All I know is every single forum I have ever been to has the same rant: "Might as well start a bank account if you don't use ________(Fill in the brand of your choice) transmission fluid" Or here is another: "Only our transmission engineers know what's best for our transmissions." I put in Castrol Multi-Import transmission fluid into my 2003 santa fe at about 70k miles and couldn't believe the amount of flack I got on a post about it at the time. I currently have around 181k miles on that vehicle with no transmission issues at all.

 

exactly....

 

Losi, it's going to plug again. I hate to say it, but I'm just being honest. I've been down this road multiple times on multiple LS400's. You've seen my trans content over the years. It's best to start planning now. The new strainer is absolutely a temporary fix.

 

What's the average mileage you've gotten out of your transmissions? Mine went out at about 230k.

 

It seems more age related that mileage. I had a few fail within a couple years of each other at various mileage. I had one go at around 230k and another at 180k'ish. The friction material just degrades over time and starts shedding off the clutches. Obviously miles and ESPECIALLY heat don't help. Heat is the real killer. When you start hearing a whine, that is your pump starving for fluid. When it's starving for fluid the pistons in the drums will not engage at full strength, especially in the rear. It's usually the 2nd brake that is totally burnt up in the ones I've been in to. The piston return springs are very strong. You need full pressure to fully engage the clutch. Although you may not feel it slipping, the clutches start to slip when the pump isn't able to provide full pressure. The by-product of slipping is heat. And the heat builds FAST, almost instantly. The heat makes the friction material brittle, the material starts to shed off the clutches and that material ends up in the strainer.

The clutch material should NEVER clog the strainer in a healthy trans. Once that material starts shedding off the clutches the fate is sealed.

 

Are you a moderator?

Compatible is a very broad term and Valvoline dances conveniently around it with verbiage like "suitable" and "most". My foot is suitable in most shoes 2 sizes too big but it's not preferred.

The following paragraph is from the MaxLife Product Info Sheet.
Valvoline MaxLife Multi-Vehicle Transmission Fluid (ATF) is a full synthetic formulation with advanced additives to prevent the major causes of transmission breakdown and help extend transmission life. Developed to help prevent leaks, maximize transmission performance, reduce transmission wear, and maintain smooth shifting longer than conventional fluids. Maxlife ATF is suitable for use in a broad range of ATF applications including most Ford, GM, Toyota & Honda models as well as Dex/Merc, Mercon LV and many more applications. Valvoline has conducted extensive in-house testing, independent lab testing, and field-testing to support MaxLife ATF performance in the broadest range of transmissions; however, it should be noted that MaxLife ATF is not an OEM licensed product. The respective vehicle manufacturers have neither evaluated nor endorsed MaxLife ATF in these applications. If an OEM licensed product is preferred we recommend Valvoline DEXRON® VI, Valvoline ATF+4® and Valvoline MERCON®V for the corresponding applications.

Take special notice of the last line where Valvoline recommends an alternative ATF product when an OEM licensed product, such as Type-IV, is preferred. None of the 3 ATF's suggested in the last line of the paragraph work in any of the A341E A340E or A650E LS400 transmissions. Valvoline markets another Import ATF, Import Multi Vehicle ATF, in the same product line as the 3 mentioned in the last line. It is not mentioned at all as recommended when the OEM licensed product is preferred. Could their words be any more convoluted? I have to wonder why...

 

Sooo.....anyone know what a rebuild costs?

 

I was driving the car a bit more spiritedly lately in the past month, since I put my factory 16s back on, much easier to break the rear end loose in corners, would that be the cause possibly? I drove no more than 20-30 miles after hearing the whining, max of 2 days before I dropped the pan and did the 3.5qt drain/fill and new strainer. I've put on 250 miles since then and its feeling much better than before, the shift light indicator now illuminates immediately when I put it into D even on 27-32 degree cold morning starts when before it used to take a couple minutes of warming up before it illuminated.

