Valvoline

[trainguy1989]

I have searched on the subject of Valvoline DEX/MERC ATF for my transmission and found many people have had great results with it. While searching I had a hard time trying to figure out what type of DEX/MERC ATF to use, Maxlife or regular? Many people said they had great results with either or. The Maxlife said it had seal conditioners and long-life friction modifiers. The regular did not list any of that. Is it alright to have friction modifiers and seal conditioners in the MTX? I was just curious as to what was the preferred fluid?

Thanks!!

 

[RonPorter]

I have searched on the subject of Valvoline DEX/MERC ATF and found many people have had great results with it. While searching I had a hard time trying to figure out what type of DEX/MERC ATF to use, Maxlife or regular? Many people said they had great results with either or. The Maxlife said it had seal conditioners and long-life friction modifiers. The regular did not list any of that. Is it alright to have friction modifiers and seal conditioners in the MTX? I was just curious as to what was the preferred fluid?

Thanks!!

The Maxlife stuff for high mileage jsust have seal swell additves. If your tranny isn't leaking, I wouldn't spend the extra $$$.

FWIW, when maxlife oil fisrst came out, a few of us did tests with the various brands. I had two SHOs over that period. One had leaky F&R main sealls, the other had bad valve seals. Castrol GTX was the best, FWIW.

Anyway, the mfrs have now hiked the price up near synthetic!! It's cheaper to buy a quart of seal "conditioner" and add it to your oil than it is to spend for the (now overpriced, IMO) maxlife oil.

 

[SuperchargedSHOguy]

Just get the regular DexMerc or synthetic- skip the maxlife because the conditioners may not agree with the syncros in your transmission.

 

[SHOstopper1992]

Just get the regular DexMerc or synthetic- skip the maxlife because the conditioners may not agree with the syncros in your transmission.

X2

Synthetic has been proven to be a reliable in both transmission application and in an oil application. I would consider the DexMerc or the Synthetic before getting the Maxlife.

Too many additives take away from the principle of the Transfluids purpose, lubrication.

 

[St Louis SHO]

I run max-life in all MTX's that I service. It's just fine. The reason I run it, it's what I can get from free from work. lol

- James

 

[itwonder]

I used the regular Valvoline and it was fantastic, with really smooth shifts, for about 120 miles. Then I started getting grinding gears. My MTX had been run with Mobil 1 all of its life before I began the experiment with Valvoline. I went back to Mobil 1 and the problems cleared up.

 

[JRA2000TL]

I changed the tranny fluid in the 90 with valvoline maxlife and it's fine. Use whatever you prefer. I didn't notice any smoother shifting. It won't hurt your car whatever dex/merc ATF you use. Try diff. ones if you want and see what your car likes the best.

Chris (nep8ntballer) also refilled his MTX with valvoline maxlife when his axle popped out on him a few weeks ago.

 

[SuperchargedSHOguy]

I run max-life in all MTX's that I service. It's just fine. The reason I run it, it's what I can get from free from work. lol

- James

Okay, good to know that another Valvoilne fluid agrees with the trans.

 

[jayro]

I tried Mobile 1, Syncromesh and Maxlife. My trans liked the MAxlife the best. I say try one, if your doesnt like it then switch. I find it funny that 2 different sho trans will like 2 different type of fluid.

 

[RonPorter]

I tried Mobile 1, Syncromesh and Maxlife. My trans liked the MAxlife the best. I say try one, if your doesnt like it then switch. I find it funny that 2 different sho trans will like 2 different type of fluid.

That's the way it is. Years back, I had a '91 tranny (with 93K, or was it a '93 tranny with 91K, I forget!!) put into my '95 SHO. Probably never had the fluid changed. I tried M1, them Synchromesh fluid, and then finally el cheapo AZ Coastal gear oil, where it worked the best. Ya never know.....