2017 Ram 1500 8 speed

[rmw66]

Wonder how often people are changing filters and fluid on these ? I have 58,000 on it right now and am thinking about dropping the pan replacing the filters and then topping back off . Some people are telling me to let it go to 100,000 but that just seems to long to wait

 

[Warstud]

Personally I would have done it sooner but yes....change it

 

[wwillson]

I own two of the ZF 8 speeds and do a spill and fill every 25,000 miles. At that mileage the fluid is visibly darkened with clutch material, so in my opinion it's better to do the spill and fill. My highest mileage ZF-8 has 130,000 [edit April 2022] 142,000 miles with zero problems. I've never changed the filter and don't see much need to.

I also use Valvoline Maxlife Syn ATF and have since about 65,000 miles. Before Maxlife is was Redline in the Durango.

 

[big_guy]

I own two of the ZF 8 speeds and do a spill and fill every 25,000 miles. At that mileage the fluid is visibly darkened with clutch material, so in my opinion it's better to do the spill and fill. My highest mileage ZF-8 has 130,000 miles with zero problems. I've never changed the filter and don't see much need to.

I also use Valvoline Maxlife Syn ATF and have since the first change.

Assuming your using the drain plug. How robust do you find drain plug on the factory pan?

 

[wwillson]

Assuming your using the drain plug. How robust do you find drain plug on the factory pan?

I've probably pulled it 6 times and the factory plug/seal still works perfectly.

 

[big_guy]

Sounds promising... Thanks

 

[ctechbob]

ZF themselves recommend a somewhat shorter interval. Been a while but as I recall it might have been 60k changes.

 

[djkurious]

ZF recommends every 50k.

 

[SEBZX79]

ZF Moved their recommendation to 150k km. Used to be about 60k no or so. Fcpeuro did a x5 at 50k with Blackstone analysis and everything looked good.
I have two vehicles with it and plan on 50 to 50k miles between changes.

 

[MattPersman]

Not much reason to replace the filter IMO if you have a problem it will be too late anyways.
Just spill and fill like some call it

the drain plug can be hard to get to on some configurations like right above the exhaust pipe

if it was mine I would do it every 3 or 4 oil changes. Sure wouldn’t go 10k on those either

 

[BMW Dom]

I own two of the ZF 8 speeds and do a spill and fill every 25,000 miles. At that mileage the fluid is visibly darkened with clutch material, so in my opinion it's better to do the spill and fill. My highest mileage ZF-8 has 130,000 miles with zero problems. I've never changed the filter and don't see much need to.

I also use Valvoline Maxlife Syn ATF and have since the first change.

Interesting choice of Maxlife - thanks for your experience

 

[JTK]

I've probably pulled it 6 times and the factory plug/seal still works perfectly.

That is awesome to know. I've been following Ram 1500 ZF8s since about 2017 and I've yet to see much info about people using the drain plug on these plastic pans. I know on my 2017 Ram 1500 pentastar, the drain plug was right out in the open. On my 2019 Ram 1500 classic hemi, an exhaust cross over pipe is directly below the drain plug. I think there's enough room to get some sort of tool on it, but I haven't tried yet. I'm only at 35500mi on my 2019. I had just shy of 60K on the pentastar Ram when I traded it for the 2019.

Like said above, Ram dealers will typically call it a lifetime fluid and don't touch it. Some will recommend 100K miles. From what I've read, if you reach out to ZF, they'll say 60K is an ideal interval.

I've read of countless people running Maxlife ATF in them now w/out issue and replacement pan kits can be mail ordered for around $30-40. I've not heard of any issues between a $30 pan kit and a $300 one.

 

[Bighorn2500]

My brothers 2016 Ram with ZF8 probably has about 148k and has never been touched. Maybe just a bit overdue.