Another MaxLife vs Honda DW-1 thread

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So both my Hondas are due for an ATF D&F. I'm usually a Honda ATF only guy but MaxLife has performed so well in my Infiniti that I'm considering using it this time around. DW-1 overall has smooth shifts but the downshifting can sometimes be a little clunky, like when slowing down for a traffic light but then accelerating again. Not sure if that's a Honda A/T characteristic but I've noticed it in both my Hondas. Perhaps MaxLife ATF can improve that...? I've read about MaxLife having more firm/positive shifts, which translates to less tranny wear.

I'm sure any tranny can benefit from synthetic fluid since heat is the #1 killer. Any thoughts/opinions are welcome.
 
Honda DW1 is all I use. 650k+ miles in the past 15 years on Honda auto transmissions, never a failure or issue. High mileage cars shift life a new car. I do a drop and fill (3 quarts) every 30K miles. I buy it by the case for about $6 per quart online. If I lived in the arctic I would seek out a suitable synthetic, otherwise I dont see the issue.
 
I'll preface this by saying your answers will likely vary depending on whether one takes the 'use Honda fluids only' as gospel.

I have ~150k miles using ML between two Hondas specing Z1. One an 01 Civic, and one a V6 3.0L Accord. Both original transmission and both shift fine on ML since Z1 superseded. And as known ML is available in gallon jug for
I'll say ime your 2002 will be fine on ML. Now for the Pilot, if it is still under warranty I'd say use DW1 just in case, to keep warranty. If not or after that IME ML will work fine in that application too.

As a related aside, I also have used and am using Prestone For Honda/Acura PSF in both vehicles and they both have original pumps. Before that in the Civic I used Bardahl for Honda PSF. My .02.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Honda DW1 is all I use. 650k+ miles in the past 15 years on Honda auto transmissions, never a failure or issue. High mileage cars shift life a new car. I do a drop and fill (3 quarts) every 30K miles. I buy it by the case for about $6 per quart online. If I lived in the arctic I would seek out a suitable synthetic, otherwise I dont see the issue.


This has been my experience also and I buy caselots the same but I do a drain every 15K.
Not the 3-drain procedure...just one drain every 15K. (Baes on Bubba's experience I could extend that but I like to get under there for an inspection anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: Sayjac
I'll preface this by saying your answers will likely vary depending on whether one takes the 'use Honda fluids only' as gospel.

I have ~150k miles using ML between two Hondas specing Z1. One an 01 Civic, and one a V6 3.0L Accord. Both original transmission and both shift fine on ML since Z1 superseded. And as known ML is available in gallon jug for
I'll say ime your 2002 will be fine on ML. Now for the Pilot, if it is still under warranty I'd say use DW1 just in case, to keep warranty. If not or after that IME ML will work fine in that application too.



I ama Gospel singer...Hallelujah.

I can't see a good reason to change from DW-1 and I am a big fan of Max-Life in some of my other non-Honda vehicles.
 
ML or DW-1, pick one. But if you live in a warm climate and have one of the known troublesome trannies, then drop out 3 quarts every 15k miles. Otherwise every 20k-30k would be a minimum. And make sure yours has an inline fluid filter either from the factory or a Magnefine. The internal filter can only be replaced during a tear-down at rebuild time. This is one of the Achilles heels of these units, per my rebuild guy.
 
Originally Posted By: mclasser
So both my Hondas are due for an ATF D&F. I'm usually a Honda ATF only guy but MaxLife has performed so well in my Infiniti that I'm considering using it this time around. DW-1 overall has smooth shifts but the downshifting can sometimes be a little clunky, like when slowing down for a traffic light but then accelerating again. Not sure if that's a Honda A/T characteristic but I've noticed it in both my Hondas. Perhaps MaxLife ATF can improve that...? I've read about MaxLife having more firm/positive shifts, which translates to less tranny wear.

I'm sure any tranny can benefit from synthetic fluid since heat is the #1 killer. Any thoughts/opinions are welcome.


mclasser, my Element does the same exact thing to a smaller extent. My wife's old 09 Civic did it as well (it was even more noticeable). Same exact situation where as you slow down and get to a pretty slow speed, then accelerate, it'll be a little rough with the shift. I think the Civic's issue might have been a little exaggerated since it had a transmission issued a few years back that was fixed under warranty (some pressure switch was replaced). I'm not sure if it was psychological, but the shifts did seem smoother after a drain and fill.

I haven't tried anything but DW-1, but I'd love to see if Maxlife helps. Instead of doing 3X drain and fills every 60 or 90K, I do a single drain and fill every 20-30k, but now I wonder if a 3X DnF would help the shifts more?
 
I probably should have mentioned that on both Hondas, just single d&fs every 25-30k miles with ML. 01 Civic(now 265k+ miles), has quite the AT reputation on carcomplaints and a V6, both would put ML to the test it would seem.

That said, I'm for everyone using what they want with their money. ML happens to be my choice for mine, and anecdotally working fine for me.
 
Maxlife is great stuff and very popular on here. There is nothing wrong with using it in a Honda, which a lot of people on here do. Autozone still has it on sale for $17.99/gal until Monday 7/24, but some Autozone stores don't carry it. If yours doesn't, they are still doing free shipping with no minimum. So you get the Walmart price without having to go to Walmart.

