Castrol Transmax multi vehicle full synthetic ATF

[Plawan]

New to me is this Castrol Transmax full synthetic multi vehicle fluid that is cheaper than Valvoline maxlife and covers about as wide a variety of applications.
They claim it is approved for MERC LV and DEX VI and suitable for just about everything under the sun even both ATF+4 and ZF Ligeguard 8 ( don’t think Maxlife even claims suitability for ATF+4) which is pretty remarkable actually if it can meet both of those specs and all the rest of the applications Castrol claims it can.
I bought some at Walmart for $22 for a gallon and put it in my wife’s 62TE transmission. It’s seems just fine so far so it does work for ATF+4.is seems.
I guess it must have to start out at a lighter viscosity than fluids like ATF+4 are required to start at but doesn’t shear down much and therefore will not shear below what the OE fluid does? At the same time is low enough in viscosity to lighter viscosity fluids?
Any others tried this fluid?

 

[Averroes]

I have, and I have had no issues using it whatsoever.

 

[Infomercial]

No mercon v. I will stick with redline d4, royalpurple max, penzoil mv, and mobil 1 atf.

Even if valvoline says their lv specced fluid is fine for v applications ford doesn't.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Castrol Full Synthetic is great stuff

I have used it with great results.

What kind of car do you have?

 

[The Critic]

The stuff for $23/gal is the new Transmax Universal ATF/CVT:

Robot or human?

 

[Hall]

New to me is this Castrol Transmax full synthetic multi vehicle fluid....
They claim it is approved for MERC LV and DEX VI and suitable for just about everything under the sun

This is Castrol's regular full synthetic ATF. Looks like they simply added the "Transmax" name to it now. Based on the price you mention, I wonder if they're phasing out the older, non-synthetic "Transmax Import Multi-Vehicle" ATF ?

Any others tried this fluid?

I haven't because a) the "old" stuff is more than capable for my application and b) they never offered the full-synthetic version in 4-quart or 5-quart bottles, only 1-quart.

 

[Hall]

The stuff for $23/gal is the new Transmax Universal ATF/CVT:

At first, I thought there was just a pricing mix-up at his local WM but I see no indication that the full-synthetic stuff is available in 1-gallon yet. Only see the older Import version or the ATF/CVT version in 1-gallon. I'm confused what the OP used....

 

[Plawan]

At first, I thought there was just a pricing mix-up at his local WM but I see no indication that the full-synthetic stuff is available in 1-gallon yet. Only see the older Import version or the ATF/CVT version in 1-gallon. I'm confused what the OP used....

This is the 1 gallon jug I bought at a Walmart in Benbrook TX.

 

[Plawan]

This is the 1 gallon jug I bought at a Walmart in Benbrook TX.

It is full synthetic though.
I didn’t realize the original pic I sent of a 1 quart bottle was different but yep it is. It was just a pick from online

 

[Plawan]

The stuff for $23/gal is the new Transmax Universal ATF/CVT:

Robot or human?

You are right. I mistakenly thought they were the same. Thank God this ATF/CVT UNIVERSAL fluid isays on the bottle that it’s good for ATF+4 because I was looking at the wrong PDS. It does say on the PDS that it’s suitable for ZF 3 through 8 fluids as well as Dex VI and all ford from 1983 to current day and multiple other applications.
Is it really a different fluid from the regular Castro full synthetic multi vehicle fluid?
Apologies for any confusion I’ve caused

 

[Plawan]

Castrol Full Synthetic is great stuff

I have used it with great results.

What kind of car do you have?

Used it in my wife’s grand caravan

 

[tyman]

The stuff for $23/gal is the new Transmax Universal ATF/CVT:

Robot or human?

Honda HCF-2 eh. Hmmmm

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Used it in my wife’s grand caravan

If it's a ZF transmission, it will be fine

Otherwise, you should use Redline C+ or a licensed ATF+4. If your transmission doesn't have a drain plug, get an aftermarket pan that has one

 

[BobandWeave]

Used it in my wife’s grand caravan

We also have a Grand Caravan (3.6L).

It's been 5 months since you posted this.

How has the new fluid been for you?

 

[Plawan]

We also have a Grand Caravan (3.6L).

It's been 5 months since you posted this.

How has the new fluid been for you?

All good. Can’t tell a difference

 

[Plawan]

All good. Can’t tell a difference

well less than 10 days after this response the tranny bit the dust.
Wife had an issue on the interstate. Dealer claimed the pan was leaking and I let them take care of it as I’m out of town.
3 days after that it was toast. I never touched the pan. When I got back home I saw no signs of fluid leaks in the drive way. I don’t really believe it was really leaking
Have no idea if they over filled it or what. Wouldn’t think it was the castrol I put in would be the cause after 5 months and 15k miles but who knows.
Anyway 100k easy highway miles and have to replace the transmission.
So just because of that I won’t use that fluid again. Although I doubt that did it.

 

[BMW Dom]

well less than 10 days after this response the tranny bit the dust.
Wife had an issue on the interstate. Dealer claimed the pan was leaking and I let them take care of it as I’m out of town.
3 days after that it was toast. I never touched the pan. When I got back home I saw no signs of fluid leaks in the drive way. I don’t really believe it was really leaking
Have no idea if they over filled it or what. Wouldn’t think it was the castrol I put in would be the cause after 5 months and 15k miles but who knows.
Anyway 100k easy highway miles and have to replace the transmission.
So just because of that I won’t use that fluid again. Although I doubt that did it.

Dang

 

[ford250]

well less than 10 days after this response the tranny bit the dust.
Wife had an issue on the interstate. Dealer claimed the pan was leaking and I let them take care of it as I’m out of town.
3 days after that it was toast. I never touched the pan. When I got back home I saw no signs of fluid leaks in the drive way. I don’t really believe it was really leaking
Have no idea if they over filled it or what. Wouldn’t think it was the castrol I put in would be the cause after 5 months and 15k miles but who knows.
Anyway 100k easy highway miles and have to replace the transmission.
So just because of that I won’t use that fluid again. Although I doubt that did it.

 

[ford250]

It’s just me, but I have hard time comprehending how one ATF can be all and do all for all kinds of different makes and models. They left the factory when new with a specified type fluid it was designed for so that’s what I use when I service my tranny’s

 

[KICK]

well less than 10 days after this response the tranny bit the dust.
Wife had an issue on the interstate. Dealer claimed the pan was leaking and I let them take care of it as I’m out of town.
3 days after that it was toast. I never touched the pan. When I got back home I saw no signs of fluid leaks in the drive way. I don’t really believe it was really leaking
Have no idea if they over filled it or what. Wouldn’t think it was the castrol I put in would be the cause after 5 months and 15k miles but who knows.
Anyway 100k easy highway miles and have to replace the transmission.
So just because of that I won’t use that fluid again. Although I doubt that did it.

tellya what I think.. electronic controlled tranny's are designed around the fluid's characteristics nowadays, and unless nothing else is available its best to use the recommended fluid... in your case you didn't mention if the transmission had any previous problems or had been previously serviced but it is quite possible that new clean fluid reacted with the other stuff that is always left behind and caused some problem which evidenced itself 15000 miles later but know way to know for sure but it isn't like the old days when tere were 2 kinds of fluid..