Changing ATF's and Shifting Behavior

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Originally Posted by demarpaint
In older vehicles I noticed what I considered a slight improvement. In newer vehicles they seem to stay the same. I don't change ATF for an improvement, I change it to preserve and extend the life of a well maintained transmission.



I agree 100%. I'm all about longevity. How often do you do drain and fills?

As a side note, I thought the jerking was "normal" as I had tried to "fix" from about 2002-2010. I had just accepted it as a quirk to my car. Sorta like my own quirks.
 
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Originally Posted by Gebo
Just to clarify, I pled guilty as charged with "confirmation bias" playing a factor in my initial mass ATF changes several months ago. I was hyper sensitive in trying to attempt to "feel" any changes. I did 8 vehicles in a month. Each vehicle had a minimum of 4 drain and fills. And 3 of them didn't have dipsticks if you know what I mean. My mind got a little fuzzy. LOL

There were changes but over time I found they were "normal" shifting changes.

ALL I am speaking of here is the periodic jerk on take off from a dead stop. It's like the accelerator sticks and then releases. I'm not talking about any overall shifting pattern. Just that initial movement from 0 mph. It has vanished by my switching to Toyota T-IV. Remember, this LS400 has been in my family since 2001. I know her every little squeak and dot and tittle.
My mind and sensory reception has now been rebooted and is clear.

I was a little afraid to do this post knowing the "psychologists" here may try to discredit my testimony. I am a 95% OEM guy. I might use a Moog suspension part here and there (please forgive me). Please forgive me for trusting and having faith in OEM Toyota/Lexus parts.

It's interesting to me how some people try to prove their points at the expense of hurting others. I'm just sharing my testimony.
If you want to attack me, just PM me. You can really bless me out there.
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No attack from me. I was just stating my observations. I've heard many times over the years a transmission fluid change, greatly improved transmission performance and operation. Which I believe to be true in many cases. Merry Christmas!
 
Originally Posted by demarpaint
Originally Posted by Gebo
Just to clarify, I pled guilty as charged with "confirmation bias" playing a factor in my initial mass ATF changes several months ago. I was hyper sensitive in trying to attempt to "feel" any changes. I did 8 vehicles in a month. Each vehicle had a minimum of 4 drain and fills. And 3 of them didn't have dipsticks if you know what I mean. My mind got a little fuzzy. LOL

There were changes but over time I found they were "normal" shifting changes.

ALL I am speaking of here is the periodic jerk on take off from a dead stop. It's like the accelerator sticks and then releases. I'm not talking about any overall shifting pattern. Just that initial movement from 0 mph. It has vanished by my switching to Toyota T-IV. Remember, this LS400 has been in my family since 2001. I know her every little squeak and dot and tittle.
My mind and sensory reception has now been rebooted and is clear.

I was a little afraid to do this post knowing the "psychologists" here may try to discredit my testimony. I am a 95% OEM guy. I might use a Moog suspension part here and there (please forgive me). Please forgive me for trusting and having faith in OEM Toyota/Lexus parts.

It's interesting to me how some people try to prove their points at the expense of hurting others. I'm just sharing my testimony.
If you want to attack me, just PM me. You can really bless me out there.
19.gif


No attack from me. I was just stating my observations. I've heard many times over the years a transmission fluid change, greatly improved transmission performance and operation. Which I believe to be true in many cases. Merry Christmas!


Oh No!! I know you would never attack me. You have done nothing but help me. Remember the bathroom walls
cheers3.gif

Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!
 
Originally Posted by Gebo
Originally Posted by demarpaint
Originally Posted by Gebo
Just to clarify, I pled guilty as charged with "confirmation bias" playing a factor in my initial mass ATF changes several months ago. I was hyper sensitive in trying to attempt to "feel" any changes. I did 8 vehicles in a month. Each vehicle had a minimum of 4 drain and fills. And 3 of them didn't have dipsticks if you know what I mean. My mind got a little fuzzy. LOL

There were changes but over time I found they were "normal" shifting changes.

ALL I am speaking of here is the periodic jerk on take off from a dead stop. It's like the accelerator sticks and then releases. I'm not talking about any overall shifting pattern. Just that initial movement from 0 mph. It has vanished by my switching to Toyota T-IV. Remember, this LS400 has been in my family since 2001. I know her every little squeak and dot and tittle.
My mind and sensory reception has now been rebooted and is clear.

I was a little afraid to do this post knowing the "psychologists" here may try to discredit my testimony. I am a 95% OEM guy. I might use a Moog suspension part here and there (please forgive me). Please forgive me for trusting and having faith in OEM Toyota/Lexus parts.

It's interesting to me how some people try to prove their points at the expense of hurting others. I'm just sharing my testimony.
If you want to attack me, just PM me. You can really bless me out there.
19.gif


No attack from me. I was just stating my observations. I've heard many times over the years a transmission fluid change, greatly improved transmission performance and operation. Which I believe to be true in many cases. Merry Christmas!


Oh No!! I know you would never attack me. You have done nothing but help me. Remember the bathroom walls
cheers3.gif

Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!

