Transmission Failure After Valvoline MaxLife

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Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
The title is correct; that is EXACTLY what happened.

These are not weak transmissions. You are just being a parrot.

Yes, Ashland's customer service is as bad as the garbage oils they produce.

Originally Posted By: FoxS
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell

Yeah, and I noticed too how the fan boys here are trying to shift the focus away from what really got under Oil Changer's skin....
poor customer service etiquette.


Oil Changer has titled the thread "Transmission Failure After Valvoline MaxLife" not

"Poor Customer Service Etiquette by Valvoline after I changed my ATF 23k late on a Transmission known for its weakness in a vehicle made by Chevy, a company known for their quality automobiles"


You want to believe that is what happened - great. I understand it. Maybe you should have used a Licensed Dexron VI product but that would be hindsight. But please don't imply that the 4L6OE is not known for failures. GM even issued a TSB about the sunshell failures. Here's a few unhappy GM owners whose 4L6OE failed, some before 100K:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/t208603-sun_gear_shell_failure_gm_4l60e_automatic_transmission.html

http://chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/214280/

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f31/0...520/index3.html

http://www.twoguysgarage.com/forum/printthread.php?t=6504

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108054

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/T...ure_4L60E.shtml

I could go on, but why bother. Here's a list of common failures:

http://www.gmtruckhq.com/?q=node/93

Like I said earlier, it happened to a friend of mine coming back from the lake with his family in the SUV. I feel for you. Unfortunately, the repair shop never diagnosed what went wrong with the tranny. It seems like they were more interested in replacing it. Make sure they flushed the cooling loop in the radiator and the cooler. I seem to remember that GM had some strict requirements concerning this in order to honor the warranty of the rebuilt tranny. You don't want any junk left in there getting to the newly rebuilt tranny. I would install an inline filter in the return line if it was me. On my 2005 GMC I had a remote filter, a cooler, and a Mag-Hytek pan to make the fluid changes easier. Pull the drain plug, change the remote filter and your good to go.

Good luck and may the rest of the year be more prosperous.
 
my dad had a brand new '98 S-10 Blazer 4wd that the trans grenaded at 33K. I worked in a GM dealership service dept and we must've rebuilt at least 40 of those in the year I worked there. That shell in those is a POS-Bigtime!
 
Drain and fill #4 with Maxlife. I hope my Trans doesn't die!

For reference.. Drain and fill #3, about 1000 miles ago:




Drain and fill #4 This is the more recent one, the one on top was from about two weeks ago
 
Are you sure you aren't trying to be a pain in the "censored"???

The state of California would have your head for that ATF spill.
 
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Sounds more like a filter issue than a fluid issue. We saw a few similar issues with 4T65's where the filter was installed incorrectly. Those caused all sorts of drivability issues that went away after the filter and/or seal were installed correctly.
 
I havn't read much about the trans repair. Has it been fixed yet? By an indy or chain shop? Cost and warranty?
 
Originally Posted By: satinsilver
I havn't read much about the trans repair. Has it been fixed yet? By an indy or chain shop? Cost and warranty?


The van was returned to me two days after dropping it off at a GMC dealership.

The replacement transmission is a GM remanufactured unit with a three year/100K parts/labor warranty.

Needless to say, this transmission will never have Valvoline in it.
 
The WIX filter was a quality part and was installed correctly.

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Sounds more like a filter issue than a fluid issue. We saw a few similar issues with 4T65's where the filter was installed incorrectly. Those caused all sorts of drivability issues that went away after the filter and/or seal were installed correctly.
 
Glad your van is back on the road again!

Unfortunately "customer service" support for most consumers today is NOTHING more than lip service.
The problem for a company like Ashland is that when your product could potentially damage an expensive item like a transmission, you can't just
"blow folks off" like it appears that Valvoline did to you, whether they "believe" it was their fault or not.

So Oil Changer, I figure that you will only use OEM fluids from now on?

I always mention this...if you can afford to take a chance with using NON factory fluids I say go right ahead, but like most folks who don't have a few grand lying around to pay for a new trans the best bet is to go OEM when it is CRITICAL.

Like my Honda...it has served me well for over 18 years now and never missed a beat on OEM trans, and ps fluids. I see no reason to change the type of fluid use at all considering the cost of a new transmission or ps pump.
 
I find it to be of no coincidence that this was the first time I have ever serviced a transmission not using OEM fluid. This is the first time I have had a transmission failure.
 
is that 3/100K warranty from now or 100K on the odometer? If GM is offering a real 3yr/100K, kudos to them. Most manufacturers do not on their rebuilts.
 
Originally Posted By: Oil Changer

Needless to say, this transmission will never have Valvoline in it.


Bravo. Sounds like you put that one to bed.

BTW, my rebuilder gives a LIFETIME warranty on my carry-in jobs, as long as he gets to service it at 12k miles or less. But I hope you never use anything but good DEX VI in that thing from day one!
 
Crossing my fingers, did a partial change last fall in our Hyundai. Seemed to be a really good cleaner for it, as for the first month I was seeing metal pieces on the dipstick, and freaked over it, but now there is nothing suspicious and it checks out ok.

Only issue is I guessed at the amount of ATF to put in, as I hosed out the overflow tank (not the torque converter) into a black blitz jug, and then estimating as I picked it up to guess the level in the jug. I just threw 3 quarts back in, and checked the stick. The stick is like an excersize in futility. I can't tell if it was underfilled last time or overfilled this time.

