Aisin WS

[RodneyM]

Within the next week or so im planning to do a drain n fill and filter change on my 17 4runner with the a750f. I hear alot of nasty comments about WS fluid and want to know if anyones had any problems from long term use of this stuff. Truck has just over 20k on it atm

 

[slacktide_bitog]

That Aisin ATF might very well be the same fluid as OEM since Aisin does make the transmission itself.

You should consider Maxlife ATF as well as Castrol Full Synthetic ATF

 

[RodneyM]

I've heard good stories about the maxlife. It's also a bit cheaper. I guess after another 20k I'll switch to that and do a drain n fill 3 or 4 times

 

[SZR48207]

Max life on a 2017 with 20k miles? Yikes I wouldn't do that just yet. There should be a 5 year 50k power train warranty.

Stick with the Aisin or Toyota stuff and just do yearly drain and fills until you pass warranty before going with a universal fluid. I have the same transmission and a simple drain from the pan when the vehicle is cold will change out around 3qt.

 

[BlakeB]

I've seen Tacoma's with over 300k on the factory fill WS, and I've seen them fail at 120-130k on the factory fill. WS isn't a bad fluid, but it does need changing regularly. I'd stay with WS until the warranty is up at least.
Maxlife is used by lots of people with good results (myself included), but it isn't licensed or approved by Toyota.
Castrol Transmax Full Synthetic Multi-vehicle ATF is supposed to be approved to meet JWS-3324 (WS) by Aisin themselves. It also meets GM Dexron VI and Ford Mercon LV. Another member called Castrol and confirmed that it is approved by Aisin for WS, but I haven't personally confirmed that.

 

[BlakeB]

Here's a quote from the member who called Castrol:
Originally Posted by wdn
Certified by Aisin the transmission manufacturer of Toyota vehicles. Castrol Transmax Full Synthetic Multi-Vehicle Automatic Transmission Fluid is OEM certified by Aisin as meeting JWS 3324 specificiation. I just got off the phone with Castrol support. They said it is indeed certified by Aisin, hence Toyota. Not 'recommended' certified, as in Castrol paid the money got the product tested and have a certification by Aisin. The same spec that sold in bottles as Toyota Brand WS. That is OEM cerfification just like the example you gave of Aisin's own JWS 3324 product.

That is completely unlike Maxlife ATF that comes with the disclaimer: "it should be noted that MaxLife Multi-Vehicle ATF is not an OEM licensed product. The respective vehicle manufacturers have neither evaluated nor endorsed MaxLife Multi-Vehicle ATF in these applications."

See there is a difference, the Castrol Transmax is indeed OEM certified and the Vavlvoline product is not.

 

[Trav]

I have gone off Maxlife (anything Valvoline really) because of their false almost fraudulent statements when they claimed Maxlife ATF met dex III specs.
When called out about it they ginned up this cock and bull story that it does but only when dex III has broken down and is thinner, what a bunch of horse dung.

What about when compared to a synthetic dex III spec fluid like Amsoil, Redline or Mobil 1 ATF that doesn't thin down quickly and holds its viscosity? It either meets the spec or it doesn't IMHO.
They just want to claim it works for as many spec's as they can possibly think of even if it really doesn't.

.

 

[simple_gifts]

Lots of people using Maxlife with great success; Not too many people care about meeting DexIII;

The OP 'could' wait until 30K for his warranty protected drain and fill and then use maxlife @ 60K.

I would use WS for warranty only; Big surprise WS won't ever be going into the Prius.

 

[DirectRejection]

I have total confidence in MaxLife LV ATF.

Three gallons were purchased at Walmart for $71.

Four quick drain and fills at ambient temperature,
while measuring and replacing like amounts,
was my methodology.

It takes about 2.75 quarts each drain and fill.

This adds up to about 11 Qts.

Cost benefit analysis tells me this will work just fine.

 

[SZR48207]

Originally Posted by Direct_Rejection
I have total confidence in MaxLife LV ATF.

Three gallons were purchased at Walmart for $71.

Four quick drain and fills at ambient temperature,
while measuring and replacing like amounts,
was my methodology.

It takes about 2.75 quarts each drain and fill.