I know, and I was happy to help! I just didn't want it to be taken the wrong way. Often people will post about improvements in sound, and/or how a vehicle performs from doing a fluid or oil change and get quickly attacked because they can't offer some kind of scientific proof to back it up. I recall having an issue with the transmission in a 66 Falcon I owned when I was in HS. The transmission was starting to act up at just over 100 K miles. It was a hand me down and the transmission was never serviced. A pan drop, fluid and filter change had it operating like new again, no data or scientific evidence to prove it, but the filter was starting to load up, and the fluid was tired.
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My Jeep Cherokee with the A340 / AW-4 transmission shifts much better - quicker, firmer but also smoother on Dex VI. It was specified for DIII from the factory. I keep using the Dex VI. I change the fluid often, so it wasn't from changing from warn out fluid to new fluid.
 
I can feel it. There is no doubt. I had a full flush and replace on my 2012 Honda Pilot with Valvoline MaxLife @ 75,000 miles, drain/fill with Honda DW-1 at 109,000 and just did a drain/fill with Valvoline Maxlife at 130,000. After this last drain/fill the shifting is way better in all respects. The downshift doesn't clunk like it had been and the usual torque converter shudder is gone for the moment. I'm thinking that I need to shorten my interval. The fluid was fairly dirty and there was a decent amount of metal sludge on the magnetic drain plug. I'm not surprised that I could feel the difference. I'm going to do one more drain/fill soon and then do one with each 6-7k mile OCI. I wonder if the internal filter is clogged. Is there any way to know?
 
Originally Posted by qball16
I'm going to do one more drain/fill soon and then do one with each 6-7k mile OCI. I wonder if the internal filter is clogged. Is there any way to know?


I think 6/7k is excessive.

Ask someone who knows that transmission in particular - for a long while honda had non-serviceable filters so it may be moot. Honda-tech is the best place I have found to ask; I am a new honda owner having bought a 2003 Civic this past summer for my soon to be licensed step-son. I have been going through it carefully for a while.

I also pulled a lot of debris off the transmission drain plug, BUT - smear it. It turns to mush. Even though it looks like stalactites, it's just very fine wear of use. However, given Honda's weirdness with filters I am installing one of these (use them on other vehicles). You might consider it:

https://www.amazon.com/Magnefine-Magnetic-Inline-Transmission-Steering/dp/B0787KWZPS

There copy-cats and off-brand cheaper. But the idea is an inline filter to be serviced every 20k or so, spliced into your cooler line. Also a good idea on PS lines...
 
Originally Posted by qball16
I can feel it. There is no doubt. I had a full flush and replace on my 2012 Honda Pilot with Valvoline MaxLife @ 75,000 miles, drain/fill with Honda DW-1 at 109,000 and just did a drain/fill with Valvoline Maxlife at 130,000. After this last drain/fill the shifting is way better in all respects. The downshift doesn't clunk like it had been and the usual torque converter shudder is gone for the moment....
That's an interesting anecdote. So Full Syn ML MV providing better shift quality for you as compared to DW1 in a DW1 spec'd application.

I'll say for me, I didn't notice any significant difference in shift quality switching to ML in a couple Honda applications when Z1 discontinued. That said, even though I do a simple single d&f at 25-30k miles intervals I feel more confident knowing that mineral based Z1 sheared quickly, and synthetic ML having greater shear stability. That and cost factor a significant improvement. Perhaps because of the regular d&f service interval, I don't notice any significant difference after one either.

Originally Posted by Miller88
My Jeep Cherokee with the A340 / AW-4 transmission shifts much better - quicker, firmer but also smoother on Dex VI. It was specified for DIII from the factory. I keep using the Dex VI.
The lower intial viscosity Dex VI shifting better anecdotally than mineral based Dex III in a Dex III spec'd application. Certainly the greater sheer stability of Dex VI over Dex III doesn't hurt as indicated in the link, an added benefit.
 
Sayjac,

I wouldn't make the assumption that it's the type/brand or fluid. I think it's mostly just that it's NEW fluid.
 
Afaik I didn't make any "assumption". I simply quoted the information and restated it as described. As for the rest of the information regarding Z1 and greater sheer stability of synthetic based ATF, that has been posted many times including the link provided. I never offered an opinion on the reason for anecdote experience. Whatever it may be, according to the anecdote seems it's working better for you. As noted, in my case I felt no significant difference at the time of change over, or with simple ATF d&fs.
 
I presume this thread is what prompted your other thread asking how to ignore users
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In your LS400's case, with the 'clunk' it experiences, as much as I'm okay with using multi-use ATF in many applications, I'd definitely have tried the proper spec'd fluid in this case just to rule out some variables. Otherwise, like engine oil, I don't consider changing ATF as something you do to "fix" things, just maintain them.
 
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
I presume this thread is what prompted your other thread asking how to ignore users
grin.gif


In your LS400's case, with the 'clunk' it experiences, as much as I'm okay with using multi-use ATF in many applications, I'd definitely have tried the proper spec'd fluid in this case just to rule out some variables. Otherwise, like engine oil, I don't consider changing ATF as something you do to "fix" things, just maintain them.


Let me add more info to clarify. I wasn't trying to fix anything. I'm a maintenance fanatic. Once I saw those Kelly videos, I simply decided to change ALL my cars to the recommended ATF per their owners manual. I knew of no problems whatsoever. Now months and miles down the road I noticed the jerk on initial take off (no clunk or noise of any kind) had gone away. My LS400 had done the sporadic jerking on take off since I bought it used in 2001. I thought it was just a personality quirk. I wasn't trying to fix any problem.
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