Oh well, no ill effects yet. *knock on wood*
 
Thank you. Yes, Dexron VI all the way.

The 100K transmission warranty is moot, as would a lifetime warranty. I didn't rack up that many miles in eight years, I sure won't do it in three. That will be the time I sell it anyway.

No Valvoline puke in my house.


Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: Oil Changer

Needless to say, this transmission will never have Valvoline in it.


Bravo. Sounds like you put that one to bed.

BTW, my rebuilder gives a LIFETIME warranty on my carry-in jobs, as long as he gets to service it at 12k miles or less. But I hope you never use anything but good DEX VI in that thing from day one!
 
I would be suprised if Maxlife was the cause, but it's possible! I have close to 60K with Maxlife on our Corolla(that calls for T-IV), and the trans shifts as good as ever. This of course is just my own experience.

Whether Maxlife is at fault or not oilchanger, sorry to hear you're out $2,700.
 
Quote:
"Results indicate that sample formulation is in compliance with the additive package specifications for the Valvoline MaxLife Dex/Merc ATF. Sample does indicate a significant increase in Iron, indicating potential wear inside the transmission, however as a result of the Valvoline product not showing any signs of failure, this wear has been attributed to the older fluid in the system. This is also evident from the detection of Zinc in the sample, as Zinc is not an additive utilized in the Valvoline MaxLife Dex/Merc ATF product.

The sample does not indicate any signs of failure [from Maxlife] and Valvoline stands behind the use of our Valvoline MaxLife Dex/Merc ATF product for use in this particular application 100%."



So what kind or brand of ATF did you have in there before that had high levels of zinc?

Since you didn't analyze the old ATF you are SOL (sorry, out of luck) because the fluid has traces of chemicals that that are NOT contained in ML.
 
Originally Posted By: Kestas
The closest I could find to a warranty for Valvoline MaxLife ATF is the following statement:

"In the unlikely event that you or your customer experiences any transmission damage while using MaxLife ATF, please contact Valvoline at 1-800-Team-VAL for assistance."

I wouldn't really call it a warranty. It's just an invitiation to listen to your problem.


That's the crux of the issue I think. While I'm skepticle that the Maxlife ATF caused the failure, but if it did Valvoline would most certainly deny it and not take responsibility. So they're claim of no fluid failure or fluid defect means nothing. They will likely always say that even if it's not so. That goes for probably any fluid manufacture not just Valvoline. Really that goes for most aftermarket parts manufacturers and incidental damage like oil filters for one example. And even if they have a stated warranty, they would be quick to deny responsibility and not honor their warranty.
 
Quote:
Could it be that the MaxLife was defective (incorrect additives were used, ect?)


Each batch or run of oil is analyzed before it is shipped, so I would doubt this is the case.

A company as large as Ashland would have a computerized blending system that would only allow accurately measured additives into the mix stream. And believe me, each additive level after blending has to be within specs, say +,- 25 ppm.

I have done quite a bit of independent forensic work for both individuals and company's and have rarely seen a bad fluid mix or a properly formulated fluid causing a problem.

Some of the outcomes of forensic work may include:

1. Internal equipment flaw that existed since the factory and released the broken piece which caused catastrophic failure.

2. Third Party or OTC additives added to the machine's oil that caused one or more incompatibilies in the oil which led to failure.

3. Wrong fluid installed in the machine. It was either the wrong viscosity, had the wrong additive package, or both.

4. Customer mixed fluids which rsulted in one or more incompatibilies in the oil which led to failure.

5. Fluid analysis showed tracers which were not you'rs so you knew your fluid did not cause problem.

In many cases, an accusation is made about a failure but the customer never had the facts or the proper chain of evidence to prove his case.

You need prior analyses, current analyses, and possibly a metallurgical analysis with a documented timeline.

I retain a metallurgical lab in another state for just this purpose.

In one case I had a customer who had a differential failure and the manf. blamed it on lubricant failure and denied the claim for diffy replacement. I had the lubricant analyzed and it appeared to be state of the art except for some oxidaton, which was expected.

Luckily, the customer kept the failed internal parts so I sent them to this Mteallurgical lab.

It was found that three of the bearing races had the proper alloying but improper heat treating and thus were just waiting for the right time to fail, which coincidently, was just after a fluid change.

The manf was notified of analyses results and paid for complete rear axle/differential/brakes, etc. costs including my fee.
 
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There was no way, no how the fluid I drained not the factory fill. If the sample I provided contained zinc, then zinc was in the factory fluid.

I drained the FF, no top off was ever added, and no way and no how could anyone other than myself have added anything and I did not add anything. Period.

The sample I sent had zinc or the sample was wrong.

Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Quote:
"Results indicate that sample formulation is in compliance with the additive package specifications for the Valvoline MaxLife Dex/Merc ATF. Sample does indicate a significant increase in Iron, indicating potential wear inside the transmission, however as a result of the Valvoline product not showing any signs of failure, this wear has been attributed to the older fluid in the system. This is also evident from the detection of Zinc in the sample, as Zinc is not an additive utilized in the Valvoline MaxLife Dex/Merc ATF product.

The sample does not indicate any signs of failure [from Maxlife] and Valvoline stands behind the use of our Valvoline MaxLife Dex/Merc ATF product for use in this particular application 100%."



So what kind or brand of ATF did you have in there before that had high levels of zinc?

Since you didn't analyze the old ATF you are SOL (sorry, out of luck) because the fluid has traces of chemicals that that are NOT contained in ML.
 
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