Toyota not liking Valvoline Maxlife ATF?

[SoNic67]

MaxLife has a little “flutter” in it if used in a T-IV application from my observations.

Of course it does. Because it is a LV fluid, with less viscosity than the T-IV spec.

Most of them worked well, 2 of the vehicles (both with A650E) started slipping. Don't know if I can blame MaxLife for that though.

It should not be really used in worn transmissions that were designed for T-IV normal viscosity fluid (higher than MaxLife's LV value).

 

[meep]

I had this exact same issue when I used maxlife in a 97 CRv years ago and it got worse over 6 months to undriveable. Replacing it with Honda oem stuff helped it come back some but was never quite right after. it had no problems prior to ML and only 60k on it when I did the 2 drain-fills. Most folks dont have issues with ML - plenty here use it. But having been burned by it before, I’d get it out sooner than later, check the filter, make sure your levels are good, etc., before going further. I imagine there’s something else happening, but hard to say.

 

[2EHA]

I had this exact same issue when I used maxlife in a 97 CRv years ago and it got worse over 6 months to undriveable. Replacing it with Honda oem stuff helped it come back some but was never quite right after. it had no problems prior to ML and only 60k on it when I did the 2 drain-fills. Most folks dont have issues with ML - plenty here use it. But having been burned by it before, I’d get it out sooner than later, check the filter, make sure your levels are good, etc., before going further. I imagine there’s something else happening, but hard to say.

honda automatics and its fluid are a million miles away from literally everything else

 

[2EHA]

Of course it does. Because it is a LV fluid, with less viscosity than the T-IV spec.

It should not be really used in worn transmissions that were designed for T-IV normal viscosity fluid (higher than MaxLife's LV value).

T-IV and all pre-LV fluids shear hard and fast, we’ve gone through this

 

[nthach]

Of course it does. Because it is a LV fluid, with less viscosity than the T-IV spec.

It should not be really used in worn transmissions that were designed for T-IV normal viscosity fluid (higher than MaxLife's LV value).

The weird part is that MaxLife in theory is more shear stable - despite it having the same viscosity as sheared down HV OEM spec fluid. Honda, Nissan and GM have back-speced their LV fluids for older trannies(Honda with DW-1, GM with Dex-VI and Nissan with Matic-S) but Toyota, Ford, ZF and a few others haven’t.

but there shouldn’t be too much of an impact with servo/piston fill and how the valve body fills. I’ve used MaxLife in a Subaru calling for ATF-HP(or Dex-III) with no impact on shift feel.

 

[Hogwash]

My daughter as a 2010 Yaris with the same 1NZ engine as the xB and similar 4 speed auto. I bought it 3 years ago with 126k miles on it. Unknown transmission service history. So I promptly dropped the pan (which looked good) changed the filter and preceded to do a series of 5 DAFs with Maxlife.

25k miles later the transmission remains buttery smooth. It's also in several Toyotas in the extended family.

 

[blupupher]

it's all the same price just use WS, trying to out smart them?

Where are you finding WS for $18/gallon?

 

[Blinker]

I wonder if he meant to say Maxlife, not WS.

 

[Hogwash]

Where are you finding WS for $18/gallon?

I just did a DAF on my Tacoma. The cheapest I could find WS was about $7 per quart.

I can get Maxlife life at Walmart for about $18. But for the minor price difference I get it at Meijer. Saves me from mullet overload and nauseating anatomy lessons.

 

[dlundblad]

I would do a change with the spec’d Yoda fluid and do a filter change.

 

[Astro14]

Meanwhile, the OP has yet to respond.

 

[Trav]

Most Aisin units use screen filters. If your old Chevy had a TH400.....It was quite common for the media filter to clog.

I cant say for sure (it was over 45 years ago) but i would guess it probably was, the truck had a 14 bolt with 8 lug split rims, 8'6" long bed that I do remember just by the optics. A real pickup truck.

 

[doublebase]

Meanwhile, the OP has yet to respond.

I never pay attention to that stuff, it’s basically meaningless to me. It’s the conversations among members along the way that you learn something. I also don’t care about...repeated topics, people bringing up old threads, people asking about stuff that they “can search for”. I’m not a big “forum etiquette”, fan, I guess. I prefer the discussion.

 

[AutoMechanic]

The OP has his settings to where we can’t see if he has logged back in or not he could of seen all the responses and just not replied too I know several people that do that.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I never pay attention to that stuff, it’s basically meaningless to me. It’s the conversations among members along the way that you learn something. I also don’t care about...repeated topics, people bringing up old threads, people asking about stuff that they “can search for”. I’m not a big “forum etiquette”, fan, I guess. I prefer the discussion.

I just want to hear the solution, if any.

 

[doublebase]

I just want to hear the solution, if any.

Well here’s my solution...car was shifting right until he put aftermarket fluid in it. Drain it and put OE fluid in it...perhaps do a pan drop and change the filter.

I ran into a similar situation with a Honda. Flush machine sales guy sold us a universal fluid with Lube Guard additive. Soon as I put it into the Honda it experienced harsh shifts, delayed shifts, just weird shifts. Changed it out to OE and presto, right back to normal again.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Well here’s my solution...car was shifting right until he put aftermarket fluid in it. Drain it and put OE fluid in it...perhaps do a pan drop and change the filter.

I ran into a similar situation with a Honda. Flush machine sales guy sold us a universal fluid with Lube Guard additive. Soon as I put it into the Honda it experienced harsh shifts, delayed shifts, just weird shifts. Changed it out to OE and presto, right back to normal again.

From the OP. I want to hear his/her solution.

 

[SoNic67]

I ran into a similar situation with a Honda. Flush machine

1. That's because it was a Honda. Their transmissions are barely working as they are.
2. FLUSH MACHINE. Another big no-no, pushing the crud in all the wrong places.

 

[zorobabel]

Smoother

Thanks. I would have imagined the extra viscosity would result in firmer shifts.

 

[doublebase]

From the OP. I want to hear his/her solution.

Ok, I get that. You’re right.