Yamae

You can find what Aisin recommends seeing the links below.
http://www.aisinaftermarket.jp/en/pr...atf/index.html
http://www.aisinaftermarket.jp/en/pr..._CFEx_AFW+.pdf

dicer

And thank you Yamae.
Just read the first link it pretty much said what I've been saying about engineering the fluid for their specific transmissions.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

lol.

If you read either link you would have realized that Aisin doesn't even sell T-IV in japan, but rather a "universal" fluid that meets the T-IV requirements as well as a dozen other fluid requirements. (AFW/AFW+)

You literally proved my point.

dicer

Did I ever say Type IV ? Wasn't I talking about proprietary fluids? And since they make the Asian warner transmissions they would know what it needs, Right?

RA40

iTrader: (6)

No doubt about the fluids. This has been established and there are others who use these in their transmission. Rather than beat the horse, we need the details on this particular transmission.

How many miles on car?
Annual miles driven?
Type of driving may also help: stop-go, mostly highway, mixed.
Frequency of transmission fluid changes?

python

iTrader: (4)

dicer do u know the difference between recommendations and requirements?
bmw recommends castrol oil in some of their cars...guess what,its not the best oil.

dicer

Motor oil is a completely different subject than Automatic transmission fluid. Automatic transmission fluid is actually a part of the transmission system. And its formulation affects how the transmission is going to operate, it is as important as how much spring tension is behind a valve, or what the composition is of the friction materials and what the surface area is of said friction materials. Anyone wanting to talk intelligently about automatic transmission fluid should consult with an Auto transmission engineer first.

I would say on an old junky GM transmission that is only going to last 100,000 miles if that, the fluid can be what ever junk you wish to use. But on a more refined transmission that will last close to 500,000 or more miles with proper care and proper fluid, its just more important to use the correct stuff.
The transmission is the best part of the LS400, it is the most trouble free component of the cars, they did a super good job on the design and quality to get the miles that they get from them. Why mess up a good thing?

aptoslexus

"AISIN ATF / CVTF Coverage spans almost all vehicle applications!"

That's on the bottom of the page. They've only got 3 fluids. Aisin Maxlife, anyone?

python

iTrader: (4)

so u know more than the valvoline engineers who formulated this fluid? wherever u work...quit,go to valvoline tell them who u r and have everyone fired so u can take over. its quite obvious u know more than they do! u know, the company who puts this out on the shelves to sell to the public only to risk class action law suits for millions of dollars because they claim something that is completely false. also change ur sig to read "omnipotent master of knowledge"
do some research besides putting up a pointless COMMUNITY COLLEGE video.
here ya go
http://content.valvoline.com/pdf/maxlife_atf.pdf
read up

dicer

No the Mercedes engineer knows more than the Valvoline engineers. A snake oil maker will never have to go to court, BECAUSE any problems will be blamed on the mechanicals of the transmission. In court they will say what you do. IT MEETS THE SPEC.

dicer

And that is why it says it meets the spec.

jaaa

I think snake oil maker, said in context to aftermarket transmission oil makers is a little much. If you really want to bring something to this discussion, a little factual data will be required, otherwise chicken little comes to mind. Show me a study where x percent of people using x brand transmission oil had their transmission going out after y period of time. Something actual versus hearsay.

rudyH

I have never understood whether on high end cars or motorcycles of any manufacture, the factory recommended fluid is the last choice for some owners. If I drive a Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Bentley or whatever I rely on the people that designed the thing. I think those that created possibly the overall finest luxury line in the world, Lexus/Toyota, know about lubrication. In fact, I know they do.

dicer

Yeah great idea, just show me where to find that on anything? Not just trans fluid.

The main problem with that is there are places like this that will prevent that.

https://www.internetreputation.com/business

jaaa

Had an almost identical discussion on the Santa Fe forums in 2011 regarding using only Hyundai's SPIII fluid for your transmission.
http://www.hyundai-forums.com/sm-200...requested.html
I changed to Castrol Multi-Import fluid(in sept. of 2010) at 82k miles and now have 166k miles. So I now have 84k miles(and 6 years) on Castrol. Absolutely no difference in how my car drives. So at the very least I can point to real life data on a car I have driven with aftermarket transmission oil. I also have 10k miles and one year of driving on my Lexus with Max life. Time will tell, but I promise to come back to this forum and report back in in another 5 years and tell you how I've done.