60k 8 speed Deep pan, Caulk bypass and fluid change

[blackbetty14]

I have 60k on my 2018 8 spd and have no real issues with it except the first shift from 1-2 when cold has a bit of flare. I'm looking to do a fluid and filter change as well as install Caulk's tstat bypass. I won't be doing this till the spring so I will likely have 63-65k by the time I do this. So I'm outside of the warranty but I don't want to make the flare worse.

I picked up:

- B&M deep pan 4qt extra (I know its not neccessary but stock pans are $$ plus I don't like plastic and I like the replaceable filter etc and I got it for like $200)
- Caulks bypass

I'm looking for fluid recommendations. I know the ZF fluid is $30+qt and the MaxLife is a good option. I don't really love the idea of $30+ quart and I will need like 10qts based on 4-6qts with a stock pan +4. I heard amsoil makes a fluid that but haven't found out what it is yet.

 

[andymax]

I personally have over 140K miles on MaxLife fluid (two vehicles) with no issues. There are lots of threads about this, but if you search out @VernDiesel you'd find he alone has many hundreds of thousands of miles of commercial RV towing using MaxLife. For the record, I'm not pushing one fluid over another, just offering my experience, and anecdotally referring to Vern's.

 

[crash68]

you'd find he alone has many hundreds of thousands of miles of commercial RV towing using MaxLife.

Yeap, he did fluid changes at 100K mile intervals and if I recall correctly was in the 700K mile range when something went wrong with the valve body. At the time he found used transmission that he swapped in with considerably a lot less miles.
He tows Airstreams and other trailers across the country which usually has the truck maxed out weight wise.

 

[blackbetty14]

I personally have over 140K miles on MaxLife fluid (two vehicles) with no issues. There are lots of threads about this, but if you search out @VernDiesel you'd find he alone has many hundreds of thousands of miles of commercial RV towing using MaxLife. For the record, I'm not pushing one fluid over another, just offering my experience, and anecdotally referring to Vern's.I'm

I personally have over 140K miles on MaxLife fluid (two vehicles) with no issues. There are lots of threads about this, but if you search out @VernDiesel you'd find he alone has many hundreds of thousands of miles of commercial RV towing using MaxLife. For the record, I'm not pushing one fluid over another, just offering my experience, and anecdotally referring to Vern's.

I'm seriously considering the MaxLife and I would need to get 3 gal jugs.

 

[Atcer2018]

The 1-2 flare when cold is pretty normal on the ZF 8 speeds. Mine has done it since I got the truck in 2019 and still does it now after two fluid changes. It’s been reflashed two times but the flare is still there on the first shift when cold.

 

[blackbetty14]

The 1-2 flare when cold is pretty normal on the ZF 8 speeds. Mine has done it since I got the truck in 2019 and still does it now after two fluid changes. It’s been reflashed two times but the flare is still there on the first shift when cold.

Great lol. Mine didn't do it new... happened in like the last year maybe.

 

[Atcer2018]

You’ll find dozens and dozens of comments on this site about the 1-2 flare when cold. I’ve read a few theories about why it happens but who knows if any are correct. I understand my wife better than automatic transmissions lol.
I’d say if it’s doing it on a continual basis there may be an issue but it seems a pretty common occurrence on the first 1-2 shift when the transmission is driven from a cold start.

 

[caulk04]

TRIAX Euro Car ATF Full Synthetic | Triax Lubricants

TRIAX Euro Car ATF Full Synthetic. Fast delivery. Free shipping for minimum orders 50 lei.

www.triaxlubricants.com

That's what's going in mine next time.

 

[blackbetty14]

TRIAX Euro Car ATF Full Synthetic | Triax Lubricants

TRIAX Euro Car ATF Full Synthetic. Fast delivery. Free shipping for minimum orders 50 lei.

www.triaxlubricants.com

That's what's going in mine next time.

That stuff is like almost $30/qt... d@mn.

 

[TotallyHucked]

I'll be using Maxlife in mine. It's always treated me well in my GM trucks. Took a beating in my LS swapped squarebody with a 4L60 (known to be weak) and still looked new after 30k miles.

 

[crackerjack1957]

That stuff is like almost $30/qt... d@mn.

https://www.amazon.com/Triax-Synthetic-Automatic-Transmissions-Compatible/dp/B097RZC71D?th=1

 

[danielmid]

That stuff is like almost $30/qt... d@mn.

I think that's $30 for a 2 qt pack.

 

[caulk04]

That stuff is like almost $30/qt... d@mn.

No, that's the 2qt pack. I bought a 6qt box which drops the price even further.

It's by far the cheapest option out there that is specifically listed for ZF applications. I also noticed that it has the same greenish color as the Mopar fluid I also have on hand, whatever that's worth.

 

[caulk04]

https://www.amazon.com/Triax-Synthetic-Automatic-Transmissions-Compatible/dp/B097RZC71D?th=1

Buy direct from the manufacturer like I linked. $14.25 per quart in 2qt multiples or $9.50 per in 6qt multiples. Free shipping too.

 

[crackerjack1957]

Buy direct from the manufacturer like I linked. $14.25 per quart in 2qt multiples or $9.50 per in 6qt multiples. Free shipping too.

Didn't look far enough to the right......went by the about $30 post........LoL

 

[blackbetty14]

Amazon had Maxlife on sale for $25 a gal... I got 3. Thats $6.25 a qt! Good news is I can use left overs in my other vehicles.

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Buy direct from the manufacturer like I linked. $14.25 per quart in 2qt multiples or $9.50 per in 6qt multiples. Free shipping too.

Thanks for the link I purchases the 6qt pack for 59.99 I think 6qts should do it.

 

[joesstripclub]

TRIAX Euro Car ATF Full Synthetic | Triax Lubricants

TRIAX Euro Car ATF Full Synthetic. Fast delivery. Free shipping for minimum orders 50 lei.

www.triaxlubricants.com

That's what's going in mine next time.

I read about this fluid a while back on the forum, but it seemed to be a bit of a mystery fluid. Not a lot of info out there, some conflicting, and if I recall it has no actual certifications. Would love to be proven wrong though because it has a great price point if its real ZF fluid and I'm itching to change the fluid in the PW.

 

[blackbetty14]

No, that's the 2qt pack. I bought a 6qt box which drops the price even further.

It's by far the cheapest option out there that is specifically listed for ZF applications. I also noticed that it has the same greenish color as the Mopar fluid I also have on hand, whatever that's worth.

interesting that its the same color too... For a sec I thought it did matter to me but then I was like the OE fluid prob isn't very green anymore so... lol.

 

[Wmjohn]

Op, you can take your ride in for service while still under 60k with a 1-2 slip complaint. The tech likely won't find anything.

I did exactly that at 59k and a few months later I got a tranny error code. Many visits later I got a spanking new tranny with a 100k warranty to boot.

You'll never get anything from any dealer until there's an error code. That's the only thing Ram goes by on trannys.