Transmission fluid or not!

[ShadowsPapa]

We cheat, it is still a semi synthetic.

Unless it's from natural gas, it's all from petroleum, so is there really a synthetic in the USA other than the sort Pennzoil sells for engines?
IMO, if it comes from the ground, it's petroleum.
Synthetic implies man-made from non-petrol sources.

So yeah, I'm saying - we cheat.
What else is new?

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[g2020]

In my post on Key Info, I classify MOPAR 8 & 9 Speed ATF Automatic Transmission Fluid (68218925AB) as a synthetic in an attempt to prevent confusion (never gonna happen). The fact is that there is conflicting information, from ZF itself, on the type of fluid (synthetic or semi-synthetic). We know for a fact, however, that MOPAR 68218925AB is an exact equivalent to ZF LifeguardFluid 9 (AA01.500.001; see doc #1 for list of ZF-approved equivalents).

Synthetic or Semi-Synthetic?
- ZF LifeguardFluid 9 PDS (doc #2), published in July 2021, reposted on ZF website in January 2025
- ZF LifeguardFluid 8 PDS (doc #3), published in July 2021, reposted on ZF website in January 2025
- Photos of both front labels (post #1); dates of manufacture unclear from production stamp at bottom of each label

ZF LifeguardFluid 8 (S671 090 312) is not an exact equivalent to MOPAR 68218925AB, but it is the original ZF-approved (doc #1) and ZF-branded lubricant for the ZF 8HP50 / Chrysler 850RE automatic transmission.

Also, there is only one ZF LifeguardFluid 8 available for sale in the U.S. During the COVID era, ZF contracted with a second manufacturer, and added "ATF" to the name (for legal purposes), to deal with supply shortages. The variant with "ATF" added to the name (5961.308.143) is no longer available in the U.S.

 

[WILDHOBO]

JMHO……. Just make it easy on yourself. For normal driving, go and have the local valvoline quick oil change place do your transmission fluid flush and filter change in about 20 minutes while you sit in your jeep and jam to some Conway Twitty… Do this every 40-50k miles. It’ll be the best 350 bucks you spend.

Hell no. Don’t flush these if you’d like to keep your transmission.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Not at all.
The service is insured and gives a warrantee. Just like the dealership. They do the exact thing the dealership does, but you don’t have to schedule out two weeks and it’s not going to cost you 500-600 bucks. I’m not talking about a local mom and pop. Unless you really trust them. But the Valvoline centers are a national business chain. They’ve done multiple vehicle of mine with no issues. Had a 2008 VW Jetta that went 215k miles that I bought brand new, and eventually went to my son then my niece. Did the service every 50k and never had any issues.

Just had the wife’s 2019 Chevy Colorado done at 50k miles. Been driving it 95 miles a day for a week now with no issues.

My 2022 gladiator is approaching 40k. I’m going to have the transmission fluid flushed and filter changed by someone. I can’t do a flush myself. Need specialized equipment. I’ll do the differentials, transfer, and engine.

Just saying……………..

Crazy to flush these. Pan drop and refill with proper procedure. If you want to short change, fine, but a flush is a big risk that something will be dislodged and kill your transmission in a shortish time. And there’s NO way a quick lube place will perform the right procedure for finding the right fluid level.

 

[Rhino35]

Well, got the New (PPE)trans pan in and everything buttoned up... And then came the rain, but that's cool because all that's left is adding fluid..
Well besides having to install a trac bar/sector shaft brace, RC HD Trac bar, adjustable upper and lower control arms, and Cavfab 2.5 ton tie rod ends, and.... changing transfer case fluid. No worries!

What torque spec did you use when putting PPE pan back on? I read it's between 8-10 lb.- in. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Crazy to flush these. Pan drop and refill with proper procedure. If you want to short change, fine, but a flush is a big risk that something will be dislodged and kill your transmission in a shortish time. And there’s NO way a quick line place will perform the right procedure for finding the right fluid level.

ATF is LOW detergent. It's made to literally allow crud to drop out, and stay put in the bottom of the pan and other low areas. Unlike engine oil that's made to hold crud in suspension until it's filtered, ATF drops it.
IF you flush, you can break some of that stuff loose and cause trouble.
There's really zero reason to ever flush anyway. it's just not necessary, but it sure makes money for shops selling a service you don't really need. It makes is a lot easier for them, they sell more fluids and so on.

Do what the crazy (or is that wild?) hobo does...... drop pan, clean pan, put pan back, follow the process to refill the transmission. Done with no risk at all to anything.

 

[Stan H]

What torque spec did you use when putting PPE pan back on? I read it's between 8-10 lb.- in. Correct me if I am wrong.

@Hootbro Is really good about that kind of information

 

[DanJT]

What torque spec did you use when putting PPE pan back on? I read it's between 8-10 lb.- in. Correct me if I am wrong.

That's what I gathered, so I torqued to 9 lb and after a couple hundred miles there are no leaks.

 

[WILDHOBO]

What torque spec did you use when putting PPE pan back on? I read it's between 8-10 lb.- in. Correct me if I am wrong.

Correct, with a specific star pattern for all 13. I started with 8 and ran the pattern a second time up to 9.5. I used my inch pound wrench.

 

[WILDHOBO]

ATF is LOW detergent. It's made to literally allow crud to drop out, and stay put in the bottom of the pan and other low areas. Unlike engine oil that's made to hold crud in suspension until it's filtered, ATF drops it.
IF you flush, you can break some of that stuff loose and cause trouble.
There's really zero reason to ever flush anyway. it's just not necessary, but it sure makes money for shops selling a service you don't really need. It makes is a lot easier for them, they sell more fluids and so on.

Do what the crazy (or is that wild?) hobo does...... drop pan, clean pan, put pan back, follow the process to refill the transmission. Done with no risk at all to anything.

I replaced my pan, because I’m too lazy to clean?

 

[DanJT]

I replaced my pan, because I’m too lazy to clean?

X2

 

[Stan H]

X2

I cleaned mine cause Im too cheap to pay for another pan.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Youse guys, needed a good laugh ..oh wait, you are serious!

 

[WILDHOBO]

Youse guys, needed a good laugh ..oh wait, you are serious!

Pretty much. Now I want to go down and pull my driver side axle shaft. I’ll be pretty mad if I’m too close to the wall. It wouldn’t have even been a thought, but I saw a YouTube “dummies at work” thing a couple weeks ago.

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