I just can't get past the Maxlife stink

[Sayjac]

Seen some nonsensensical threads/thread starters but this one is right with any of those.

Make your car stink? How would that happen. Rhetorical. Plan on using it to clean the interior, or dumping down the air/vent intake for the HVAC. Common knowledge ML has an acrid odor, but as mentioned is a top quality ATF. And if your trans is leaking so badly that ML would cause an odor issue in your 'driveway', your trans has worse issues than any ML odor. Might as well take ML back and use cheapest spec ATF you can find.

I'm thinking this thread should be moved to the humor section. My.02

 

[AKhan87]

Originally Posted By: mount
This wins the award for the dumbest thing I've seen today.

Yes is smells like cat urine.


Wait I haven't started yet.
So Castrol Import ATF smells vaginal to me, am I the only one?
Maxlife ATF/Amsoil ATF smell like normal ATF.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
Originally Posted By: mount
This wins the award for the dumbest thing I've seen today.

Yes is smells like cat urine.


Wait I haven't started yet.
So Castrol Import ATF smells vaginal to me, am I the only one?
Maxlife ATF/Amsoil ATF smell like normal ATF.


So they all kinda smell like fish. Man I love that smell.

Wait yeah Amsoil smells a bit strong, but once it's in the transmission you do not smell it.

 

[GreeCguy]

I am inclined to agree with OP. Last spring, I was flushing out the power steering pump on "Thunder the Wonder Pig" and thought I would try a little Maxlife ATF - the smell made me sick to my stomach. Thankfully, I didn't yak all over the engine. It's the same reason I don't use "PB Blaster" - to me the smell is horrible. Now Marvel Mystery Oil is another story - I rub that all over my body.

 

[racin4ds]

Man, some of ya'll are some weird dudes!!!

I have NEVER in my life heard of a MAN getting sickened by the smell of transmission fluid or oil of any type!

Man up, pour the [censored] stuff in your piece of junk and roll with it or leave your man card at the door please!

Might be time to fix your leaking POS car if its going to lose so much fluid that you plan to smell it and coat the driveway!

Wow... All I can say...

 

[GreeCguy]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette

Smells like a rat rod or old tractor.


To me it smells worse. I have ten gallons of used gear oil I drained from my old 1950 Case Model "D" tractor. It doesn't even come close to the stink of "Maxlife."

 

[GreeCguy]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I'm going to see if I can take this back to AZ for a refund.







If you opened a jug I seriously doubt they will take it back. Perhaps one of these fellows who enjoys the skunk butt smell will take it off your hands, (and away from your nose).

 

[supton]

I hate to fan the flames here...

I don't mind the smell of Maxlife ATF. Strong but I didn't mind it when doing the ATF on my Tundra.

That said, it's driving nuts!!!!!! Ever since I've done that job, more times than not I have smelled ATF in my truck. I *think* it's from when I run the defroster. If I smell it at all, it is at startup, and then it seems to fade a bit. But it's not all the time, only at startup--but if it was a strong whiff at startup then the smell will last for hours.

No leaks that I can see, and with all the snow I should have seen by now. Pretty sure it was not overfilled. Only thing I can think of is that I managed to douse the radiator with ATF when I attempted to pull a cooler line so as to do a more thorough exchange of fluid. Maybe the engine fan pulls enough of the smell into the engine comparatment at startup? [Mechanical fan, at start it pulls lots of air for some reason.]

I hate smelling it while I drive down the road, it makes me think something is amiss. Like smelling engine oil, or gas, or whatever.

That said, given the reviews of it, I'm not sure why one would not use Maxlife on the basis of smell. Just don't leave it in the car, or double bag it in Ziplocks if you are really really worried.

 

[ChrisJH]

Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
Originally Posted By: mount
This wins the award for the dumbest thing I've seen today.

Yes is smells like cat urine.


Wait I haven't started yet.
So Castrol Import ATF smells vaginal to me, am I the only one?
Maxlife ATF/Amsoil ATF smell like normal ATF.


Im about to pick up 12 quarts of it. I wasnt sure if I actually want to use it in any of my vehicles, but now I wanna pop one open just to see if it really smells like vag lol

 

[Bandito440]

I used 14 quarts in 2012 for a cooler line flush.

Yes, it smells like stinky sulphur ATF. The Mobil 1 75w-90 was much worse. It doesn't make your vehicle stink.

My guess is that you'll likely smell it whether or not the odor is actually present and it'll keep you from enjoying the vehicle. The power of suggestion is strong with this one. Exchange it for something you perceive to be less stinky and calm the demons.

 

[MolaKule]

Originally Posted By: Lubener
I suggest washing your moustache before deciding to return it.

 

[sw99]

Weird, the smell never stuck out to me. Over the years, I have come to like the smell of automotive fluids in general.

 

[strat81]

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456

Why are you wearing it?
Are you that sloppy?

First time I ever did a pan drop was on a 4L60. I loosen the bolts and leave a couple in place. The pan and gasket were stuck to the trans case. So I pull. And pull. And WHOOSH.

Trans fluid all over me, the floor, in my hair, on my clothes... What a mess. LOL

I installed a drain bolt.

And man up, OP. Don't stick your nose in bottles of chemicals. Fill your transmission and move on. If it's that bad, ask your husband to do it for you.

 

[djb]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440

My guess is that you'll likely smell it whether or not the odor is actually present and it'll keep you from enjoying the vehicle. The power of suggestion is strong with this one. Exchange it for something you perceive to be less stinky and calm the demons.


I second this.

Smell is a very subjective sense. Once you decide that you really dislike an odor, even the slightest trace can seem overpowering.

Giving away the container is cheap. Compare the cost to people that catch a whiff of mold, convince themselves that the whole building is toxic, and insist that it be practically rebuilt. (Only to be offended by the 'toxic' new construction odor. Most things that smell bad aren't toxic, and many truly toxic things have no odor.)

 

[BobThe]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I don't know what Valvoline was thinking. I'm really afraid its going to make my car stink too. And the leaking will make my driveway smell like a diesel plant?

I don't know but don't want to take a chance. I'm going to see if I can take this back to AZ for a refund.


I've used MaxLife ATF for years in our Odyssey. It stinks, but no worse than any diff lube I've ever used. I do a quick dump and fill every other oil change on the Odyssey's trans and it takes a day or so before the garage airs out. The kids and wife complain about it until the smell is gone. That said, the Odyssey has never smelled like it after a change and I have changed it multiple times.

 

[Boss302fan]

They all smell bad. LOL... All that matters is if it does its job.

 

[ChrisJH]

Originally Posted By: Boss302fan
They all smell bad. LOL... All that matters is if it does its job.


Are we still talking about ATF or what Castrol Transmax smells like?

 

[turtlevette]

Originally Posted By: ChrisJH
Originally Posted By: Boss302fan
They all smell bad. LOL... All that matters is if it does its job.


Are we still talking about ATF or what Castrol Transmax smells like?

Does Transmax smell bad too?

The Autozone Dex/Merc smells just a tad sweet. Very pleasant.

 

[jmb106]

Transmax smells worse than MaxLiife IMO.

 

[wog]

I could take that smell problem away, For say 5 dollars. A gallon. That is only if you can t return. Good product use with no worries. Put some bacon on engine mask the smell