Stick with Maxlife or go back to DW-1?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Honda has introduced a new 10-speed that uses conventional planetary gearsets - which MaxLife was designed for. I've used MaxLife and Castrol IMV in Honda 4/5 speeds to no ill effect.

DW-1 and Z-1 are weird beasts, while the traditional Honda automatic is a AMT, there is still a torque converter. Honda does call for Dexron-II fluid as an "emergency" replacement for DW-1/Z-1 but warns that shift feel might be different. They aren't smooth operators.

Here's Mola's tests: https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/5169998/three-atfs-analyzed#Post5169998
 
It's not an automatically shifted manual. It's like other automatics, except the gears are on different shafts instead of being planetary. But it's not like there are shift forks (except reverse!) and synchros in there.
 
Originally Posted by brages
It's not an automatically shifted manual. It's like other automatics, except the gears are on different shafts instead of being planetary. But it's not like there are shift forks (except reverse!) and synchros in there.

But it certainly acts like one and is built like a manual with multi-plate clutches instead of synchros and a shift fork to select reverse. Allison used a similar principle for their TC series tranny.

Even more weird is the AMG Speedshift MCT - it's basically an upgraded Mercedes 7-speed automatic but with a wet clutch instead of a torque converter.
 
Originally Posted by bulwnkl
And the clutches are made of a different material...



Curious as to if you have a source for that. Not to be argumentative, but I've been looking for that info for one of the other threads.
 
I just used max life to do a filter change and refill on an 08 impala which the GM tech recommended. Trans has never shifted better.
 
Originally Posted by brages


In what way does the typical Honda transmission "act like a manual" any more than an ordinary planetary automatic does?

You can feel the shifts and it's not smooth like a conventional automatic.
 
Originally Posted by ctechbob
Originally Posted by bulwnkl
And the clutches are made of a different material...



Curious as to if you have a source for that. Not to be argumentative, but I've been looking for that info for one of the other threads.


Combination of factors that give what I find to be strong indirect evidence is all I have.

The most visible one to regular readers here (and one I find compelling) is the fact that if the clutch material was _not_ different, then the Honda fluid's additive package would plug up the clutch material and make the tranny slip. (-:

Too, there's an SAE paper that always sticks in my head (2008-01-1728) which compares four Asian ATFs vs a 'new' fluid, and it mentions that the Dynax D-0512 "is the JASO standard paper clutch material used in all tests, except for D-0600 used for ATF-D testing." ATF-D is one of the four OE fluids they were comparing their new fluid to. ATF-D _could_ be from any one of the Asian manufacturers, of course, but which of the major Asian OEs has an ATF with a totally unique additive system that is known to clog the clutch material of 'standard' A/Ts?
 
Originally Posted by bulwnkl

Too, there's an SAE paper that always sticks in my head (2008-01-1728) which compares four Asian ATFs vs a 'new' fluid, and it mentions that the Dynax D-0512 "is the JASO standard paper clutch material used in all tests, except for D-0600 used for ATF-D testing." ATF-D is one of the four OE fluids they were comparing their new fluid to. ATF-D _could_ be from any one of the Asian manufacturers, of course, but which of the major Asian OEs has an ATF with a totally unique additive system that is known to clog the clutch material of 'standard' A/Ts?

The Japanese look at anti-shudder performance and friction stability. Nissan called for Nissan-Matic D which is based on Dex-IIE, ditto for Toyota. The A341E that debuted on the Lexus LS400 needed a special fluid, Toyota Type T-II.

There was a presentation at the JASO about their motorcycle and diesel oils - a Toyota engineer also presented at that and said while OEM fluid was best, a "superior" type ATF meeting JASO M315-1A was also suggested. I'll have to find it, it does have the specs a Japanese ATF should meet.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top