ZF8 - PPE Pan Install and D6 Changeout to Maxlife

Did you have success with your non-Mopar fluid in your ZF8 transmission?

  • Yes - my non-Mopar fluid is working just fine

    Votes: 16 59.3%
  • No - I changed it back to Mopar/Lifeguard

    Votes: 3 11.1%
  • No - I changed it to something else

    Votes: 2 7.4%
  • What did you change it "from" and "to"?

    Votes: 8 29.6%

  • Total voters
    27

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tfeni52355

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Today I changed out my ZF8 transmission fluid and installed a new PPE Pan and Mopar gasket. I have been running Redline D6 for the past 10K miles after a pan and fluid changeout and after starting out OK the transmission seemed to slip from time to time, especially on the 2nd to 3rd shift. The transmission also seemed to be "dumping" down through the gears and would drop from 2nd to 1st at stoplights with a lurch. The truck has 74K miles on it and is driven mostly empty with some light hauling of building supplies etc.

I have wanted to change out to a PPE pan for some time now so since I did not like the performance of the fluid/tranny with Redline, I decided to go with Valvoline MaxLife. A lot of folks seem to be running it and I haven't heard of issues with it. Beside the cost simply can't be beat. 3 Gallons for about $50 from Walmart delivered!

So here were the steps I took:
1) Raise the level to Off-Road 2 on the air suspension. Makes working under the truck much nicer.
2) Dropped the drain plug on the pan and let the fluid drain
3) Removed the bolts around the pan from back to front to allow the pan to continue to drain
4) Removed the pan and carefully tilted it so the remaining fluid in the pan could drain.
5) Examined the magnets in the pan and found they had little buildup of material after 10 K miles
6) Smelled the D6 tranny fluid and it smelled and looked brand new.

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One thing I noticed was the D6 fluid was amazingly slippery on my gloves and wrenches. It was very difficult to get a grip on anything once the D6 coated it. Perhaps the D6 was too slippery for my trans? I am not an oil guy so I will have to let others weigh in.

I prepped the PPE pan by taking the filter out that comes with it and set it aside. I then removed the silver metal sleeves/guides from the old plastic pan and installed them in the PPE pan. This took a little doing with a file to allow for a snug fit. I felt the sleeves would keep the pan aligned and aid in keeping the gasket in place around the bolt holes. It seemed to work well as the gasket fit nicely once the pan was cleaned and filter put back in after the sleeves were installed. I used a Mopar OEM gasket. Pic attached with part number.

1625271729558.png1625271756650.png1625271783384.png

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After installing the gasket I installed the pan under the transmission without much trouble. There was plenty of room between the exhaust crossover and the transmission valve body so it wasn't an issue. I pulled the torque specs and tightening sequence down from this forum and buttoned it up.

I then jacked up the truck to level the transmission and put jack stands under the rear axle and wheel chocks under the front wheels. Back under I went to fill the transmission while cold. After filling the transmission cold I then started the truck and finished the fill using the method documented in the forum and YouTube.

One thing I did learn the first time through (last year) was to use wet towels on the exhaust crossover and Y piping so you can insert the transmission fill plug without getting burned. Search my other posts for the tips on filling and not getting burned. I got away today with one small patch on my left arm about the size of a quarter. Last time I burned my whole left forearm before I learned my lesson and starting using wet towels.

Took the truck out for a drive and I must say the shifts are much nicer with the Valvoline Maxlife. After a warm up I did a couple of WOT from 2nd gear and the truck shifted great. I'll put 100 miles on it tomorrow so that will be a better test.

Please take the time to fill out the poll. We are curious if anyone else has had issues with aftermarket tranmission fluids.
 
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TroyS

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I’ve put a little over 1,000 miles on my truck since installing the PPE pan and Valvoline Max Life with no issues to report. I noticed an immediate improvement in shift quality and a 2-3 degree decrease in trans temps compared to before the install. Sounds like we have matching burns on the forearm too lol.
 

indept

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@VernDiesel had over 500,000 miles on his 8hp70 with regular (I think 60k) changes using Maxlife and he tows large trailers constantly with it as his job. You might want to change it again soon to get as much of the D6 out as possible.
:favorites13:
 

knightjp

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This is certainly an interesting thread. I have asked the question on whether there was a better transmission oil for my 8 speed ZF transmission over the current stuff that I use from Mopar.
 

Daniel Ortiz

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@tfeni52355 great news on the pan install. That's very interesting how you used the bolt sleeves. Next time I drop mine, I'll have to see. I don't recall it even having a place for them to recess into, but apparently it does!

Can you tell me, was the process of revving the engine to shift to 2nd any problem for you when you were filling? That's the one thing I skipped when I went through the filling proces.

I used the ZF Lifeguard 8 fluid that comes in quarts and it's been doing swimmingly. It's only a little rough on those first couple of shifts from 1st to 2nd gear when starting cold. I wasn't brave enough to use some of the other proposed aftermarket fluids.
 

