Maxlife ATF....replacing Amsoil ATF.

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Cooper - if this is what you want to do (even just to keep you bz) why not. Go for it. When you will sell your car, the buyers will love you (or suspect that something is wrong with transmission).

You are wasting money any way you put it.
30K on ATF is probably accelerated schedule already and like somebody mentioned - you may as well do 1000 mile OCI as well.

Maybe a better idea is to save this money for college, or put $ into preventative maintenance other than ATF.
A set of best all-season tires for summer usage and super duper Blizzaks for cold months for example. Or replacement of gaskets ahead of chedule. Or rust-proofing, Or... Or... hire a babysitter for a day, send your wify to a spa and take her out for a night of "It's all about her" to thank her for everything she has done.

However, IMHO - this is not about good advice but a confirmation.
 
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Originally Posted By: odessit
Cooper - if this is what you want to do (even just to keep you bz) why not. Go for it. When you will sell your car, the buyers will love you (or suspect that something is wrong with transmission).

However, IMHO - this is not about good advice but a confirmation.


1. Why do you think that somebody would suspect something was wrong with the transmission?

2. We are all looking for advice and confirmation any time any of us ask questions like this. Yes, mostly confirmation if we are knowledgable enough to know about these fluids.
 
Because the fluid was changed a lot more often than necessary. This may be indicator of an attempt to mask a mechanical problem or very hard driving style/racing. (I would use this line when buying that car
grin2.gif
). I know it is a stretch, but some buyers may use it to bring down price a little bit.
 
I will either get rid of the car and not tell anyone anything because I am trading it in, or I will drive it til it dies, or I will give it to a family member when I decide to get something new.
 
Originally Posted By: resslera
Nope, haven't compared them and I was being a little smart I guess. I get a little turned off when people say you will notice a change in performance simply by switching an oil. I guess that could hold true in some vehicles but going from conventional to synthetic ATF in other cars to me showed no difference that I could tell.


You can notice a difference in fluids. Whether it be easier cold weather starting, better/worse mpg, etc. ATF can provide a difference too and maybe even more-so in a standard transmission.
 
Originally Posted By: ConfederateTyrant
How long has the Amsoil been in there and what kind of service intervals were done with Amsoil ATF?

The Amsoil has been in there about 15k. It was about 75% Amsoil 25% Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF. I did two drain and fils with the Amsoil. Before that the transmission was flushed with Pennzoil ATF and ran about 30k. Now that I am a little smarter, I will be doing nothing but drain and refills on a regular basis.

Originally Posted By: dkryan
Cooper: how many miles per year is this Altima driven?

I drive the car about 15k miles a year. I live in Ohio, so the weather in the winter gets to be below 0 degrees at times and we get lots of snow. I drive about 60% highway 40% city.
 
I did 4 drain and fills this morning with the Maxlife ATF. I drove about 5 miles in between each drain and fill. So, by the fluid calculator, I have 94% new fluid in the transmission now.

Some observations, even though they are surprising....

Maxlife ATF works better in my transmission than the Amsoil ATF did. Well, may be because only 75% Amsoil, but either way, it shifts nice now. Not to say it shifted bad before, but either way, it is no worse now. Maybe a little better.

Cost will be much better with the Maxlife than the Amsoil. I never planned on extending the Amsoil out to 50k. So, cost will be much cheaper for me. My Nissan likes to shear transmission fluid, so frequent drain and fills should help that.

I plan on doing 10k drain and fills with the Maxlife. It takes 3 drain and fills to get to 88% fresh ATF per the transmission calculator, so, that is pretty close to doing 30k flushes. Obviously that is not too frequent like some of you have stated. Nissan suggests 30k flushes I believe, and this is pretty close to that.

So, NO, it is not like doing 1k oil changes for all of you ignorant people who have stated that.
 