The ambient temps have been pretty low luckily, It began to make noise on a Thursday when the ambient temps dropped from 70-80 on Wed down to the 40s-50s almost overnight. I parked the car for the weekend after that and drove my Accord and drove it once to work on Monday (20 mile round trip) and did the gasket on Tuesday. The transmission wasn't showing any signs of slipping, shifts are still quick and direct even with the noise/whining.

2 years back I was having symptoms of the P0770, the lockup solenoid was broken causing the torque converter to drain during stops. Car used to judder when coming to a stop until I figured out that was the cause. It didn't throw a code for the longest time about 5k miles, so i didn't know what to look for until that code popped up as a CEL.

 

Again, you can use any kind of fluid in an automatic transmission, in a pinch in the woods water may work, but for how long? Banshee mentions the friction material flaking off, he says likely caused by heat, yes, and the main cause of the heat would be slippage, secondly it could be chemical attack as well.
You say maxlife has friction modifiers, well yeah, but is it the correct ones for a Mercedes? And also a LS400 ? Then stupid Mercedes should have not bothered to spec a trans fluid, just use the Lexus stuff. When you see the stories about transmission failures I would bet its mostly the use of improper fluid. If the fluid lets the clutches slip more than they are suppose to then they will wear out, its really that simple. I say if maxlife works for you go for it, just keep us posted on how well and for how long.
Since the wifes car takes dexron I thought about trying maxlife but I'm too chicken, its an older 90s car so don't care to push the luck. And just my opinion I would think full synthetic fluid would be too slippery as compared to conventional fluid, and would need friction modifiers to increase the friction. Valvoline has all that written to deny any kind of damage claims if you use the product and it roasts your transmission. All they have to say is read it, you will not win a claim against them. Oh and this reply is not for bradland, as he seems to know his stuff.

Cost to rebuild the transmission???? Who is doing it??? Parts ??? depends on whats broken, just simple kits $250. up to $400. ish. If you take it to a shop, $1500. up to $3000. Plus.

 

call valvoline and tell them they dont know what they are doing,their engineers and the company in general is putting transmissions at risk and tell them u know more than they do..hire u as the ceo because YOU ARE in fact the end all be all in terms of fluid knowledge on what should and shouldnt be put in transmissions..unreal the amount of cognitive dissonance some have. btw this guys transmission isnt the only thing thats "whinning"

 

No,I'M not the end all be all on the CORRECT tranny fluid for an LS400.Nor is Valvoline.Nor are YOU.

The end all be all on the CORRECT fluid is LEXUS.And I will go with the tranny supplier and Lexus as to THE correct fluid.

WHY you would want to smack on the MANUFACTURERS advice on the CORRECT fluid makes zero sense.You've been told what fluid to use,why cant you accept that?It isnt like the CORRECT fluid is unobtainium or out of anyone's price range.Or that the CORRECT fluid has ever been shown to be inadequate in any way shape or form.

I'll stick with the only EXPERT on the fluid,LEXUS.

 

We've had these discussions before. Baseline is that the Type IV is a known entity. Using other compatible fluids is fine too, we've seen varying results based on prior transmission issues and maintenance. Many variables along the way to say fluid X was the main cause. A general consensus is that with regular fluid changes and usual commuter driving we've seen them range from 200K miles+. Any neglect can have consequences. If fluid X works and you are happy, that's what matters.

 

And don't keep posting things that will mislead others, say use Maxlife at your own risk. Valvoline said when an OEM specs a certain fluid use that. No need to call them. If they (Valvoline which I have always liked) wanted to really help they should offer the proper OEM approved fluid, and dealers would also sell it then.

 

The other part of this is owners don't usually send in ATF fluid for analysis to determine how well they actually perform. Would be nice to have data to back up the longevity and or issues that come up. Knowing that the Type IV is readily available through Toyota's network is pretty easy choice IMO. In this age of online shopping with Amazon etc, that eases the situation and one can be prepared.

 

So what would a whining noise on 1st and 2nd gear only mean?