ZF service recommendations straight from ZF

[T. Anders]

Has anyone ever seem this document? It's from ZF themselves and it's their recommended procedure for a fluid change on a ZF 8HP trans. I find it interesting that it makes no mention of leveling the trans flange as we see mentioned on here so often. It actually states the vehicle should be in a horizontal position on the platform. I'm planning on doing a trans fluid change on my Ram soon and this seems to add some confusion compared to what I normally see here.


https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct...aw1wXToHMzEVLTmXZY-N2gsY&ust=1665110159530610

 

[NETim]

I would still attempt to level the transmission. I haven't heard of problems with overfills (though I'm sure there have been some somewhere) but I have read many instances of issues with under filled ZF's.

 

[T. Anders]

In theory, I certainly agree with you. I’m just wondering why ZF themselves makes no mention of it?

 

[Wild one]

In theory, I certainly agree with you. I’m just wondering why ZF themselves makes no mention of it?

99% of the applications that use the ZF transmission have the transmission basically sitting level in the vehicle,the oddball in the mix is the Ram trucks that have the transmission severly angled down towards the rear.Crawl under a Challenger/Charger /BMW etc.,that use the ZF and you'll see the transmission sits virtually parrellel with the ground.Another way to put it,is the Challenger/Charger use the same pan as the trucks,the cars pan sits virtually level,while the trucks points downhill ,take note of where the fill plug is,which transmission do you think you'll get more fluid into if they're both sitting level on a lift,i'll give you a clue,it's not the trucks 8 speed,lol.

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Read this procedure it explains that you have to get the rails level to do this procedure.@ Wildone here has done allot of research on this matter, Also ZF says it's a lifetime fluid who do you trust?

ZF 8 speed transmission fluid change

Good info in here, been reading through this and other threads. I've got 72k on my '17 so I'll be doing this later in the year at the 75k mark. I've got Maxlife in the 4L65E in my squarebody and it's done well, so I'll go that route in the ZF too. Guess I'll also pick up that PPE pan, looks like...

www.ramforum.com

 

[mdc1990zr1]

Read this procedure it explains that you have to get the rails level to do this procedure.@ Wildone here has done allot of research on this matter, Also ZF says it's a lifetime fluid who do you trust?

ZF 8 speed transmission fluid change

Good info in here, been reading through this and other threads. I've got 72k on my '17 so I'll be doing this later in the year at the 75k mark. I've got Maxlife in the 4L65E in my squarebody and it's done well, so I'll go that route in the ZF too. Guess I'll also pick up that PPE pan, looks like...

www.ramforum.com

Stellantis says its a lifetime fluid, not ZF. ZF who is the maker of the transmission says to change the fluid. I think their website calls for a 60K mike OCI. Other manufacturers that use this transmission, Porsche, BMW and Jaguar all have specific transmission change intervals.

 

[T. Anders]

Read this procedure it explains that you have to get the rails level to do this procedure.@ Wildone here has done allot of research on this matter, Also ZF says it's a lifetime fluid who do you trust?

ZF 8 speed transmission fluid change

Good info in here, been reading through this and other threads. I've got 72k on my '17 so I'll be doing this later in the year at the 75k mark. I've got Maxlife in the 4L65E in my squarebody and it's done well, so I'll go that route in the ZF too. Guess I'll also pick up that PPE pan, looks like...

www.ramforum.com

Actually Stellantis says lifetime, ZF says change the fluid every 60k.

 

[BossHogg]

There is a lot of confusion here, manufactured by both ZF and RAM.

RAM has a 100K mile warranty on the drive line, or did. I'm going to stick with RAM's advise.

 

[T. Anders]

There is a lot of confusion here, manufactured by both ZF and RAM.

RAM has a 100K mile warranty on the drive line, or did. I'm going to stick with RAM's advise.

So, not change the fluid as Ram says it's lifetime?

 

[caulk04]

Every fluid in your vehicle is a lifetime fluid. SOB will run till it doesn't and I bet the engine oil will last EXACTLY the life of the engine if you never change it.

Fluids need changed.

Level the trans to set fluid level.

 

[mdc1990zr1]

There is a lot of confusion here, manufactured by both ZF and RAM.

RAM has a 100K mile warranty on the drive line, or did. I'm going to stick with RAM's advise.

Its an oil just like engine oil. The oil part may be good, but the additive package wears out and the fluid gets dark with contaminants. These contaminants can act like sandpaper and wear the hard parts of the transmission. It would be prudent to change the fluids at a conservative interval for longevity. Once the damage from wear has occurred, it is irreversible.

 

[Wild one]

There is a lot of confusion here, manufactured by both ZF and RAM.

RAM has a 100K mile warranty on the drive line, or did. I'm going to stick with RAM's advise.

