ATF Fluid Exchange: Valvoline Dex/Merc or Redline D4 (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Nov 21, 2008
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Location
East Bay, CA
The Plan for my 98 LX470:

Drain/refill tranny pan. Then disconnect the upper transmission cooler line to do the fluid exchange routine until fluid starts coming out looking like new.

Question:

Valvoline Dex/Merc at $3.99/qt or Redline D4 at $8.95/qt?

Is Redline that much better? I'm leaning toward the Valvoline, but wanted to check in here first for feedback.

Thanks!
 
1. How many miles on the truck?

2. How many miles since the last change?

3. How much longer do you plan to keep the truck?

4. How often do you like to change the fluid in the transmission?

The first two are a history on the truck and the condition of the current fluid. Number three is the economic value of a high-end fluid vs a standard fluid. Last one has to do with the useful life of the fluid.

The Valvoline has a service life of 30K to 50K miles. The Redline is probably good for 100K+. So, if you don't mind the labor, you can spread your costs out over 3 intervals for the next 100K, or you can take the hit once, do the labor once, and forget about it... :D
 
Is the fluid in there really nice or dirty ?

If dirty drain, fill, drive to clean with the cheaper then do the cooler line flush with the Redline.

The Redline is "that" much better but the any spec'd fluid will do the job if changed regularly. If you are going cheap use a Mercon V fluid that is recommended for Dex III. To meet the Merc V they have to have better base fluids. The Valvoline Maxlife ATF also has a good rep.

No need to use a D/M (DexIII/Mercon) class product. The MercV and the Multi-vehicle formulas are better for not much more.
 
Suggestion from a nationally known ZF transmission guru here in town, Kurt Koeller:

- Drain pan
- Remove pan (ZFs have a filter to replace, I'd just leave the pan on)
- Disconnect/disable ignition
- Crank engine, driving the transmission pump, to empty the torque converter
- Reconnect ignition
- Replace pan
- Refill

This method will change almost all the fluid at once, probably more completely than a flush, without the potential problems of flushing. Kurt does flushes when requested, has all the equipment, doesn't do it on his personal cars.
 
Suggestion from a nationally known ZF transmission guru here in town, Kurt Koeller:

- Drain pan
- Remove pan (ZFs have a filter to replace, I'd just leave the pan on)
- Disconnect/disable ignition
- Crank engine, driving the transmission pump, to empty the torque converter
- Reconnect ignition
- Replace pan
- Refill

This method will change almost all the fluid at once, probably more completely than a flush, without the potential problems of flushing. Kurt does flushes when requested, has all the equipment, doesn't do it on his personal cars.

1. There's much more fluid in the system in addition to fluid in the torque converter.

2. It's generally not a good idea to use the starter to crank the engine for any significant period of time longer than what it takes to start the engine normally. Starter motor and ring/pinion gear system are not designed for this, can overheat starter and put excessive wear on starter & ring/pinion gear.

Best way for shade-tree to purge old fluid is the method of disconnecting cooler line hoses and doing repeated discharge/fill cycles, after pan (/filter) R&R. Search the forum, there are already threads on this.

Flushing is problematic, for various reasons.
 
Best way for shade-tree to purge old fluid is the method of disconnecting cooler line hoses and doing repeated discharge/fill cycles, after pan (/filter) R&R. Search the forum, there are already threads on this.

Flushing is problematic, for various reasons.

Here's one I completed last weekend...
 

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