Valvoline Maxlife ATF or Extended Protection ATF

[D60]

I went back and forth whether to go with Maxlife red bottle or the extended protection for the FJ. The EP wasn't easily available at the time and went with the the red bottle. I've used it before over the WS ATF, but I'd like to know more on the between the two Vavloline products.

Me too. The urban-internet-legend I've heard is EP is the "old" pre-CVT Valvoline MaxLife. True? NO IDEA but I kinda like the theory -- and since everything these days is about the feelz, I feelz it's a good, unsubstantiated rumor.

I've been sourcing the EP from AZ. At the moment it's once again on sale for $32/jug, which ain't bad at the retail level.

I don't understand why O'Reilly doesn't carry it at all and RA has shown OOS for months.

I've been using EP in several Toy applications incl a GX460, FJ, '17 Taco, '15 Highlander and a couple Tundras.

 

[Bullet]

Me too. The urban-internet-legend I've heard is EP is the "old" pre-CVT Valvoline MaxLife. True? NO IDEA but I kinda like the theory -- and since everything these days is about the feelz, I feelz it's a good, unsubstantiated rumor.

I've been sourcing the EP from AZ. At the moment it's once again on sale for $32/jug, which ain't bad at the retail level.

I don't understand why O'Reilly doesn't carry it at all and RA has shown OOS for months.

I've been using EP in several Toy applications incl a GX460, FJ, '17 Taco, '15 Highlander and a couple Tundras.

I forgot to pick up a quart of the EP today. I ordered a test kit and want to send a sample and see what comes back.

 

[wlk]

When I conversed with Dave at HPL he recommended the HPL Blue for my daughters '08 CRV. It's a bit thicker viscosity vs green more toward what the original Z1 was.

It's like the blue bottle Valvoline Import Multi-Vehicle. That is 6.9 cst vs 5.9 cst on the maxlife and new EP.

I had dealer do last D&F with DW-1. As of 6/23 at 52k that was 7 D&F's of DW-1 about 28 quarts and each time it is very dark and smells like garbage. Dealer acknowledged the concerns. It shifts well, no flare, no bobble. I had some chunks in my drain pan when I did it right before they did and my Magnefine filter was "fuzzy". That was with VCM disabled also.

My confidence in the DW-1 in my particular transmission and usage conditions is lacking.

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I had the same darkening with DW-1 in my Element the last 2 times I used DW-1 in <10k miles, so I switched to the Valvoline MV Import synthetic. It has shifted the same and been fine for the past few thousand miles. I went with the MV Import for the same reasoning, 6.9cst and closer to Z1. I did not have any fuzz on the drain plug as yours though. I added Lubegard Red to the DW-1 after I did 3x drain and fills when I first bought it at 182k miles, now 242k and always added it to whatever i drained out. I wanted to see if the Full Synthetic would not darken as soon, time will tell.