I thought they'd dropped the 100,000 mile warrenty,and it's now only 60,000 miles

 

[Wild one]

So, not change the fluid as Ram says it's lifetime?

Who you want to believe is up to you,but i'm more inclined to believe ZF over the outfit that's famous for using every excuse in the book to deny warrenty,and is also in the business to sell you a new vehicle every 3 years

 

[indept]

The lifetime claim by Ram is all sales a gimmick. Basically expected lifetime is 1 mile / 1 day past the end of any warranties. During a chat with the service manager at my local dealer, he recommended to a few customers in our discussion to change it @ 100k miles max. When I asked about my truck which has a lifetime Maxcare policy, he said don't change it, when it fails they'll replace it under the maxcare.
So, bottom line is change as per ZF's schedule of 60k unless you have an extended warranty.

 

[mdc1990zr1]

The lifetime claim by Ram is all sales a gimmick. Basically expected lifetime is 1 mile / 1 day past the end of any warranties. During a chat with the service manager at my local dealer, he recommended to a few customers in our discussion to change it @ 100k miles max. When I asked about my truck which has a lifetime Maxcare policy, he said don't change it, when it fails they'll replace it under the maxcare.
So, bottom line is change as per ZF's schedule of 60k unless you have an extended warranty.

Personally, I don't have the Lifetime Maxcare warranty, but if I did I don't think a fluid change or two would kill me either cost wise or for piece of mind. If I had the Lifetime Maxcare warranty, even if it would be covered as a warrantied item, it would be more of a hassel to bring it in and lose the truck for any amount of time. Compound the replacement procedure as to arguing with Stellantis over a new replacement or some re-build by who knows who, certainly makes the decision to change the fluid on time and on my dime a no-brainer. I see proper maintenance in my vehicles take me over the 200K and sometimes 300K mark without the engine, transmission or rear end never being opened up.

 

[HunterCat]

Put me firmly in the camp that believes the trans fluid should be changed every 60K despite the "lifetime" assurances.

With regard to the procedure, I have a RAV4 that has a complicated routine to accomplish a change. I'm not sure why these procedures i.e. leveling, heating fluid to a temp range etc can't be bypassed by simply replacing the fluid with the same amount that was taken out. Unless I'm missing something, I intend to get a jug or two with measurement marks, drain as much as the old fluid as possible and replace with the same amount of fresh fluid.

ETA: provided the fluids are at approx same temperatures.

 

[BossHogg]

I thought they'd dropped the 100,000 mile warrenty,and it's now only 60,000 miles

I looked it up, the gasoline powertrain is 5 years or 60K miles, the diesel powertrain is 5 years or 100K miles.

My oldest son works for ZF albeit the group he is in is the mid-level driveline, delivery vehicles, and one-ton pickup type vehicles. He will be here to feed on Thanksgiving and I'll ask him what he knows about it. Before switching jobs, he worked in Chrysler's powertrain group on the ED program, back around 2013 through 2018.

 

[Wild one]

Put me firmly in the camp that believes the trans fluid should be changed every 60K despite the "lifetime" assurances.

With regard to the procedure, I have a RAV4 that has a complicated routine to accomplish a change. I'm not sure why these procedures i.e. leveling, heating fluid to a temp range etc can't be bypassed by simply replacing the fluid with the same amount that was taken out. Unless I'm missing something, I intend to get a jug or two with measurement marks, drain as much as the old fluid as possible and replace with the same amount of fresh fluid.

ETA: provided the fluids are at approx same temperatures.

You're assuming it has the proper amount from the factory,what happens if it doesn't.I'm also curious on how you're planning on compensating for the fluid trapped in the original filter

 

[BossHogg]

The lifetime claim by Ram is all sales a gimmick.

I doubt that simply because someone shopping for a new vehicle is unlikely to ask the salesperson to show them vehicles with only lifetime transmission fluid.

I got curious and searched "What Does Lifetime Transmission Fluid Really Mean" and found several of the same answers that all said something like;

"The statements “Lifetime, Lifetime Fill, Fill for Life, or Sealed for Life” used by vehicle and transmission manufacturers, is typically understood to indicate the transmission fluid and transmission filter will last the lifetime of the vehicle while under warranty. However, these statements tend to create some misconceptions that may lead to neglecting the maintenance of the transmission. It may also not reflect the important need to change the transmission fluid in order to achieve long-term reliability of the vehicle's transmission well beyond the warranty period.

For example, statements like these have become common among many popular transmission manufacturers including variants of some Aisin and ZF 6 and 8-speed transmission types used by several vehicle makers such as Toyota, Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and others."

 

[Scottly]

Guys get married and vow "Forever and ever, amen"...Three years into it, they realize lifetime is way too long to not have change....Look at your transmission the same way. Give it a few years then trade that old fluid in for newer, fresh fluid. Your unit will thank you.