Mitsubishi Repair: atf fluid, change good luck, dexron iii

Question
Is it possible to use dexron III atf fluid instead of the diamond sp fluid recommneded by mitsu?  its a 96 galant, 2.4 auto

I bought my last oil filter from NApa and its alot smaller than the old one.  It screws on tight but im afraid it will leak.  should oil filters all be uniform in size for a particular model car?
thanks,
jason

Answer
Jason,
Dexron III may be all right to use as a temporary substitute for your ATF, but you should stick with the special formulated Diamond ATF fluid.  Many japanese cars use a special blend for their automatic transmissions, and it's best to stick with the recommened fluids.  You should be able to pick some at your local dealesrhip.  

Oil filters can come in many sizes.  The most important things to look for is to make sure is screws on nice and tight (as you have done) and to be sure the oil filter gasket is the same diameter as the previously installed filter.  The actual physical length and width of the filter itself can vary.  The different lengths and width are usually available depending on if any surrounding engine components have been changed.  For example, a shorter filter may accomidate an aftermarket exhaust pipe better.  So if the filter seems like installs nice and tight, it's most likely the correct filter.  You'll know almost immediately if the filter is leaking when you first start your car after an oil change.
Good luck!