucky with these transmissions, or if the fluid really did make a difference. One of my DD/weekend track cars with an Aisin-Warner trans got Royal Purple the week after I bought it. It went from 222hp to 402, from 223tq to 412. It's still on the same stock auto trans, 3+ years later, running 12-second passes. The first engine went out, and I replaced it - but kept this trans on it. It's still going, and it's about to be attached to the THIRD engine. Yep...3 long blocks, 1 transmission. I don't get it either. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />
Anyway...here's what I mean about the bullsh*t...take a look at this application list:
http://paceperformance.com/i-5154628-rpm...-container.html...if that fluid works in place of ALLLLLL of those other fluids, then doesn't that mean there's a good possibility there are other things that might work??
That said...I haven't replaced the fluid in the SR yet as I only recently bought it and I'm not driving it yet. When I *DO* flush the trans before my first trip, it will get the Royal Purple treatment. In the mean time, I topped it off with Castrol Multi Import.