VOA of Amsoil ATL Low-Viscosity ATF

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Hello all,

I've been using this ATF in my 2006 Toyota Tundra 4WD, with excellent success. See a recent UOA of it here. Meanwhile, a VOA is posted below. Note the TAN starts out at 2.9. High starting TANs seem normal for synthetic lubricants.

Amsoil_ATL_ATF_VOA.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: Loobed


It almost looks like a DEX VI ATF.



That's what it is designed for.

I think btanchors posted a UOA of it with the TAN about the same as this VOA.
 
Would this be good for use in the cold winter months here in Ontario Canada, where we get down to as cold as -30C but normally -10 to -15?

I have been using Dex 6, AC Delco and Pennzoil up to this point. Trying to clean out the dirty fluid in my Caprices swapped in OD trans has about 240k miles on it and I've done a complete fluid change twice with Dex 3, doing one more.
 
Nice information; thanks for the VOA.

Pablo - what is the base make-up of this lube? How much PAO versus ester base, if any? Do you happen to know?


Originally Posted By: Tempest
I continue to be impressed by how clean Amsoil products are.

I agree; no major metals present. That indicates two things to me:
1) very "clean" lube
2) perhaps the doubt that many cast onto Blackstone occasionally about impure testing or crossed samples is (as I susepct) unfounded. If it is "normal" for residual elements to show up from other UOAs, then where are they at here? I've read from some folks that they believe there is sloppy work, and the system drags metals from UOA to UOA. I don't see any evidence of that whatsoever here. To the contrary, I suspect that Blackstone spectral analysis is very accurate, and when we see unexepected metals in a UOA (engine, tranny, diff, etc) we should not automatically assume it's the lab's fault.
 
Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Nice information; thanks for the VOA.

Pablo - what is the base make-up of this lube? How much PAO versus ester base, if any? Do you happen to know?


Originally Posted By: Tempest
I continue to be impressed by how clean Amsoil products are.

I agree; no major metals present. That indicates two things to me:
1) very "clean" lube
2) perhaps the doubt that many cast onto Blackstone occasionally about impure testing or crossed samples is (as I susepct) unfounded. If it is "normal" for residual elements to show up from other UOAs, then where are they at here? I've read from some folks that they believe there is sloppy work, and the system drags metals from UOA to UOA. I don't see any evidence of that whatsoever here. To the contrary, I suspect that Blackstone spectral analysis is very accurate, and when we see unexepected metals in a UOA (engine, tranny, diff, etc) we should not automatically assume it's the lab's fault.


I do not know exactly why the formula is. There are NO VII/VIM's. PAO and Ester, but of course I don't know which PAO's or which esters or percentages of any.

The rap on B/S has never (to my knowledge) been on the low end discrimination. I think pretty much all $25 labs have about +/- 3-5 when in the tens and teens. And when there is none detected a zero = a zero. The rap in the PAST has been with semi-metals, additive metals, and alkaline metals. Zn at 800pp, and B/S say 658ppm. Ca 2000 ppm, B/S says 1400. I have not seen any concrete evidence either way in the last year or two. Even something simple like a three lab test.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
The rap on B/S has never (to my knowledge) been on the low end discrimination. I think pretty much all $25 labs have about +/- 3-5 when in the tens and teens. And when there is none detected a zero = a zero. The rap in the PAST has been with semi-metals, additive metals, and alkaline metals. Zn at 800pp, and B/S say 658ppm. Ca 2000 ppm, B/S says 1400. I have not seen any concrete evidence either way in the last year or two. Even something simple like a three lab test.


I would love to grab a large lube OCI dump and take 30 samples, sent individually, and see what kind of variance was in the lab reporting itself. However - I'm not spending $900 to find out ...


Regardless - nice of the OP to share this info. Very impressive fluid, even with somewhat limited VOA viewpoint. Might have to consider the ATL some day when the LV needs a change in my Fusion; there are very few LV alternatives out there right now.
 
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Hmm, Amsoil also recommends this fluid for Honda DW-1. Very nice to see this, as I'm not sure that there are others recommending for DW-1.

Valvoline says Maxlife does, but has yet to put it on their website or bottles.
 
This is based on additive yields verses percentage of additive used in base oils.

Calcium ranges usually runs from 80 ppm to 150ppm while phos levels run from about 200ppm to 350 ppm.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: Loobed


It almost looks like a DEX VI ATF.



That's what it is designed for.

I think btanchors posted a UOA of it with the TAN about the same as this VOA.


If it was designed to be a DEX-VI replacement, would that compromise how well it works as a Merc LV replacement? I ask because I am considering using it in the 6R80 instead of Merc LV, but after seeing 2010_FX4's UOA's on the LV, i'm not sure there would be an advantage, especially if Merc LV wasn't the main thing this fluid was designed to replace.

Any insight on this would be appreciated
 
Originally Posted By: Joseph_S37
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: Loobed


It almost looks like a DEX VI ATF.



That's what it is designed for.

I think btanchors posted a UOA of it with the TAN about the same as this VOA.


If it was designed to be a DEX-VI replacement, would that compromise how well it works as a Merc LV replacement? I ask because I am considering using it in the 6R80 instead of Merc LV, but after seeing 2010_FX4's UOA's on the LV, i'm not sure there would be an advantage, especially if Merc LV wasn't the main thing this fluid was designed to replace.

Any insight on this would be appreciated



I don't think it was designed solely as a DexVI replacement, at least not according to their literature, but as a general LV replacement:

Quote:
Applications
AMSOIL Signature Series Fuel-Efficient Synthetic ATF is recommended for transmissions and other applications that require any of the following specifications:

Ford MERCON® LV, SP; GM DEXRON® VI; Aisin-Warner AW-1, Audi G 055 005, G 055 162, G 060 162; BMW 83 22 0 142 516, 83 22 2 152 426; Honda DW-1®; Hyundai/Kia SP-IV, SPH-IV, SP-IV-RR; JASO 1-A; JWS 3324; Mitsubishi SP-IV, ATF J2; Nissan Matic-S; Saab 93 165 147; Shell M-1375.4, M-1375.5, M-1375.6, M-L 12108; Toyota WS; Volkswagen G 055 005, G 055 162, G 060 162.; Volvo 97342; Mercedes Benz 236.12, 236.14

Note: Not for use with CVT applications.

AMSOIL Signature Series Fuel-Efficient Synthetic ATF is backward compatible and replaces DEXRON III fluids in older GM automatic transmissions. (DEXRON VI specification supersedes the obsolete DEXRON III in GM vehicles.)
 
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