Maxlife ATF for +4 application

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Can you use Maxlife synthetic ATF to replace +4 type ATF? It would be for a 2017 Ram 2500 5.7L gas with 6 speed auto. Thinking of drain/fill and filter change at 70k miles since it is used for a lot of towing.
 
Why would you want to not use ATF+4? Full synthetic, cheap, available everywhere-I've been tempted to use it in Dexron II/III applications (cheaper than Dex VI).
 
ATF+4 has specific static and dynamic friction characteristics. Your vehicle is designed/programmed with this in mind. Changing to a fluid with other specs would be asking for trouble in my books.
 
From CarTechBooks.com

"Chrysler ATF+4, also called ATE—a synthetic ATF introduced in 1998, it should always be used in any vehicle in which ATF+4 is specified. It can be used in Chrysler vehicles manufactured in prior years, except for minivans from before 2000, which use the 41TE/AE transmission. It is not compatible with Dexron or Mercon fluids."

I think you'd be wise to stick with genuine ATF+4 while you're still under warranty. You can buy qt size bottles of ATF+4 at Wally's and Carquest for about $5 or get a 5ltr jug of Mopar/ACDelco ATF+4 on Amazon for about $30.~35. The Mopar product is supposed to be one of those "for the life of" products but I'd still change it out per the mfgs schedule.
 
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Maxlife ATF may be better than sliced bread for the little I know.

But I would use whatever the maker of my car/transmission recommended. In your case +4.
 
I'd stick with ATF+4. Auto Zone has Castrol ATF+4, two quarts for $11, untii the end of the month. WMT has Super Tech, which might even be cheaper.
 
During the warranty period, use any licensed ATF+4 from Chrysler's official approved list. All of these are the same. Walmart ATF+4 is licensed and thus is OK to use. The parts stores put Castrol ATF+4 on sale a few times a year. If you find an approved ATF+4 for less, use it
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After the warranty is over, consider Redline C+ if you can afford it. If not, stick with something on the list.

If your transmission doesn't have a drain plug, get an aftermarket pan that has one.
 
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Why would you want to not use ATF+4? Full synthetic, cheap, available everywhere-I've been tempted to use it in Dexron II/III applications (cheaper than Dex VI).



The coefficients of friction don't match in this application. I would just wait until a ATF sale or use a house brand DEX VI.
 
Originally Posted by ZraHamilton
Can you use Maxlife synthetic ATF to replace +4 type ATF? It would be for a 2017 Ram 2500 5.7L gas with 6 speed auto. Thinking of drain/fill and filter change at 70k miles since it is used for a lot of towing.


As others have said don't do it. From what I've read the majority of Chrysler Tranny fails were do to the wrong fluids being used throughout the years.

Use only ATF+4 in your tranny. I just drained and filled 2.5 liters (using a vacuum pump) from my 2015 Caravan last weekend and it's shifting a bit smoother. I have 60,xxx km (37200 miles) on it, Later this year I'll drop the pan and change the filter.
 
Originally Posted by ZraHamilton
Can you use Maxlife synthetic ATF to replace +4 type ATF? It would be for a 2017 Ram 2500 5.7L gas with 6 speed auto. Thinking of drain/fill and filter change at 70k miles since it is used for a lot of towing.


You can, but you should not unless no other option.

Also, are you certain the transmission is using the ATF +4? I was under the impression everything after 2014 got the ZF transmissions, in which case there a ZF-specific fluid which has to be used (and it is more expensive than inkjet printer ink, so prepare yourself if you have to buy multiple quarts of that).
 
Valvoline makes a separate stand alone product for ATF +4. It's in a blue bottle. The Valvoline Maxlife ( in the red bottle ) does not list ATF +4 as being one of the products it replaces. Here is a shot of the back of the red bottle. Also have a look at www.valvoline.com


E7392CF3-4058-46C8-88E8-0B18D8B19B64.jpeg
 
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From the 2017
Originally Posted by The_Nuke
Originally Posted by ZraHamilton
Can you use Maxlife synthetic ATF to replace +4 type ATF? It would be for a 2017 Ram 2500 5.7L gas with 6 speed auto. Thinking of drain/fill and filter change at 70k miles since it is used for a lot of towing.


You can, but you should not unless no other option.

Also, are you certain the transmission is using the ATF +4? I was under the impression everything after 2014 got the ZF transmissions, in which case there a ZF-specific fluid which has to be used (and it is more expensive than inkjet printer ink, so prepare yourself if you have to buy multiple quarts of that).


From the owners manual for a 2017 Ram: For the 8 speed AT use Mopar ZF 8&9 Speed ATF. For the 6 speed Automatic Transmission use ATF +4. Since the OP says he has the 6 speed AT, the AFF +4 is correct.
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Although Maxlife seems to be magical and work in just about everything you put it in, I tend to try to use it in applications that are closer to its spec rather than further. Viscosity wise maxlife is around 5.9 cst whereas atf +4 is 7.something, and by way of friction modifiers atf+4 is very heavily modified whereas im not quite as sure about maxlife. I try to use it in more dextron 6, mercon lv and sp4 applications but that is just me. With the availability and price of some of the atf +4 you may as well stick to it, with Chrysler licensing different manufacturers you can get it pretty much just as cheap. When the factory fluid is good, cheap and available why use anything else? but that's just my opinions.
 
Originally Posted by The_Nuke
Originally Posted by ZraHamilton
Can you use Maxlife synthetic ATF to replace +4 type ATF? It would be for a 2017 Ram 2500 5.7L gas with 6 speed auto. Thinking of drain/fill and filter change at 70k miles since it is used for a lot of towing.


You can, but you should not unless no other option.

Also, are you certain the transmission is using the ATF +4? I was under the impression everything after 2014 got the ZF transmissions, in which case there a ZF-specific fluid which has to be used (and it is more expensive than inkjet printer ink, so prepare yourself if you have to buy multiple quarts of that).



No it does not have to be used the there are thousands of examples of other DEXRON similar ATF's used in the ZF-8 and I used Maxlife ATF.
 
I am not sure if Chrysler transmissions are quite the same as they used to be but if you had the A604 or any similar Chrysler transmission using any other fluid than ATF+4 or a licensed fluid would cause failures. Some people had Dexron in their A604s and it ruined them. I don't know if all Chrysler transmissions are so finicky but there is some sort of Lubrizol additive that is in ATF+4 and supposedly not in other fluids. I just had to mention this because they can be very sensitive to fluid quality in a way that is very similar to Volkswagen.
 
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