- Joined
- Jun 16, 2022
- Messages
- 5
Thank you for that. I had similar thoughts but now I know. I will take your advice.
To Change Or Not To Change: Mazda ATF FZ Trans Fluid
- Thread starter rollandrahr
- Start date
I plan on using Aisin's version of Mazda FZ ATF when I change the FF in my daughters CX-30.
After reading an older post by DBMaster where he said his Mazda's FF fluid still looked good when he changed it at 60K (IIRC) I plan to wait until 50K. My only real decision is whether I will still add a bottle of LG Red as I've done on every A/T I've ever owned/serviced. Thoughts?
PS: Even though I've used Valvoline Maxlife and Castrol IMV in my Toyota's and Hyundai's without issues I'll stick with one of the blue Mazda FZ type A/Ts on the Mazda (Aisin and Ravenol make them)...I don't want to take a chance on it causing issues.
After reading an older post by DBMaster where he said his Mazda's FF fluid still looked good when he changed it at 60K (IIRC) I plan to wait until 50K. My only real decision is whether I will still add a bottle of LG Red as I've done on every A/T I've ever owned/serviced. Thoughts?
PS: Even though I've used Valvoline Maxlife and Castrol IMV in my Toyota's and Hyundai's without issues I'll stick with one of the blue Mazda FZ type A/Ts on the Mazda (Aisin and Ravenol make them)...I don't want to take a chance on it causing issues.
I ended up doing a D&R on my daughters CX-30 in June at 37K.
I used Aisin's blue FZ equivalent ATF. The D&R took 4 quarts 6 ounces so I substituted 6 ounces of LG Red so as not to have to open another quart of FZ fluid. All seems well with no change in shifting.
The OE fluid that drained out was yellowish rather than blue but I believe someone else wrote that they observed the same thing when they drained their OE fluid. In other words the blue fluid turns yellowish in use. Besides the yellowish appearance the drained fluid looked and smelled fine.
I used Aisin's blue FZ equivalent ATF. The D&R took 4 quarts 6 ounces so I substituted 6 ounces of LG Red so as not to have to open another quart of FZ fluid. All seems well with no change in shifting.
The OE fluid that drained out was yellowish rather than blue but I believe someone else wrote that they observed the same thing when they drained their OE fluid. In other words the blue fluid turns yellowish in use. Besides the yellowish appearance the drained fluid looked and smelled fine.
Has anyone done a fluid analysis or believe it is worthy?
If the shop told you that, then they aren't qualified to work on Mazdas, since there is no published spec for FZ, and knowledgeable people have said there is no alternative. I would be hesitant to use that shop again.
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2024
- Messages
- 3
Hi, first post here. I had an oil analysis done at 79k for my Mazda cx-5. They felt oil was as good as 29k batch. Even suggested me to go another 30-40k. The oil was a sample before my double flush. Using this knowledge I'm pushing my cx 9.
Compare to other companies, that you have to do earlier ones cvt... American Vehicles cough cough. The long term ownership isn't too bad. Let says you want to hit 200k? Once is enough. If you are "concern about" metal shaving. My 2 cent, if that was a major issue. They probably told us to bring car in after 500 miles for a flush like a normal motor oil.
Atf system is very high tech if you look into it. So they probably made sure system is clean before filling.
Last note. Don't go cheap. Stick with oem att. It's the one thing that is super picky. I used one of those universal one for my Honda Accord and it crap out. After I switched to OEM, it went back to normal.
Took chance a few years back for a 2000 RAV4, such a old car I didn't care. Luckily it works. But in that case, I did a whole pan drop. 240k, aft was black.
Compare to other companies, that you have to do earlier ones cvt... American Vehicles cough cough. The long term ownership isn't too bad. Let says you want to hit 200k? Once is enough. If you are "concern about" metal shaving. My 2 cent, if that was a major issue. They probably told us to bring car in after 500 miles for a flush like a normal motor oil.
Atf system is very high tech if you look into it. So they probably made sure system is clean before filling.
Last note. Don't go cheap. Stick with oem att. It's the one thing that is super picky. I used one of those universal one for my Honda Accord and it crap out. After I switched to OEM, it went back to normal.
