Valvoline Max life high mileage DexMerc ATF

[rangergord]

Just bought a 5L jug of this ATF at Walmart for my 2004 Honda CRV. It says on the lable it meets Honda Z1 spec. Read here about people having success with it in Honda transmissions. Not sure wether I have the right ATF. It will take me weeks to return it and they had nothing else on the shelf
Looked it up on the valvoline website and it and the Maxlife multi import vehicle ATF is rated Honda Z1 as well. Both are synthetic but this ATF has some seal leak pprevention added for older vehicles.

Should I use it or do I need multi import Maxlife?

 

[sciphi]

Pretty sure there isn't a Maxlife import multi-vehicle ATF. According to Valvoline's site there is Maxlife D/M and Valvoline IMV.

Anyhow, I've used Maxlife D/M in our Fit since 18k miles or so. It has 80k miles, and it's worked quite well in all weather with the Maxlife ATF in it. I renew it every year since it's cheap insurance against a costly failure.

 

[6starprez]

I bought 3 jugs of Maxlife Multi-Vehicle ATF at Walmart earlier this year to replace the Honda fluid in the Odyssey. The instructions in the OM say to thoroughly flush the transmission; drain, refill and drive a short distance. Repeat three times.

 

[rangergord]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Pretty sure there isn't a Maxlife import multi-vehicle ATF. According to Valvoline's site there is Maxlife D/M and Valvoline IMV.

Anyhow, I've used Maxlife D/M in our Fit since 18k miles or so. It has 80k miles, and it's worked quite well in all weather with the Maxlife ATF in it. I renew it every year since it's cheap insurance against a costly failure.


You could be right about the MVI ATF I assumed it was maxlife. I will have to go back and check. Good to hear you have used it successfully in your Honda.

 

[rangergord]

Originally Posted By: 6starprez
I bought 3 jugs of Maxlife Multi-Vehicle ATF at Walmart earlier this year to replace the Honda fluid in the Odyssey. The instructions in the OM say to thoroughly flush the transmission; drain, refill and drive a short distance. Repeat three times.

Yes mine is in a red bottle similar to that. Mine is high mileage formula, bigger bottle and I paid $30 CDN. for it. Very few good buys on oil other than Super Tech lately at walmart. Found better buys at Canadian tire. Good to see you have confidence in the DexMerc Maxlife ATF!

 

[rangergord]

Yes so it appears that valvoline multi import vehicle ATF IS NOT Maxlife. I downloaded the spec sheets on both of them and I still somewhat confused about how they are different. Not that I have seen any of this other ATF on a shelf anywhere. I feel that I can safely use this maxlife. Together with a litre bottle of Honda ATF I have on hand enough fluid to change out two more times. Next summer I will do it again. Thanks so much for the reassurance about VMax.

 

[Dufus2]

I called Valvoline and MaxLife was preferred in my Mercedes over the MVI in the blue jug. It seems to work well in that application. I would not be afraid to use it in your Honda because others claim its the proper ATF.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: rangergord
Just bought a 5L jug of this ATF at Walmart for my 2004 Honda CRV. It says on the lable it meets Honda Z1 spec. Read here about people having success with it in Honda transmissions. Not sure wether I have the right ATF. It will take me weeks to return it and they had nothing else on the shelf
Looked it up on the valvoline website and it and the Maxlife multi import vehicle ATF is rated Honda Z1 as well. Both are synthetic but this ATF has some seal leak pprevention added for older vehicles.

Should I use it or do I need multi import Maxlife?


You will be fine. I've been using in my wife's 97 Civic for years.

Regards, JC.

 

[crazyoildude]

I like the max life but im afraid to use it in some ford applications like my cousins 2001 ford escape v6 that calls for a dexron 2 i remember reading something negative on the pqia site.
I use this in my old Cadillac classics and those transmissions are original..

 

[Oro_O]

I would not hesitate to use it. I have pulled the Toyota fluids out of two recently (T-IV in a Lexus and WS in a 4Runner). Both were in very poor shape and on this was in very lightly used vehicles in an exceptionally mild climate (PNW). While at their service life, not shatteringly beyond it. The performance of both transmissions was mediocre. I did a drain/fill then pumped out the rest via the oil cooler return line so I got close to a full change. They performed like new immediately after the change, and even better after some mileage. This is now my go-to ATF for any vehicle needing a change from now on until where it is spec'd or labeled "compatible," until something substantially better comes along.

Run it!

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: Or
I would not hesitate to use it. I have pulled the Toyota fluids out of two recently (T-IV in a Lexus and WS in a 4Runner). Both were in very poor shape and on this was in very lightly used vehicles in an exceptionally mild climate (PNW). While at their service life, not shatteringly beyond it. The performance of both transmissions was mediocre. I did a drain/fill then pumped out the rest via the oil cooler return line so I got close to a full change. They performed like new immediately after the change, and even better after some mileage. This is now my go-to ATF for any vehicle needing a change from now on until where it is spec'd or labeled "compatible," until something substantially better comes along.

Run it!


Me too - This stuff works great in almost every application I have used it for. I currently have it in my Equinox and it works great. Going to be changing over the Malibu this spring (it has ST Dex in it, works great as well but I like that warm fuzzy feeling I get with maxlife.)