Jeep Chrystler ATF +4 vs Valvoline Maxlife

[johnmyster]

Depends on the application.

ATF+F is a full synth, but viscosity closer to old school Dex III atfs. MaxLife is closer to Dex IV. This is in addition to the aspect of appropriate friction modification.

Valvoline makes an ATF+4. Recently was on sale at NAPA for $25 a gallon, so it's not like you're saving your budget going to substitutes such as MaxLife.

I recently purchased a new (10 year old) truck and went at full fluid replacement. Got the fluid from NAPA for the trans (68rfe) and some to put on the shelf. For the transfer case (BW 44-46, friction modifiers not relevant) I pinched pennies and used another fairly high viscosity full syn ATF that I had on the shelf and had gotten for a song ($3/qt Valvoline Multi-Vehicle Import ATF). I did the same for the power steering, where you just really need a good hydraulic fluid. I had some Delco Dex IV laying around, but would be perfectly willing to use any thick ATF or even quality syn tractor hydraulic fluid.

That said, if I didn't have other fluids on the shelf that I wanted to use up, I'd do as FCA suggested and ATF+4 all the things. I can hardly find Dex III cheaper, so it makes no sense to try and save money on the TC and PS. Maybe type F?

 

[4WD]

Atf+4 is a good synthetic(semi?) With a 7.x cst. Maxlife starts at 5.9cst and is rated for a cvt, two strikes against it in my book.

Valvoline synthetic ATF+4 is 7.5 …

 

[Allaned]

All my MOPARs have gotten ATF4 and Champion spark plugs. The way father Chrysler intended.

 

[Skippy722]

All my MOPARs have gotten ATF4 and Champion spark plugs. The way father Chrysler intended.

I put autolite’s in my Durango

 

[ripcord]

According to expert professional oil formulators on this site like MolaKule, ATF +4 has a higher amount of friction modifiers than other common ATF fluids like all flavors of Mercon and Dexron supposedly covered by MaxLife. Based on that, I would stick with ATF +4.

 

[D60]

So I just realized O'Reilly's "Global" ATF very specifically notes +4 on the front and back of bottle. Retail is ~$33 for a gallon so not atrocious compared to Valvoline around the same (I'm not including limited NAPA sales or sporadic Amazon pricing anomalies)

 

[GerryAZ]

I am new here so I thought I would add my personal experience from the late 1990’s. We had a 1994 Grand Cherokee in great condition and were getting ready for a 3,000 mile trip. My tools were in storage and I had no place to work on it because we were in a rental place while our new house was being built. It developed a small brake fluid leak at the master cylinder so I took it to a dealer that was both GM and Jeep. They offered a special on transmission fluid change (it was about due) so I had it done. I thought it felt like it was slipping slightly when shifting after I picked it up, but my wife thought it was OK and it was her daily driver. It made the 3,000 mile trip OK, but I kept feeling that it was slipping a little and suspected the dealer put incorrect fluid in it. ATF+3 was specified in the owner manual for the 1994 (ATF+4 came later). The transmission failed suddenly a couple weeks after we got home (would not move after it was parked for an hour). The Chrysler/Jeep dealer we bought it from (not where the fluid was changed) rebuilt the transmission and it then felt normal again. I asked the dealer that did the repairs if incorrect fluid would cause the failure, but they were noncommittal.

After that experience, I don’t trust shops to put the correct fluid in transmissions that require ATF+3 or +4. I change the fluid myself so I can be certain that ATF+4 is used.