Toyota WS - alternative ATF for smoother shifting?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
264
Location
North
My Toyota 5.7 V8 + 6spd auto calls for Toyota WS fluid. Would changing to something like Redline D4 ATF or AMSOIL Signature Series Multi-Vehicle Synthetic ATF smooth out the shifts a bit? The shifts are often a bit harsher than I think they should be but a visit to the dealer and fresh WS made no difference. I read somewhere that the WS/D6 spec is only beneficial for fuel economy, not shift quality or trans longevity.
 
Here is my experience using Maxlife as a WS replacement. The shifting did improve in my case. I've also heard that the Amsoil product makes a fine replacement, although I haven't used it myself.
 
Toyota engineered that transmission and fluid spec for long term durability. Smoother shifting will decrease it's lifespan. Will you own your vehicle long enough that using a non approved, smoother shifting fluid could mean trouble down the road?
 
I bought the Camry with about 95k miles on it and immediately brought it to a dealership for a fluid exchange. Surprisingly, that particular dealership doesn't use house fluid, but BG brand fluid. I wish I could tell you if it was smoother than WS, but it seems to work fine and is smooth enough.
 
Risk $10 and add a bottle of red Lubegard. It might help. If not, you haven't lost much.

Is the rest of the driveline in good condition? Is there a spline joint on the driveshaft getting regular greasing? Are all the u-joints in good condition and lubed according to the book (if they take lube)?

ATF is a complex product. The lower viscosity of the modern ATFs helps fuel economy, but there is much more to the fluid than that. The friction modifier additives in the fluid relate to the shift smoothness, as does the programming the transmission maker puts into the unit.
 
I would not run any aftermarket fluid that doesn't have the thinner viscosity found in WS. The local dealer used BG syn in my tundra before I bought it and it make the shifts very firm. after I bought ours, and lucked into those service records, I did 2 D/Fs with the low vis amsoil product recommended for the WS transmissions. IDK how this truck drove on WS, but the amsoil was far improved to the BG. Snicks into gear quickly and often with no 'bump' at all.

The only fluid I would be comfortable trying in these transmissions is amsoil low vis formula, or whatever they called it.
 
Let me ask the question a different way.

Is there an ATF with WS-compatible specs that is higher quality than the basic Toyota WS and might provided improved shift feel? Amsoil? Redline? Motul? Mobil 1?
 
Originally Posted By: ringmaster
Is there an ATF with WS-compatible specs that is higher quality than the basic Toyota WS and might provided improved shift feel? Amsoil? Redline? Motul? Mobil 1?


"Shift feel" from the standpoint of the ATF alone has in simplest terms two components:

Visometrics - the "thickness/flowability" of the oil at various temperatures

Friction Characteristics - how the base and additives work with the various friction materials in a given transmission under load, unload, and speed.

Assuming the manufacturer knows what he wants, the base "shift feel" should be a new transmission freshly filled with the OEM fluid.

Unless there is some problem with the transmission fluid in the vehicle, if you change the "shift feel" with a fluid change, you’ve changed one or both of the components and you need to know what changed and what it’s doing. Slippage in particular can cause early transmission failure.

Having said that, Red Line recommends their D6 ATF for transmissions calling for Toyota WS. I have some experience with it, and with the D4, and am very pleased. The base stock is stable, it has exceptional low temperature characteristics, and to this point shift quality seems top notch.

The downside is price - about $12 a quart. That puts it in the same price range as the Amsoil Fuel-Efficient ATF and above Motul and Mobil 1, another ATF I have extensive experience with. I’d scratch the Mobil 1 myself - it is not in the same league. Just looking at the published visometric specifications, the Red Line and Amsoil seem to track except for the Brookfield viscosity at -40c, where the Red Line is superior.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top