I did a drain and fill on my 2003 Mazda tribute. I used Maxlife. The smell of that stuff is wicked strong and now i smell it after i drive. I can assure you i did not spill any and there is no leak. Its not a burnt smell but a fresh smell and at times a hint of something like gear oil. Its very annoying. Has anyone had an issue like this? I could i be smelling it from the vent tube? The transmission is a Ford made CD4E. The truck as 120K on it and the last drain and fill was at 75K, i did one drain and fill with a store brand mercon ATF then drove 500 miles then drained that out and put the ML in.
ATF smell days after Maxlife
- Thread starter Why_Anything
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I might drain it out and try something else. Will this cause an issue changing fluid brands like this?
MolaKule
Staff member
You must have a sensitive "smeller."
All ATF fluids have combinations of chemicals that have a distinctive odor.
Don't select fluids fluids based on the smell.
MaxLife should work fine in your Tribute.
All ATF fluids have combinations of chemicals that have a distinctive odor.
Don't select fluids fluids based on the smell.
MaxLife should work fine in your Tribute.
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Maxlife smells like vomit to me. Much different than any other ATF. But once its in, I smell nothing. Wonder about level, if its expanding, overflowing and burning off or something.
Whats supposed to be in there?
Whats supposed to be in there?
Originally Posted By: Why_Anything
I did a drain and fill on my 2003 Mazda tribute. I used Maxlife. The smell of that stuff is wicked strong and now i smell it after i drive. I can assure you i did not spill any and there is no leak. Its not a burnt smell but a fresh smell and at times a hint of something like gear oil. Its very annoying. Has anyone had an issue like this? I could i be smelling it from the vent tube? The transmission is a Ford made CD4E. The truck as 120K on it and the last drain and fill was at 75K, i did one drain and fill with a store brand mercon ATF then drove 500 miles then drained that out and put the ML in.
Maxlife does smell bad. Maybe you spilled some when you filled it?
Regards, JC.
I did a drain and fill on my 2003 Mazda tribute. I used Maxlife. The smell of that stuff is wicked strong and now i smell it after i drive. I can assure you i did not spill any and there is no leak. Its not a burnt smell but a fresh smell and at times a hint of something like gear oil. Its very annoying. Has anyone had an issue like this? I could i be smelling it from the vent tube? The transmission is a Ford made CD4E. The truck as 120K on it and the last drain and fill was at 75K, i did one drain and fill with a store brand mercon ATF then drove 500 miles then drained that out and put the ML in.
Maxlife does smell bad. Maybe you spilled some when you filled it?
Regards, JC.
I've dribbled a little down the fill tube when I filled my Taurus.
It would gradually burn off as I drove for the next week, and while I had the A/C on it stank bad.
I got under the car twice and wiped anything that appeared oily, and that helped a bit.
I'd continue to drive it.
Switching it out again won't make your life any easier.
Perhaps go for a long drive?
It would gradually burn off as I drove for the next week, and while I had the A/C on it stank bad.
I got under the car twice and wiped anything that appeared oily, and that helped a bit.
I'd continue to drive it.
Switching it out again won't make your life any easier.
Perhaps go for a long drive?
Originally Posted By: Why_Anything
I did a drain and fill on my 2003 Mazda tribute. I used Maxlife. The smell of that stuff is wicked strong and now i smell it after i drive. I can assure you i did not spill any and there is no leak. Its not a burnt smell but a fresh smell and at times a hint of something like gear oil. Its very annoying. Has anyone had an issue like this? I could i be smelling it from the vent tube? The transmission is a Ford made CD4E. The truck as 120K on it and the last drain and fill was at 75K, i did one drain and fill with a store brand mercon ATF then drove 500 miles then drained that out and put the ML in.
I just changer my trans fluid yesterday with valvoline import full syn and i did happen to spill a little and it smells rancid its slowly going away probly a few days and a undercarrage wash later it will be gone.
I did a drain and fill on my 2003 Mazda tribute. I used Maxlife. The smell of that stuff is wicked strong and now i smell it after i drive. I can assure you i did not spill any and there is no leak. Its not a burnt smell but a fresh smell and at times a hint of something like gear oil. Its very annoying. Has anyone had an issue like this? I could i be smelling it from the vent tube? The transmission is a Ford made CD4E. The truck as 120K on it and the last drain and fill was at 75K, i did one drain and fill with a store brand mercon ATF then drove 500 miles then drained that out and put the ML in.
I just changer my trans fluid yesterday with valvoline import full syn and i did happen to spill a little and it smells rancid its slowly going away probly a few days and a undercarrage wash later it will be gone.
I can assure you none was spilled or dribbled. Plus I only smell it after I drive the car. Its not a burnt smell.
I like the smell of T-IV. I huff it a few times during a drain and fill.
I'd leave it alone for a few days. It will most likely clear up on its own.
Its been a week. This is strange.
It calls for mercon. I now see "mercon LV" written on the bottle. What is that?
That's just what Mazda calls it. It's a Ford Asia and Europe reference.
I think a few years ago ford made mercon v back spec to be compatible with other mercon but I don't have the specs handy to compare them.
I think a few years ago ford made mercon v back spec to be compatible with other mercon but I don't have the specs handy to compare them.
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Interesting, Yeah the dip stick says Mercon and the MaxLife bottle says Mercon LV. But i think i might have made a mistake a week ago when i ran the other stuff for 500 miles, i used Mercon V, now i read that is very bad. When i first got the truck it had some shudder in over drive so i put that lube guard shudder stuff and ran it about 100 miles, then drained and filled with Mercon V then after 500 miles i drained that i now have the maxlife in there. Tranny seems fine but the [censored] are some times harder than others. It follows no pattern as the when it acts like that. But the shudder is gone.
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That should be "Shifts" are hard..
LOL! Sorry guys!
This is weird. There is a parallel thread just a few lines away.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3024164&#Post3024164
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3024164&#Post3024164
Well, i cleaned and degrease under the engine and the smell was gone on a short trip to the store but then i went for a long ride and just got back and the smell is back and i looked all over no leaks, its def coming from the vent tube and also overdrive was a bit wonky too am going to drain this stuff out ASAP, like now maybe. This is the second time i tried this stuff, the other was in my 2002 Accord and i did not like it then. I have some Trans Max on hand Dex/Merc. My dip stick says "Use Mercon" so ill try this stuff.
Now tho im reading they cant be mixed at all, I think i might be making things worse doing all this. I just wish i knew why i smell the stuff after long drive and there are no leaks.
Well, i know its late here on Long Island but i drained out the ML and put in Trans Max, then drove a hard 15 miles, smell is gone, shifts slightly better and all is good. Strange stuff. I know people swear by ML and i don't want a debate. Ill see how it goes with TM for now.
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