Blackstone zf8 fluid analysis at 160K miles

[stenerson]

Anybody looked up Valvoline Maxlife ATF vs. Amsoil SS Multi Vehicle ATF?

I might peruse tonight if I can.

Amsoil recommends the SS fuel efficient ATL for the zf tranny. The one with the blue cap as opposed to the SS multi vehicle red cap ATF fluid.

 

[stenerson]

I don’t know about it being odor free. The bottle of brand new zf 8/9 spd fluid I opened up reminded me of the days of baby diaper stank. It was awful stank. Note the fluid at 108k, No stank at all.

I only have experience smelling it at 160K stank free LOL! Replaced with red amsoil.

 

[Wild one]

I didn't get any video either but it did link me to that facebook group join page.

Alot of those outfits are on facebook.

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[Wild one]

These guys have adapters to put the 8 speed behind some pretty weird engine combo's,lol.

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[QwikKota]

I agree. Especially the first pan replacement grabbing all that break in material.

Another thought about not needing to replace the filter. The original pan filter should have caught most of the fine metal dust from break in. I doubt I will drop the pan the next time I change my fluid. 50k miles from now, etc.

 

[Wild one]

Another thought about not needing to replace the filter. The original pan filter should have caught most of the fine metal dust from break in. I doubt I will drop the pan the next time I change my fluid. 50k miles from now, etc.

That's like changing the engines oil and leaving the old dirty filter on the engine.Transmissions do wear the clutches and steels,and that stuff ends up in the filter.
I highly doubt you'd do an oil change and not change the filter at the same time,apply that thinking to your transmission to.

 

[HEMIMANN]

I don't clean the coarse screen filter on my hydrostat trans anymore for the same reason - once it's caught the break in metal fines, it's useless. I used to pull it out at every oil change to find .... nothing.

The main filter with high efficiency always should be changed.

I remember Mike speaking to this on vehicle transmissions - the sponge filters didn't plug after first changeout. That is only IF there is a secondary high efficiency filter in combination.

 

[stenerson]

Another thought about not needing to replace the filter. The original pan filter should have caught most of the fine metal dust from break in. I doubt I will drop the pan the next time I change my fluid. 50k miles from now, etc.

Back when I had my 6 speed Ram I used to replace both filters with each fluid change. Then one year after 50K miles I opened up the spin on filter and thoroughly examined the media for metal sludge or flakes. At 50K it was still sqeaky clean inside. So I decided going forward on that truck to change every 100K. The zf only has one filter so there's that. Here's a pic of that filter. Opening inside the house was a dumb idea, but it was freezing outside. This was eleven years ago, I posted details on another forum. Wife wasn't happy when she got home. LOL!

 

[HEMIMANN]

Back when I had my 6 speed Ram I used to replace both filters with each fluid change. Then one year after 50K miles I opened up the spin on filter and thoroughly examined the media for metal sludge or flakes. At 50K it was still sqeaky clean inside. I decided on that truck to leave it alone for 100K. The zf only has one filter so there's that. Here's a pic of that filter. Opening inside the house was a dumb idea, but it was freezing outside. Wife wasn't happy when she got home. LOL!

Yeah, it's more efficient than the sponge pre-filter, but still more of a rock catcher to ensure sufficient flow rate through tranny's.

 

[QwikKota]

That's like changing the engines oil and leaving the old dirty filter on the engine.Transmissions do wear the clutches and steels,and that stuff ends up in the filter.
I highly doubt you'd do an oil change and not change the filter at the same time,apply that thinking to your transmission to.

It's a ton more work to remove the PPE pan and replace the filter compared to replacing the oil filter. The filter traps the metals. If it's not interfering with the flow rate, should be no harm no foul. The OP got 160k miles on the factory filter as far as I am aware. I am just talking about 50k miles.

 

[Wild one]

It's a ton more work to remove the PPE pan and replace the filter compared to replacing the oil filter. The filter traps the metals. If it's not interfering with the flow rate, should be no harm no foul. The OP got 160k miles on the factory filter as far as I am aware. I am just talking about 50k miles.

I've never had any issues with my PPE pan,and i've ran it longer then anybody else on here. I used change the filter and fluid yearly on my 8 speed,but i also have long tubes so i didn't have to contend with the cross over pipe.
I always figure if you're changing fluid you might as well change the filter while you're at it,and the filters for the PPE pan are cheap to replace

 

[QwikKota]

I've never had any issues with my PPE pan,and i've ran it longer then anybody else on here. I used change the filter and fluid yearly on my 8 speed,but i also have long tubes so i didn't have to contend with the cross over pipe.
I always figure if you're changing fluid you might as well change the filter while you're at it,and the filters for the PPE pan are cheap to replace

Yearly? That's nuts. I rarely tow and only occasionally haul anything heavy. Not that worried about the filter really after seeing my stock pan at 75k miles/10 years.

 

[Wild one]

Yearly? That's nuts. I rarely tow and only occasionally haul anything heavy. Not that worried about the filter really after seeing my stock pan at 75k miles/10 years.

My truck abused the hell out of it's 8 speed,it would easily take Hellcats in the 1/8th,and alot of times was still ahead of them at the top end of the 1/4 mile,and was good for 150 mph It had a little over 700 dragstrip passes on it when i sold it,and the 2nd transmission that got yearly fluid and filter changes was still going strong
It cost me a pile of money and labour to get that Green sheet everybody quotes,and after buying 1 "brand new" ,"not a rebuilt 8 speed",it was easier and cheaper to change the fluid on a yearly basis,then put another transmission in it,flat on my back on my driveway

 

[HEMIMANN]

My colleague just found out about the German trans service and was b i t c h I n g to me about it.
Ha ha ha

 

[QwikKota]

My truck abused the hell out of it's 8 speed,it would easily take Hellcats in the 1/8th,and alot of times was still ahead of them at the top end of the 1/4 mile,and was good for 150 mph It had a little over 700 dragstrip passes on it when i sold it,and the 2nd transmission that got yearly fluid and filter changes was still going strong
It cost me a pile of money and labour to get that Green sheet everybody quotes,and after buying 1 "brand new" ,"not a rebuilt 8 speed",it was easier and cheaper to change the fluid on a yearly basis,then put another transmission in it,flat on my back on my driveway

Definitely not a normal use scenario. Mine is probably the complete opposite. My first Dakota got beat up on like that. Somehow the stock clutch survived lots of launches.

 

[TC]

as promised, UOA ZF fluid at 142k miles: Wish I would have paid for TBN at this point.

 

[HEMIMANN]

What, what? Ma MOPAR says ZF Magic Mouse Milk is suitable for the lifetime of the transmission!!!

(warranty life, that is).