New Transmission Fluid

[shatto]

$9.75 retail.

APPLICATIONS
AMSOIL Synthetic Low-Viscosity Automatic Transmission Fluid
is recommended for automatic transmissions and other applications requiring DEXRON? VI, MERCON? LV, SP or Toyota WS.

AMSOIL Synthetic Low-Viscosity Automatic Transmission Fluid is backward compatible and replaces DEXRON? III fluids in older GM automatic transmissions. (DEXRON? VI specification supersedes the obsolete DEXRON? III in GM vehicles.)

*Not for use with CVT or Ford Type F applications

SERVICE LIFE

Recommendation for cars and light duty trucks

Specification
*Normal Service* ---------------------------- *Severe Service*
DEXRON? VI
100,000 miles (160,000 km) ------------- 50,000 miles (80,000 km)
MERCON? LV, SP
Follow vehicle manufacturer's recommendations
Toyota WS
100,000 miles (160,000 km)--------------- 60,000 miles (96,000 km)

[bowtieguy]

thanks for the heads up! my wife's car is due for tranny service. i got a 5 speed, sorry.

[bowtieguy]

i wonder if some of you guys that promote extended intervals would weigh in. would you go 100k miles before changing your ATF?

[Jay2TheRescue]

ABSOLUTELY NOT! I don't care what the manuals say, I have my transmissions flushed at 2 years/50,000 miles. Fluid is cheap, transmissions are expensive.

-Jay

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

i wonder if some of you guys that promote extended intervals would weigh in. would you go 100k miles before changing your ATF?

Transmissions are weird. If it already has 100,000 miles and has never been serviced, it is said that you should probably leave it alone rather than disturb it. If it's been regularly maintained then you should continue to do so, and I'd recommend intervals no longer than 50,000. I've never had a transmission fail, so I guess my stategies work well enough for me.

I remain skeptical about miracle engine oils like Amsoil whose users claim to never need to change, or who claim 100,000 mile intervals, etc; I haven't even begun to wonder about similar transmission oil claims.

[Mayhim]

Daughter (Navy) and SIL (Marine) were traveling from SC to CA for a PCS move last week. I ensured SIL's 2003 S10 4cyl was properly serviced while here at the 1/2 way point. The trans fluid hadn't been changed (that SIL was aware of, and he's had it for a year or two) in 93k miles. The fluid was black and very stinky. We did the fluid/filter change as part of the maintenance. They got to CA w/out any failures so I guess it's good to go. I thought about the doom/gloom scenario but figured it was more important to get it changed than have a guarenteed failure at some point. Since Daughter will be driving the S10 until at least December in CA heat, maintenance trumps "conventional wisdom" in my mind. I insisted that they be nice to the tranny for at least the first couple of hundred miles for all the parts/pieces to get to know each other in a clean environment.

I won't even mention that the oil filter was two oil changes old, the oil was beyond filthy (and of unknown mileage), the coolant was four inches down the fins inside, the power steering fluid trashed, all four tires underinflated, and the steel cords showing through the driver side front tire. Now SIL knows what a true maintenace stop looks like. I hope it made an impression.

I vote for regular maintenance and won't be trying extended interval fluids.

[bobc455]

Low viscosity? Why would I want low viscosity? Seems like I would increase torque converter slippage. (I guess that would be fine for automatics with lockup converters, however)

Besides, 12 quarts at $10/quart seems kinda steep.

I'll stick with regular brand...

And for anyone that asks, I like to do a drain & fill about 50k miles. It only changes about 1/3 to 1/2 of the fluid, but it's better than nothing (and I can do it myself without a fancy-schmancy machine). And it keeps kinda-fresh additives in there, which will keep those nasty varnishes from building up.

-Bob C.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by bobc455

And for anyone that asks, I like to do a drain & fill about 50k miles. It only changes about 1/3 to 1/2 of the fluid, but it's better than nothing (and I can do it myself without a fancy-schmancy machine).

What about the shadetree full-flush procedure where you disconnect a hose and run the car with the hose sucking in new fluid, letting the transmission's own pump do the work?

[bowtieguy]

isn't much or most tranny wear the result of heat?
it has been said that amsoil drops the operating temp of the fluid by 75*F

if this is true, it is well worth $10/qt.

just thinking out loud.

[theholycow]

Heat is the biggest enemy, indeed.

There is no way I'll ever believe that Amsoil drops my tranny's temperature by 75 degrees. Even if you gave me Amsoil ATF for free and I measured the difference I'd worry that it's just the fluid not absorbing the heat, leaving the heat in the transmission parts instead.

Sometimes the burden of proof for this skeptic is extreme, and I don't apologize for it.

At the $10/qt price, you could easily buy a major heavy-duty transmission cooler AND a complete load of normal ATF...and that combination is unarguably effective for reducing temperature.