Got a 2009 Scion XB with the auto trans- 160k miles. It was shifting fine but the whole car was neglected so I did a drain and fill with MaxLife. It's compatible (Dextron VI) but now is shifting worse. You can feel it sometimes now, sometimes it shudders into OD and when cold it kind of feels like the clutch sticks shifting into 3rd. When anticipating a shift the whole car will sort of pause in a forward jolt if that makes sense, and you'll lean forward automatically, waiting for the shift that's now delayed. Am I paranoid or could this fluid change do the transmission no favors?
Toyota not liking Valvoline Maxlife ATF?
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Have you adjusted the fluid level properly?
I’ve used Maxlife ATF in a few GM trannys with terrible outcomes. Switching back to a licensed DexVI fluid corrected all the shift flare and dropping out of OD issues I had with Maxlife.
Don’t get me wrong I like Valvoline products. I just don’t recommend Maxlife ATF. Their licensed ATF’s are great though.
Don’t get me wrong I like Valvoline products. I just don’t recommend Maxlife ATF. Their licensed ATF’s are great though.
Which GM transmissions? I've used Maxlife LV on quite a few 6LxxE with good results. These are full rebuild, Though that shouldn't matter.
Generic Dex/Merc fluids usually work fine on Aisin 4 speeds, I'm running Mobil Delvac 1 (TES-295) in the U341E in the wifes Corolla & it shift better now than it ever did with WS.
Generic Dex/Merc fluids usually work fine on Aisin 4 speeds, I'm running Mobil Delvac 1 (TES-295) in the U341E in the wifes Corolla & it shift better now than it ever did with WS.
Better in what way (smoother, firmer)?
Just a thought but did you change the filter? you may have stirred up accumulated material on the bottom of the pan doing a drain and fill and it is now may be partially clogging the filter.
I would drop the pan, change the filter and do a line off fluid exchange.
I would drop the pan, change the filter and do a line off fluid exchange.
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I get what you’re saying, but doing a simple drain and fill on a Toyota wouldn’t cause any sort of disturbance that would cause the filter to clog. I do agree that changing a transmission filter every 100,000 miles or so is probably a good idea, but I’d have to say there’s no way that filter would get clogged doing a drain and fill.
Having said that...I just noticed you’re an L1 certified tech...have you ever seen that before? Because I haven’t.
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Personally, I’d just quickly do a drain and fill using the Toyota WS and a proper fluid temp check.
I know Toyota WS fluid isn’t popular because it isn’t synthetic or fancy, but it works. And I hate how quickly it turns dark, but it really isn’t a problem type of fluid as far as I know (based off the 100’s of thousands of Toyota transmissions using it).
I know Toyota WS fluid isn’t popular because it isn’t synthetic or fancy, but it works. And I hate how quickly it turns dark, but it really isn’t a problem type of fluid as far as I know (based off the 100’s of thousands of Toyota transmissions using it).
With that many miles and unknown services, I would have changed the filter too.
Since you didn’t answer the first time this was asked, and it’s the most likely explanation, did you check the fluid level?
Curious to the OP, why you even mention Dexron VI?
First thing: check the fluid level, with engine running, fully warmed! The marks for "cold" are not that critical as the ones for "warm".
Also, there is no fluid that will fix a neglected transmission. At 160k miles it's way too late especially for the factory WS fluid (mine was completely dark at 70k miles). In the OP case the new fluid probably dissolved some gunky deposits and probably the filter or other screens/passages are clogged now.
A change of filter was/is absolutely needed at this point. And more than just one drain.
The OP transmission on that Scion xB is U241E, similar with my 2011 RAV4 U151F transmission. I have run without problems with MaxLife fill for like 1000 miles in it. But I usually do three drain-refills, 200 miles between them, to have trough clean fluid in the system. One drain is worthless IMO.
Later I added an auxiliary cooler and I refilled with Asin WS fluid (from Rockauto). This one feels even smoother and nicer, being a synthetic made my transmission manufacturer, but I don't know, maybe is a placebo and runs the same as the MaxLife.
I would never use the fluid that Toyota sells as, IMO, is overpriced and lower quality that alternatives. Not for my stop-and-go traffic in high summer temps.
Also, there is no fluid that will fix a neglected transmission. At 160k miles it's way too late especially for the factory WS fluid (mine was completely dark at 70k miles). In the OP case the new fluid probably dissolved some gunky deposits and probably the filter or other screens/passages are clogged now.
A change of filter was/is absolutely needed at this point. And more than just one drain.
The OP transmission on that Scion xB is U241E, similar with my 2011 RAV4 U151F transmission. I have run without problems with MaxLife fill for like 1000 miles in it. But I usually do three drain-refills, 200 miles between them, to have trough clean fluid in the system. One drain is worthless IMO.
Later I added an auxiliary cooler and I refilled with Asin WS fluid (from Rockauto). This one feels even smoother and nicer, being a synthetic made my transmission manufacturer, but I don't know, maybe is a placebo and runs the same as the MaxLife.
I would never use the fluid that Toyota sells as, IMO, is overpriced and lower quality that alternatives. Not for my stop-and-go traffic in high summer temps.
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I agree with Trav. I think the Maxlife cleaned up some residue and it is partially obstructing the filter. 160k on a neglected vehicle will do that to you
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All 3 Toyota’s in my sig are running Maxlife in their transmissions with no issues to report.
.All 3 Toyota’s in my sig are running Maxlife in their transmissions with no issues to report.
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We ran it in our FWD Cruze from 50k to 145k doing 30k drain/fills during an oil change … Shifted smooth …
The schedule called for 40k … but @ 40k - the FF looked like well used motor oil … (did a 10k with Dex )
At 30k changes - MaxLife was only a bit darker …
Compatible doesn't mean identical. I'd be leery of using any generic or muli-make fluid in a transmission I cared about just to save a few bucks. Too many compromises in the formula to satisfy so many different specs.
Why wouldn't you be using Toyota IV fluid?
Because that transmission is spec to use Toyota WS. That's the newer type of Low Viscosity fluid, identical viscosity with a lot of the synthetic fluids on the market.
The only problem with Toyota factory fill is that's not synthetic. Might be great for Canad or Japan climate, but not so much for US traffic jams in hot southern states.
That's just bogus. There are no "compromises" in the fluid on the market. They are all very similar (identical almost) in their characteristics, Toyota doesn't use some super-duper, alien-made fluid in their transmissions, they base their specs on what is available on the market.
The car manufacturers are all buying the fluid from transmission oil packagers and those packages are standardized in the industry. Synthetic fluids need less modifiers, because of their intrinsic better proprieties.
PS: Toyota it's also not a religion...
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Well apparently the OP's experience is different. And IV would be backward compatible to all Scions according to this: https://totachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/TDS_ATF-TYPE-T-IV.pdf
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