Took chance a few years back for a 2000 RAV4, such a old car I didn't care. Luckily it works. But in that case, I did a whole pan drop. 240k, aft was black.
ASIN has an FZ equivalent and they maybe the source of the Mazda spec oil.
It's Idemitsu for Mazda factory fill. The reman facility in Virginia orders FZ ATF by the 55–gallon barrel from the US arm of that company.
The spec sheet was published in 2012 and is available here: https://kemi.is/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/TOTAL-MAZDA-ORIGINAL-OIL-ATF-FZ-TDS.pdf
Idemitsu FZ specs are KV@40°C - 25, KV@100°C - 5.5, viscosity index 167.
Valvoline Maxlife specs here: https://go.lupinsys.com/valvoline/h...901e4b59d/search_api/Maxlife_ATF-PI_Sheet.pdf
Valvoline Maxlife specs are KV@40°C - 27.6, KV@100°C - 5.88, viscosity index 165.
These numbers are so close I would happily recommend Valvoline Maxlife as a suitable replacement/alternative for genuine Mazda/Idemitsu FZ automatic transmission fluid.
I'm in Australia; another suitable replacement fluid is possibly Penrite LV ATF (note that the KV is very close but the VI is lower than FZ spec): https://penriteoil.com.au/assets/pis_pdfs/ATF LV (Full Syn) .pdf
Penrite LV ATF specs are KV@40°C - 28, KV@100°C - 5.7, viscosity index 147.
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Aisin is the maker of the transmission. You can get the blue fluild from them and screw Mazda. ATFMFZ and you can get it at Rock Auto. Just buy the right stuff.
https://www.idemitsulubricants.com/product/atf-type-m
Type M/MV fluid (for MV trans) KE@40 is 33.8. The genuine factory FZ fluid for your transmission KE@40 is 25. The oil is much too thick when cold to be suitable, although this post is from 2022. I'm not sure why Nicholas above has revived it from the dead.
See my post 2 posts higher for the figures/specs for FZ. There are suitable, cheaper aftermarket replacements that can be safely used.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...-mazda-atf-fz-trans-fluid.356162/post-7012843
The specs for the Mobil 1™ Synthetic LV ATF HP look like it's a great OEM replacement. Mobil specs are KV@40°C - 27, KV@100°C - 5.7, viscosity index 152 vs OEM Idemitsu KV@40°C - 25, KV@100°C - 5.5, viscosity index 167. I would add it to my list above tig1 but it won't let me edit it now. Great find.
Mobil 1™ Synthetic LV ATF HP specs here:
https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants...products/products/mobil-1-synthetic-lv-atf-hp
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And to anyone worried about using aftermarket fluid in a CX5, here is a Facebook thread about a 2012 CX5 with 800,000 kilometres (500,000 miles) on the clock. The mechanic says he flushes the trans every 50,000ks with Castrol Transmax ATF DEXRON VI Meccon LV Multivehicle.
Castrol specs here:
https://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/...5ED32A5802589800027C7EA/$File/wepp-cqcpdu.pdf
Castrol specs here:
https://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/...5ED32A5802589800027C7EA/$File/wepp-cqcpdu.pdf
My dealer charged $15 a quart for FZ in the Mazda bottle. My D&F took ~3.5 quarts. So $60.
Maxlife would've been $25/gal. Is it worth saving $35 several times in the life of a vehicle?
Maxlife can be had on special for $17. Is it worth saving $43 several times in the life of a vehicle?
Maxlife would've been $25/gal. Is it worth saving $35 several times in the life of a vehicle?
Maxlife can be had on special for $17. Is it worth saving $43 several times in the life of a vehicle?
Only you can answer that. I'm in Australia where FZ fluid can only be bought from the dealer at massively inflated prices. Maxlife is an order of degrees cheaper, and given the CX5 that I linked to above has clocked half a million miles, I'm confident in aftermarket fluids, providing the viscosity is correct.
It’s not an Aisin transmission. It’s a Mazda in-house design and it’s manufactured by JATCO.