Wild one

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@tfeni52355 great news on the pan install. That's very interesting how you used the bolt sleeves. Next time I drop mine, I'll have to see. I don't recall it even having a place for them to recess into, but apparently it does!

Can you tell me, was the process of revving the engine to shift to 2nd any problem for you when you were filling? That's the one thing I skipped when I went through the filling proces.

I used the ZF Lifeguard 8 fluid that comes in quarts and it's been doing swimmingly. It's only a little rough on those first couple of shifts from 1st to 2nd gear when starting cold. I wasn't brave enough to use some of the other proposed aftermarket fluids.
With the rear tires off the ground,you don't exactly need to rev it to get it to shift into 2nd,it'll make the shift just off idle,then you rev it up to 2,000 rpm with the rear tires rotating for a few seconds to fill the clutch circuits.
 
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tfeni52355

tfeni52355

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@DanielOrtiz I did try to get the truck to shift to 2nd gear by putting it in D and then revving. But ike others have said the truck shudders and then ESC kicks in. I tried it several times but did not get it to shift to 2nd.

@WildOne Any idea on how much fluid is in those clutch circuits? With the PPE pan holding the extra fluid I think we should be OK but not really sure.

I will probably drain the fluid in a couple weeks and refill just to get the Redline D6 out of the tranny that still remains. So I will try the method you note above.
 

Wild one

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@DanielOrtiz I did try to get the truck to shift to 2nd gear by putting it in D and then revving. But ike others have said the truck shudders and then ESC kicks in. I tried it several times but did not get it to shift to 2nd.

@WildOne Any idea on how much fluid is in those clutch circuits? With the PPE pan holding the extra fluid I think we should be OK but not really sure.

I will probably drain the fluid in a couple weeks and refill just to get the Redline D6 out of the tranny that still remains. So I will try the method you note above.
You have to turn the traction control "off" ,then just push the steering wheel buttons till it shows 2nd on the dash and i've never had any issues with it shifting into 2nd.You guys have to read the instructions closer,they tell you to turn the ESC/Traction control off. I have no idea on how much fluid the clutch circuits hold,as i've always followed the instructions ,lol
Line number 6 read it closer,lol
 

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joesstripclub

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@tfeni52355 great news on the pan install. That's very interesting how you used the bolt sleeves. Next time I drop mine, I'll have to see. I don't recall it even having a place for them to recess into, but apparently it does!

Can you tell me, was the process of revving the engine to shift to 2nd any problem for you when you were filling? That's the one thing I skipped when I went through the filling proces.

I used the ZF Lifeguard 8 fluid that comes in quarts and it's been doing swimmingly. It's only a little rough on those first couple of shifts from 1st to 2nd gear when starting cold. I wasn't brave enough to use some of the other proposed aftermarket fluids.
It takes a bit more rpm's than you would expect to get it to shift into second while doing the fill procedure. I've done it three times now and have had no issues with following the nice green procedure. Sometimes I feel like the trans feels a bit weird with the D6 but it might be all in my head.
 

Pull Ya

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Please don't encourage him----LOL (Just kidding Rick)
Jay
 

Wild one

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83,000 I haven't changed it. My last truck I was told to leave it alone.
Let me guess,the dealer who wants to sell you a new truck sooner then later told you that,lol. ZF reconmends changing fluid and filter between 50,000 and 80,000 miles,or 8 years which-ever comes first.Who would you rather believe,the guys trying to sell you a new truck,or the guys who actually build the transmission,your call,but i'm more inclined to believe ZF then FCA/Stellantis
 

VernDiesel

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To be fair those ZF recommendations are for extreme conditions use such as working in a hot dusty environment or daily towing.

I tow TTs commercially and change it every 100k. By the time you hit 200k your fluid will look as if it’s time to change and at every following 100k it will look like it’s time to change with clutch & metal dust. That said at 700k the transmission still worked and shifted as new. It was a simple electronic solenoid that failed.

Seems like overkill to change it more often. The Germans designed one hell of a good transmission.
 

Rod Knock

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@tfeni52355 - I talked to Red Line about this because I am considering Red Line D6... call me crazy. They said that the transmission could slip if the oil level is either too high or too low. Is there any chance that this was the case for you when you filled your ZF with the D6 fluid?
 

MRFREEZE57

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@tfeni52355 - I talked to Red Line about this because I am considering Red Line D6... call me crazy. They said that the transmission could slip if the oil level is either too high or too low. Is there any chance that this was the case for you when you filled your ZF with the D6 fluid?
I changed the fluid to D6, did 3 drain and fills with PPE PAN, DO NOT NOTICE ANY SLIPPAGE.
 

Rod Knock

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I changed the fluid to D6, did 3 drain and fills with PPE PAN, DO NOT NOTICE ANY SLIPPAGE.
Thank you so much for this info. How did you do the drain and refills? I got a PPE pan, and I'd like to do the same. I'd appreciate it if you could let me know if I should do the drains and refills before installing the PPE pan. Also, after the last drain, I imagine that I'd have to change the filter if I install the PPE pan first.
 
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