Scotty Kilmer, can we trust this brother?

[mareakin]

I've enjoyed watching Scotty Kilmer (here: http://www.youtube.com/user/scottykilmer ) videos on YouTube, he seems like he knows what he's doing and in one of his recent videos he recommended: Synthetic ATF, because...

...as he saids, "it make your transmission shift smoother and resist breakdown." (source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-nhSpJjYyE and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dntD3XmI8DM )

I've been kinda on the fence about whether I should flush out the not-so-old Toyota Type-IV in my 2007Corolla and go synthetic--I've had my doubts about whether a fluid can really make difference in shift quality (this car doesn't shift smoothly, never has) and also the manual cautions against fluids other than Type-IV.

but, Scotty saids I should!!!

What to do..

What to do... hm....

 

[chubbs1]

I wouldn't risk it. It is not going to be a miracle and all of a sudden your trans will shift as smooth as butter. I wouldn't risk using a different fluid unless the company offers to pay for your transmission if it dies. He** ask Scotty if he'll pay for yours if you switch and something goes haywire. I'm sure he would get our back I say not worth it!

 

[Pablo]

He points at me too much.

 

[dparm]

I don't understand why people think that new or different fluid makes the gears regrow metal...

 

[radtech91]

I switched our Buick over to Valvoline Dex-VI Full Synthetic. I just did a pan drop and filter change. Swapped out 8 quarts of the factory fill for 8 quarts of the synthetic. It shifts a lot smoother and no more hesitation. Also getting better gas milage now too.

For my Honda I'm sticking to what Honda says to use. But I am going to use their new DW-1, which is a full synthetic, on my next drain and fill.
I would say if Toyota says to use theirs, use theirs. You don't want to screw anything up.
Only reason I went with the Valvoline Dex-VI, over other Dex-VI's, is it was a full synthetic that was GM approved. Even though it is out of warranty I still wanted to be safe....

 

[KrisZ]

I had Castrol Multivehicle ATF installed in my Mazda 3 since about 20k miles. It worked just like the OEM fluid and I had no complaints at all.

This summer I did a cooler line flush with Petro-Canada synthetic ATF, I did it because it was cheaper than the Castrol ATF, not because it was synthetic.

During summer warm temps the car shifted the same, but now that the temps dropped, I can definitely feel that the synthetic shifts smoother when car is cold for the first few miles.
On Castrol and OEM ATF I had a little shift shock from first to second gear when cold, it was very minor but noticeable, and with synthetic it is gone.

However once the ATF is warmed up a bit, I don't feel any difference, same thing during warm months.

 

[The_Eric]

I don't think it's so much the base lubricant, so much as it's the additive package that makes a tranny shift smoother, giving the impression it was the switch to syn that did it.

 

[mareakin]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
I don't think it's so much the base lubricant, so much as it's the additive package that makes a tranny shift smoother, giving the impression it was the switch to syn that did it.


Do you mean a drain and refill will REPLENISH the additive package which helps the transmission shift smoother? Or that the additive package of Synthetic ATF = better?

I'll go for that!

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: mareakin
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
I don't think it's so much the base lubricant, so much as it's the additive package that makes a tranny shift smoother, giving the impression it was the switch to syn that did it.


Do you mean a drain and refill will REPLENISH the additive package which helps the transmission shift smoother? Or that the additive package of Synthetic ATF = better?

I'll go for that!


In some cases it could be that simply replenishing the add pack is what fixed the rough shifting. In other cases (like what I was alluding to in my previous post), it could be that the person could be using a simple Dex/Merc formulation and then switched to a highly friction modified formula like Dex VI or Merc V.

Case in point- my boss changed his ATF from an unknown in his new (used) work truck (3/4ton Chevy) to Mobil 1 synthetic Multi-Vehicle formula. He was amazed at the difference in shifting and went on to say that synthetic made his trans shift better (smoother). Well.... Was it the synthetic fluid or the highly friction modified add pack that allows the fluid to be used on a myriad of applications? I say it's the add pack.

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: dparm
I don't understand why people think that new or different fluid makes the gears regrow metal...


This is oil, not trans fluid, but worth a look!

http://s1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd50...pg&newest=1

Thats as close to "regrowing metal" as you would ever get!

 

[dsmdriver2588]

I put in full syn maxlife atf in my old honda couple years ago and that shifted so buttery smooth compared to the z1.