Originally Posted By: ET16
We're going to try ML ATF in a 2000 Jetta soon. It says on the label that it's compatible. Has anyone tried ML ATF in a VW that that takes the Esso fluid?
Be warned, buy two filters, and like 15L of fluid. The GF has a 98 Beetle, 140,000km on the clock. It had a metal fatigued pan bolt, giving it a slight leak, so I put it up, made it level, futzed about with it, drained out the black and silver first fill. Filled it up, put vice grips on the pan where the bolt snapped before it got to torque, and ran it on the stands for 5 minutes, rocking it through all the gears. Dropped the drain plug again, watched what was cherry red cough syrup come out muddy in colour, checked the filter which was new, and it already had a cancerous black plugged up section about 2" round.
Filled it up again, and let her drive on it for a few months.
It's starting to jerk and shudder again, so it's time do the flush again, to get rid of the rest of the old fluid.
Notes:
Car must be level.
Oil must be at 40c when checking the level. I over filled and let it bleed out.
You can't do the cooler line flush method on these cars.
It will take approximately 3-5 oil dumps at the pan to clean out the tranny and the burnt out oil.
I did it when it was -25c, that's why I took the atf conditioner in the fluid and sealed it up on the second pass through. It's been 4 months.
I used this fluid, and it was wonderful stuff. The Amsoil costs $15 a quart, this costs $18 for 5L. Amsoil won't pay for itself, due to the neglible increase in fluid change interval. Or the fact that doing 4 flushes with MaxLife will cost you as much as one with Amsoil...
