Valvoline Multi-Vehicle Blue bottle ATF

[VanLifer39]

Does anyone know what sets the Blue bottle Multi Atf apart from Maxlife Red bottle or Silver Extended Protection? Amazon currently has a Time deal for the Blue price of below the Red Maxlife. I'm most likely going to pull the trigger and get several jugs for DIY multiple drain and fill cycles.

Having 3 types of Multi ATF by one company is confusing. EP is obviously added protection and Maxlife for higher mileage with seal conditioners. The Blue bottle advertises nothing additional. It's an oddball ATF that is priced in the middle of Max and EP.

 

[altaylar]

Top Options:
Valvoline Import Multi-Vehicle Full Synthetic ATF: 100C KV of 6.9 cst. Valvoline recommends this for vast majority of import cars, as well as GM D2, D2D and D3 applications. With its higher viscosity this strikes me as a full synthetic D3 fluid with modern additives. (datasheet metalink attached)

Valvoline Extended Protection Full Synthetic ATF: Most premium offering of Valvoline, that is suggest bot for D3 and D6. Its 100c KM is 5.9 cSt so it is on the lowest end, but it might be that the its base oil quality ensures good film properties that protects while lower viscosity means less temperature. But this is just my speculation, so this would be my second choice here.


If the transmission is leakign or already has shifting problems:
Castrol Transmax High Milage: Synthetic BLEND, high viscosity and seal swellers, so seems to be a good option for leaking transmissions.

Some options that I have looked into but decided not to be a good option:



Castrol Transmax Full Synthetic Multi-Vehicle ATF: Low viscosity. Might be a good choice for a daily driven modern/new vehicle for efficiency, but definitely not for a HD / heavy vehicle.

Castrol Transmax ATF/CVT Universal: Kinematic 100c viscosity of 7.1 cst, Full synthetic, D6. But rated for both, so its frictional properties would not be optimal. Compared to CT D6 Mercon LV, this should be a better fit as Viscosity lines up better, but frictional property does not therefore an inferior choice for clutch health.

Castrol Transmax DEXRON®-VI MERCON® LV: This is an LV (5.9 cst), so again, for modern vehicles. Compared to Castrol Transmax ATF/CVT Universal, this should be a better fit on frictional properties, and an inferior choice on the viscosity side.

Valvoline DEX/MERC (ATF): D3 fluid, not synthetic.

Valvoline DEXRON VI/MERCON LV (ATF): This seems to be very similar to Castrol Transmax D6 MLV. Viscosity of 6.0 cst and D6 Approved. So for people who really value the official approvals, this might be a good choice.

Valvoline MaxLife Multi-Vehicle (ATF): This is essentially a low viscosity (5.9 cst) fluid with seal conditioners that is dual rated (cvt and stepped). If leaks are present, Castrol THM seems to be a better option.

Transmax Import Multi-Vehicle: Good kinematic viscosity (7.4 cst), but I don`t think this one is full synthetic (it says synthetic technology). Seems to be targeting Japaenese cars mostly, but Castrol suggests it for D3H as well.

I made a summary on a thread I started a while ago. That should answer that. I was trying to choose an oil for my Hummer H3 that calls Dex3

 

[Sequoiasoon]

From what I searched further back, the Blue is slightly thicker viscosity over Red.

Sort of like HPL Blue is thicker than Green.

The Valvoline Blue matched the original specs better for the SP III and Z-1 in my kids '10 Forte and '08 CRV

No clue where the Valvoline Extended Protection fits with that. Might be more information on the viscosities, maybe in the Honda ATF thread.

 

[kschachn]

What's also important with ATF is viscosity stability. Older formulations such as Dexron III were not required to be as stable as Dexron VI. So as a result, you may see that the starting viscosity is higher in a "Dexron III" fluid but that doesn't mean at all it will stay that way in use. With a specific comparison between those two licenses, the Dexron VI will end up higher as required by the license requirements.

People use a fluid based on the starting viscosity without knowing whether it will remain anywhere near that value. Dexron VI is a better license in every way over the previous Dexron III.

 

[I<3oil]

The blue bottle is just regular ole run of the mill Dex-VI full synthetic. The Maxlife, like you said, is more HM....the EP is more like Pennzoil Ultra Platinum compared to Pennzoil Platinum or like ESP vs. regular Mobil 1.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

What's also important with ATF is viscosity stability. Older formulations such as Dexron III were not required to be as stable as Dexron VI. So as a result, you may see that the starting viscosity is higher in a "Dexron III" fluid but that doesn't mean at all it will stay that way in use. With a specific comparison between those two licenses, the Dexron VI will end up higher as required by the license requirements.

People use a fluid based on the starting viscosity without knowing whether it will remain anywhere near that value. Dexron VI is a better license in every way over the previous Dexron III.

I had asked Dave at HPL and he recommended the HPL Blue for my daughters '08 CRV because of original Z-1 spec so I did. My '19 Pilot the lower viscosity Green. I trust HPL to give me quality fluid with whichever spec/license. I'll be getting 1-2 more cases of Blue when sale starts.

 

[wlk]

Does anyone know what sets the Blue bottle Multi Atf apart from Maxlife Red bottle or Silver Extended Protection? Amazon currently has a Time deal for the Blue price of below the Red Maxlife. I'm most likely going to pull the trigger and get several jugs for DIY multiple drain and fill cycles.

Having 3 types of Multi ATF by one company is confusing. EP is obviously added protection and Maxlife for higher mileage with seal conditioners. The Blue bottle advertises nothing additional. It's an oddball ATF that is priced in the middle of Max and EP.

If you mean Val MV Import synthetic atf, it has a slightly higher starting visc, believe it is 6.9cst. Go look at the Honda atf thread it is listed there to compare. I started using it in my Element and it is working just fine.