dieselpb

It's come time for me to replace my trans fluid and filter/gasket. I'm fine with buying Toyota Type IV ATF from the dealer, but today I found that Castrol Import Transmax says that it's suitable for Toyota ATF IV. Anyone used it? Again I'm fine with going to the dealer, but it's easier for me to just pick it up at autozone.

oldskewel

iTrader: (1)

Valvoline MaxLife also claims to be compatible. I have never used anything other than Type T-IV, but plan to use MaxLife when next due and all my T-IV is gone ... unless I hear reports on this list to talk me out of it.

Here's the amazon link for MaxLife. Autozone sells it in-store for $19.99, Walmart cheaper if you've got on of those nearby:

BTW, that MaxLife stuff claims to be very widely compatible - actually working on all 4 of my cars with automatic transmissions (Lexus, Honda, BMW). The convenience of that is very nice. I have not heard negative reports on the MaxLife yet.

Banshee365

Widely compatible = not the best.

dicer

And the only time you can use it is if you do what Banshee is doing, completely clean out and replace all the friction materials and seals. Then you can use the off brand stuff exclusively, but still expect more slippage and wear from the off brands because they are not formulated for the LS transmissions shift schedules. Any more than they are formulated for a Mercedes Benz transmission that max life can also be used in. Only someone that doesn't understand the engineering that goes into automatic transmissions would use a non specific one size fits all fluid. And you better relook at what Banshee is doing to his transmission, as that is very likely a former Max life fluid unit he is replacing all the messed up parts in.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

+1. The known is to use Toyota Type IV.