Another good synthetic ATF is Castrol Synthetic ATF, but it does cost more than Maxlife.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Honda DW1 is all I use. 650k+ miles in the past 15 years on Honda auto transmissions, never a failure or issue. High mileage cars shift life a new car. I do a drop and fill (3 quarts) every 30K miles. I buy it by the case for about $6 per quart online. If I lived in the arctic I would seek out a suitable synthetic, otherwise I dont see the issue.


Thats lots of driving in your cars.
 
I doubt that it would matter much either way.
Either is a synthetic LV fluid and they seem to have pretty comparable add packs.
You used to be able to get great buys on DW-1 from Curry Acura in NY IIRC, something like
$72.00/case of 12 shipped.
I don't know whether this is still true.
If I had to pay dealer retail locally for this stuff, I'd be a Maxlife ATF user in our '12.
The '96 has had a couple of Maxlife D&Fs although that year requires only a Dex/Merc ATF and is not one of the
generations that had bad auto transaxles.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I doubt that it would matter much either way.
Either is a synthetic LV fluid and they seem to have pretty comparable add packs.
You used to be able to get great buys on DW-1 from Curry Acura in NY IIRC, something like
$72.00/case of 12 shipped.
I don't know whether this is still true.
If I had to pay dealer retail locally for this stuff, I'd be a Maxlife ATF user in our '12.
The '96 has had a couple of Maxlife D&Fs although that year requires only a Dex/Merc ATF and is not one of the
generations that had bad auto transaxles.


Can you attach the pdf with the additive packs?

Thanks
 
I think that both fluids are wrong for the two 2002 transmissions, designed for the Z1 fluid (higher viscosity). Low Viscosity fluid is designed for newer transmissions. It might be back-specced to satisfy corporate fuel economy, but there is no guarantee for the transmission life (at that point in age/mileage).
Personally I prefer Castrol Import Multi-vehicle, enhanced with a bottle of Lubegard Red.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: SoNic67
I think that both fluids are wrong for the two 2002 transmissions, designed for the Z1 fluid (higher viscosity). Low Viscosity fluid is designed for newer transmissions. It might be back-specced to satisfy corporate fuel economy, but there is no guarantee for the transmission life (at that point in age/mileage).
Personally I prefer Castrol Import Multi-vehicle, enhanced with a bottle of Lubegard Red.


DW-1 supercedes Z-1, correct?

And you are suggesting the newer DW-1 was the result of fuel economy goals rather than improved formula for the transmission?
 
Rather than simple opinions, here is information from another thread which provides specifics of the Honda Z-1ATF which Honda used when your transmission was manufactured:

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
The Z1 has an odd formulation with a lot of Zinc, a lot of Magnesium and a massive amount of Sulphur. It starts out at a viscosity of 7.2 cSt but in my UOAs, it shears down quickly. In my UPAs it dropped to well under 6 cSt in only 18K miles (5.5 cSt in the last one). I think that shearing is why the shifting doesn't stay crisp and sharp.

MaxLife starts at a bit over 6 cSt but according to several sources, doesn't shear, or shears only minimally. The MaxLife has next to no Zinc, no Sulphur about the same amount of Boron, lots more Phosphorus, next to no Magnesium, lots of Phosphorus (the Z1 has next to none). I have seen a DW1 virgin analysis but can't lay my hands on it now. It's different than Z1.

I don't know enough to comment of the differences in chemistry but I've been following this for about 8 years. Lots of people have used MaxLife in Hondas with good results (or a least no bad ones) so I think it's probably very safe to do so. IMO, there is more than enough anecdotal evidence to show the MaxLife is a good choice for the older and problematic Hondas. It's a much better oil than the Z1 in terms of overall quality. I don't know enough to compare it to the DW1, which is itself a major upgrade from Z1.
 
^^^Yep that was an excellent post regarding Z1 from respected member Jim Allen. He basically concluded Z1 was nothing special, sheared quickly. Also in my observation, Z1 one of most complained about ATF's on this board over the years. Jim's post and conclusion also a main reason why after Z1 superceeded, I had no fear of going to ML. Haven't looked back.
 
Originally Posted By: Sayjac
^^^Yep that was an excellent post regarding Z1 from respected member Jim Allen. He basically concluded Z1 was nothing special, sheared quickly. Also in my observation, Z1 one of most complained about ATF's on this board over the years. Jim's post and conclusion also a main reason why after Z1 superceeded, I had no fear of going to ML. Haven't looked back.


Ofcourse, having UOAs on DW-1 would be the only way to make an informed decision but I have not been able to find any.
 
Originally Posted By: SoNic67
I think that both fluids are wrong for the two 2002 transmissions, designed for the Z1 fluid (higher viscosity). Low Viscosity fluid is designed for newer transmissions. It might be back-specced to satisfy corporate fuel economy, but there is no guarantee for the transmission life (at that point in age/mileage).
Personally I prefer Castrol Import Multi-vehicle, enhanced with a bottle of Lubegard Red.


Honda says DW1 can be used in all of their automatic transmissions and that DW1 is backwards-compatible with Z1. In fact, Honda doesn't even sell the Z1 anymore, only DW1.

The old Z1 wasn't a good fluid at all. The DW1 is much better.

If you like Castrol IMV, you should try their full synthetic ATF
smile.gif
 
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