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What I don't like about multiple D&F is that you are draining a LOT of good ATF in the process. Why not run it 6mo-1yr and get some service out of it? That way you are draining ONLY used fluid.
If I had a few cases of fluid here, I'd use it up very slowly, I guarantee that. Factor in someone trying to make a prudent financial decision...I dont' get it.
 
Its more of a long term financial decision. I am not broke, just trying to save some money in the long run. I wanted to be able to have at least 90% of the same ATF in there, that is why I did it the way I did. Now I have 94% I believe new Maxlife ATF. I am happy with that.
 
It will only cost $15-$18 every 10k for the ATF, so it will be a lot cheaper now than the Amsoil. I would have done the Amsoil at 15K to get close to replacing all the ATF in 45K. Now I will just be doing it every 10k to get it mostly replaced in 30k. It is still very cost effective.

Cost of Amsoil ATF in 45K miles....$135 for 15 quarts at $9.
Cost of Maxlife ATF in 50K miles...$87.50 for 25 quarts at $3.50.

I also don't have to pay shipping. I can get Maxlife ATF pretty much anywhere. I like it. So many different advantages.

I still like Amsoil, and will probably use it in the future in other applications that I feel will benefit more from the Amsoil than my Nissan.
 
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I think you are doing the right thing Cooper. I have always done the same thing, except I do a drain and fill every 15K on vehicles with an ATF drain plug.

Keep on doing it the way you want and I understand why you are doing it so frequently. I'd rather spend 200 bucks in ATF fluid over a 100K span, than pay 2200 for a transmission rebuild.
 
Originally Posted By: Saturn_Fan
I think you are doing the right thing Cooper. I have always done the same thing, except I do a drain and fill every 15K on vehicles with an ATF drain plug.

Keep on doing it the way you want and I understand why you are doing it so frequently. I'd rather spend 200 bucks in ATF fluid over a 100K span, than pay 2200 for a transmission rebuild.


Pretty much what I was thinking. Yes, my Nissan has a drain plug. I don't think I would buy a car without one, or I would buy a pan that had one.

Originally Posted By: Donald
How about Amsoil to 100K with a $20 Magnefine filter?

Doesn't fit into my comfort level.
 
I still think 10k is WAY too soon. Obviously we can all do what we want with our vehicles but it just seems like you are wasting a lot of money and fluid.

Have you, or do you plan on changing the filter?
 
Good maintenance intervals with a good fluid should promote a long health AT life.
Cost should always be considered. Too many blindly believe that superior fluid can go on forever.
Frequent intervals for certain units regardless of fluid brand, may actually be better.
I have no issues with Amsoil. But, to enjoy that ATF for long mileage runs, full flow or bypass ATF filtration should be considered. Not everyone wants to make the ATF filtration investment, especially when vehicle has drainplug and 10k/3quart is quick, cheap, easy.....

10k isn't too soon if transmission is a known fluid wrecker. Shift quality drops off very quickly with mileage in Nissan Jatcos. Keep it shifting smooth as possible with those timely intervals.
 
Originally Posted By: unDummy


10k isn't too soon if transmission is a known fluid wrecker


True. Some transmissions can be hard on fluid, and some Nissan automatics fit into this category.
 
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Originally Posted By: Cooper

Cost of Amsoil ATF in 45K miles....$135 for 15 quarts at $9.
Cost of Maxlife ATF in 50K miles...$87.50 for 25 quarts at $3.50.


Hi Cooper,
I just changed to Amsoil for the first time on my wife's 03 Altima and with the preferred customer discount which only cost me 10 dollars for 6 months I can get a 2 1/2 jug for 67 dollars, that translates into $6.70 per quart which brings it down a quite a bit closer to maxlife. If I buy a single quart the cost is $7.15.

I did the first flush on it, which she bought new and it now has 60K. I screwed up and put 12 qts. in it and it still does not register on the dipstick so my amsoil dealer is meeting me tonight when I go to work, can't beat that for service. Hope that help's.
Scott
 
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