Lubegard Black: Need advice...

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GimmeTorq

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During the last drain 'n' fill for my '02 Maxima (4 speed auto with 40k miles), I decided to add 1 onz of Lubegard Black to each new quart of Mobil 1 ATF. I had drain 'n' fill this tranny before (about 3 times, at 15k, 20k and 25k miles) with Mobil 1 ATF, also adding 10 onz of Lubegard Red during the third drain 'n' fill. Up to this point, I haven't had any issues with it, except for 1-2 shift shock until the AT reaches operating temp.
Now, after adding the 4 onz of Lubegard Black, and with the arrival of colder weather, the tranny has developed what seems to be a 2-3 shift shock/slippage. It only happens before the tranny has reached operating temperature and it doesn't happen all the time.
I'm just afraid this may harm the tranny.
Should I perform another drain 'n' fill to reduce the amount of Lubegard Black in the tranny? Could this hurt the tranny in the long term?
Any other suggestions?

Thanks!!
 
I used the exact same mix as you did Torq! I drained and refilled my wifes RX-300 with 4 qts of Mobil 1 ATF and 4oz of LubeGard Black Bottle HFM. I experienced almost the same slippage or what ever you want to call it. It seemed as though the tranny wanted to "back off" just prior to shifting from 1st-2nd gear. I went back to Toyota T-IV. Had to drain/refill a couple of times before the tranny was normal again. From now on I just purchace from the dealer.
 
I have similar symptoms (always 1->2 shift shock) and occasionally 2->3 shift shock when the fluid is cold. Shift shock is really prominent since I have a tranny cooler.

Did you experience shift shock before adding any FM's?
 
Jatco 1-2 cold shift shock is normal.

Mobil1 ATF works extremely well in D-matic applications WITHOUT any additives.
If the 2-3 shift problem started when using the Lubegard black, use the Lubegard red or nothing with your next several drain/refills.

Get an ATF thermostat if using a cooler that delays ATF warmup.
 
Thanks guys!!! Just finished draining 'n' filling with straight Mobil 1. Got a hold of the new H spec in AutoZone and replaced 4 quarts. It seems much better but I guess I won't know for sure until I drive it tomorrow morning.

Yeah Maxguy, the 1-2 shift shock when cold is been there since the car was new, so like unDummy says, it seems "normal" with these trannies. It is pretty annoying though. This is the main reason why I added Lubegard Red in the first place, and eventually Lubegard Black.
Mobil 1 seems to do a much better job than the original Nissan's D4 fluid, in terms of the smoothness of gear shifts, except for 1-2, which just plain sucks in this tranny regardless of fluid.
I'll limit myself to Lubegard Red in the future.
Thanks again!!
 
Crap, slippage is still there... I guess it is probably gonna take some more $6 per quart drain 'n' fills before it goes away...
frown.gif
 
quote:
Originally posted by GimmeTorq:
Crap, slippage is still there... I guess it is probably gonna take some more $6 per quart drain 'n' fills before it goes away...
frown.gif

Click to expand...
My suggestion for you is flush the **** tranny with dino DexronIII ATF (could get a case in Costco for $14). Run the tranny on dino for sometime without any Lubegard and see if the slip is there. If it is gone and provided you are bent on having syn in the tranny, flush with "expensive" Mobil1 ATF and then end of story.
 
Im not sure what you mean by shift shock! Do you mean firm shifts or banging as compared to smooth and glides into each gear?
 
Jatco and smooth/glides can't be used in the same sentence. They either slip into gear or bang into gear. It is exaggerated with cold temperatures, and with trannies that are abused or neglected. Other things like bad motor/tranny mounts, poor engine tune, or defective sensors, corroded wiring/grounds, can also add to the sloppiness.

It might be time to allow the TCM to relearn your driving style. For FREE, have the ECU/TCU reset at Autozone. Then leave the battery unplugged overnight. If you're lucky, the drivetrain will adapt to the new fluid and your driving style.
 
Hmmm... Finally got to follow unDummy's advice... After resetting the ECU, there was no change. As far as I know, there is no way to reset the TCM, but looking at my Maxima's circuit schematics, the TCM has a pin which receives power from the battery all the time, labeled "Memory Power Backup" or something like that. So I decided to unplug the ground terminal of the battery and leave it like that overnight... To my surprise, the 1-2 shift shock is pretty much gone and the 2-3 slippage is quite rare now... Overall, the tranny feels better than ever... This is awesome! Can anybody explain what kind of data would the TCM keep in memory?
 
Thanks for the update. The TCM can make constant minor adjustments and learn, within whatever parameters the MFG mentions. This is how the tranny adapts to both the driving style and fluid condition.
I'll guess that either it can't make overly aggressive adjustments, or possible it can only learn once.

I've found in the past that resetting the TCM/ECU is a MUST after any major ATF change. It'll also help when vehicle is switching owners.

I also believe that this is why some people have problems with non-OEM fluids after a flush.

The more electronically controlled the tranny, the more likely it might become an issue.
 
Over the weekend I drained the pan and I was shocked to see the fluid (just over 12K) was kind of burnt, no smell (unique ATF smell) and it was like water coming out of the plug.

The ATF I poured back into the fill hole was viscous and consistent, unlike what was drained.

Though the combination of Lubegard + ATF seems to work fine, I am having second thoughts about this combination.
 
Fluid shears quickly.
I have noticed no difference in fluid feel between lubegard and no lubegard usage.
But, it could've done some cleaning if there was any junk in there.
 
MolaKule,

Thanks for the feedback. I got rid of what was left of Lubegard Black. I'll stick with Lubegard Red in the future.
Is your Pathfinder a 4-speed or 5-speed?

MaximaGuy,

That is odd... only 12k and the fluid was in such conditions? What brand were you using? I have gone 15k between drains and the fluid is darker than new ATF but in pretty good condition...
 
Gimme Torque.

Yes, drain and refill and don't add any Lubeguard Black unless you have some hard shift problems. You have too much FM in the fluid.

Nissan AT's have this 1-2 lockup or "hang-in-there" program until the fluid warms up. Just drive slowly until the fluid warms up and then allow upshift.

On our '03 athFinder, I found that our fluid works better in cold weather than OTS fluids.
 
You also shouldn't compare cold fluid from the bottle which is always thicker then the hot ATF draining out of the tranny. I think that this 'point of view' is overly used as whether a fluid 'looks' bad or good.

Depending on driving style, the Maxima has enough power to destroy ATF quickly. Consider additional cooling and filtration, or better ATF.
For regular DexronIII, perform a more frequent drain/refill regimen.
I also find that DexIII seems to perform very well in D-matic applications without friction modifiers. Use the Red or nothing at your next couple drain/refills. Do not use more then 1 ounce per quart.
 
BTW, this is the smoothest shifting transmission of any vehicle I have owned. Even while towing, shifting is smooth and precise.
 
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