oil analysis for atf?

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do people tend not to have the ATF sent to a lab? maybe by the time you collect the sample its just as easy to do a full or partial drain?

do the analysis folks tell you if the fluid is "worn out? or just if there are wear products from metal gears present.
what does it cost?
thanks>
 
Here are a couple of UOAs from my retired 2010 FX4...there is not a great deal to learn from them and to some degree it may make more sense to just change the fluid.
 
I sent mine to Blackstone last week. I've got 42k on my 2015 Silverado and tow a 5k travel trailer about 1500 miles a summer. I'm changing the fluid and filter in the next week or so but hope to get an idea of how my trans is doing so far.

Bob
 
I've done it a couple times with my 2010 Fusion. This thread shows the most recent Blackstone ATF UOA results, which also include the details of the previous ATF UOA as well.

In my case, I just wanted to see what wear metals were looking like. Trans is getting close to 250,000 miles, and I wanted to get a good idea of what was going on inside it.
 
Just yesterday, I sent an ATF sample out to an ISO accredited lab for analysis. I've done a few engine labs before so this will be my first for the ATF.

I have a Honda transmission that's known to have some problems so I guess I'd like to see how it's wearing or if there is any other information I can glean from the report.
 
Originally Posted By: double vanos
You hear a lot of “ transmission fluids have a lot of detergents in them to keep the trans clean” but this UOA makes me question that assumption. Or did I miss something?


You didn't miss anything.

That's nothing but an old wive's tale......... nothing more
 
In a lubrication system with an oil circulating pump and filter/strainer, oil with detergents is required.
 
Originally Posted By: double vanos
You hear a lot of “ transmission fluids have a lot of detergents in them to keep the trans clean” but this UOA makes me question that assumption. Or did I miss something?


Transmission fluids have low levels of ashless dispersants and very low levels of detergents because they do NOT see combustion gasses and because the system is virtually a "sealed" system.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4660979/ATF_Fluids#Post4660979

post #4657460.
 
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Originally Posted By: edwardh1
do people tend not to have the ATF sent to a lab? maybe by the time you collect the sample its just as easy to do a full or partial drain?

do the analysis folks tell you if the fluid is "worn out? or just if there are wear products from metal gears present.
what does it cost?
thanks>


A good lab will discuss comprehensively things such as Fluid oxidation, particulates, TAN, etc.

A UAO analysis is only worthwhile if one has analysis of the VOA of the virgin fluid and does trending.

UAO "Snapshots" are usually worthless.
 
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Yes, and it’s neither difficult nor particularly expensive to just send 2 samples in; one of the new, one of the used. That’s what I did the last time I sent a sample from my shared sump in. One sample straight out of the bottle I’d filled the unit from, and one sample of the used stuff draining out. Particle count was what I was mainly interested in on that unit at that time.
 
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