This adds up to about 11 Qts.

Cost benefit analysis tells me this will work just fine.



Not everyone is arguing that Maxlife is a bad product, but while you are under the powertrain warranty, why would you give Toyota a reason to deny your claim if something went wrong? The cost difference for buying Genuine Toyota WS is typically only a few bucks when you buy in bulk. How much $ is your time worth if you had to argue with Toyota that the Maxlife wasn't what caused the failure?

 

[Astro14]

So, who is making the nasty comments about WS?

At 25,000 miles, the WS in my Tundra looked quite good. Virtually nothing on the magnets in the pan. Still red in color.

No towing.

I flushed and replaced it with Amsoil SS Fuel Efficient ATF since I had the pan off anyway.

 

[DirectRejection]

Originally Posted by Reddy45
Originally Posted by Direct_Rejection
I have total confidence in MaxLife LV ATF.

Three gallons were purchased at Walmart for $71.

Four quick drain and fills at ambient temperature,
while measuring and replacing like amounts,
was my methodology.

It takes about 2.75 quarts each drain and fill.

This adds up to about 11 Qts.

Cost benefit analysis tells me this will work just fine.



Not everyone is arguing that Maxlife is a bad product, but while you are under the powertrain warranty, why would you give Toyota a reason to deny your claim if something went wrong? The cost difference for buying Genuine Toyota WS is typically only a few bucks when you buy in bulk. How much $ is your time worth if you had to argue with Toyota that the Maxlife wasn't what caused the failure?


Your point is well taken.

Quite simply, I do not anticipate any warranty claims on my drivetrain whatsoever.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted by Direct_Rejection


Quite simply, I do not anticipate any warranty claims on my drivetrain whatsoever.


Does anyone?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted by Trav


Originally Posted by Direct_Rejection


Quite simply, I do not anticipate any warranty claims on my drivetrain whatsoever.


Does anyone?


The Honda V6 community

 

[eljefino]

That's the same stuff I put in my two priii. No change noted but the old fluid in mine was a dreadful brown. Wanted the "dielectric properties" to be stock. Cheapest source was rockauto, even including shipping charges.

 

[Oro_O]

Originally Posted by Trav
I have gone off Maxlife (anything Valvoline really) because of their false almost fraudulent statements when they claimed Maxlife ATF met dex III specs.
When called out about it they ginned up this cock and bull story that it does but only when dex III has broken down and is thinner, what a bunch of horse dung.


I completely agree with this, MaxLife is not suitable in DexIII and T-IV like Valvoline says. BUT: for a LV substitute, like a DexVI or WS application, it seems superior to WS. It would not be hard to be superior to WS though, it is a terrible factory fill fluid. I have seen it wear out prematurely in several vehicles in normal use.

Perhaps there have been bad batches of it formulated in the past, and those problems are over, but the I don't want to run the risk any more.

 

[Leo99]

I have WS in my Camry and it's never going to be serviced. Let's find out how long "lifetime" is!

 

[Y_K]

Have WS in a 400k+ Landcruiser and 200k LX470. No problems.

 

[StevieC]

WS IMO isn't as good as some other synthetics on the market, but clean fluid is better than no fluid change. There are a few high milers on here that have used the WS for the life of the transmission and made it many miles.

I think any fluid changed regularly along with the filter (if it has one) will do a great deal to extend the life of the transmission. No transmission has a lifetime fill fluid regardless of what they say.

I changed my WS to Amsoil Fuel Efficient formula because I wasn't happy with the shifting in my new Highlander's UA80F transmission it was quite jerky at times and it bothered me but if this wasn't the case I would have run the WS and had the dealer do the drain/fill's regularly because it's not the easiest to do it on. Involving specific fill procedures at specific temperatures on level ground using their straw system. (Ridiculously over complicated)

 

[DirectRejection]

Originally Posted by Trav


Originally Posted by Direct_Rejection


Quite simply, I do not anticipate any warranty claims on my drivetrain whatsoever.


Does anyone?


You professional input is appreciated, Sir.

If any issues come up for me,
I will own it
and post it
on BITOG.

(Let Oktoberfest begin !)