Thread: Amsoil

My car has 120k. How is the AMSOIL synthetic ATF stuff? i just got my case of 8 quarts so i can put in my INTENSE shift kit.

Originally Posted by 99prixgt

My car has 120k. How is the AMSOIL synthetic ATF stuff? i just got my case of 8 quarts so i can put in my INTENSE shift kit.

Amsoil is good stuff. I wouldn't worry at all about using it.

The problem you are going to run into, doesnt have anything to do with how good Amsoil is (Ive used it since the early 90's) but the fact you are only doing a pan drop. So you are going to mix in 8 quarts of expensive Amsoil ATF with another 6 or so quarts (still in the torque converter mainly) of old fluid. So you going to reduce the potency and effectiveness of the Amsoil ATF some.

Is it detremental to your transmission? No. But my philosophy has been that if you are going to pay the price for a synthetic ATF then do a full flush so you have all new fluid in it. But thats me too. Some will differ with that view and thats fine and a good thing too.

Originally Posted by SyntheticShield

The problem you are going to run into, doesnt have anything to do with how good Amsoil is (Ive used it since the early 90's) but the fact you are only doing a pan drop. So you are going to mix in 8 quarts of expensive Amsoil ATF with another 6 or so quarts (still in the torque converter mainly) of old fluid. So you going to reduce the potency and effectiveness of the Amsoil ATF some.

Is it detremental to your transmission? No. But my philosophy has been that if you are going to pay the price for a synthetic ATF then do a full flush so you have all new fluid in it. But thats me too. Some will differ with that view and thats fine and a good thing too.

With a full flush, you are going to pay a lot more money in fluids to flush all the old stuff out. As the old is flushed out, it mixes with the new, so you are not just replacing 12 quarts of old fluid with 12 quarts of new. You have to use 15-18 quarts of new fluid.

But yes, you are right, a pan drop doesn't get all the old out. But for me, I simply make it a point to change my tranny fluid and filter every 30k miles. I don't get all old out, and it does mix with the new. But because I can't afford to spend $150-$200 on a full synthetic tranny flush, I will settle for a pan drop in my garage and spend $60. So far, everything is still working find on my stock transmission, so it can't be too bad.

I agree with the both of you with the tranny flush. The only thing that has me worried is doing a flush. Im not sure the old lady that had this car before me did a tranny flush every 30k or 50k, i heard its bad to do a full flush just in case it wasnt done before. On trannymans web site he stated its bad to do a full flush, and a pan drop is the way to go.

Originally Posted by 99prixgt

I agree with the both of you with the tranny flush. The only thing that has me worried is doing a flush. Im not sure the old lady that had this car before me did a tranny flush every 30k or 50k, i heard its bad to do a full flush just in case it wasnt done before. On trannymans web site he stated its bad to do a full flush, and a pan drop is the way to go.

I would say it is your preference. If your car isn't showing any signs of tranny problems, then I wouldn't worry about doing a flush. A lot of what you hear about tranny flushes is rumor and not true. Many, many people get tranny flushes done on high mileage cars without a problem. And I wouldn't even consider your car high mileage.

Me personally, I would do a pan drop and change the filter just to make sure the filter is changed. You don't change your engine oil without changing the oil filter, do ya? Same deal here. Dirt gets caught in the filter and needs to be removed, in my mind. So since you don't think it has never been done before, I would drop the pan, change the filter, refill with good fluid. Then, if a couple months later, you want to do a complete flush to replace all the old fluid, you can do that. But I think, in my opinion, the more important thing is to change the transmission filter and start getting new fluid in there.

As typical, Zef is pretty much spot on. Ive done several flushes on high mileage cars without issue. But as Zef is know for by me he has some common sense approaches. Its definitely a good way to go to drop the pan now and change the filter and fluid there and then do a flush shortly after if you like.

Many of the shops that do tranny flushes wont drop the pan for you and change out the filter and as Zef pointed out its kinda pointless to do a flush and not have the filter changed.

Most tranny filters now days are of a felt type media. It is a large piece folded over. And particles/debris can and does get trapped in between the layers and you'd be surprised just how large can get trapped. You cannot back flush felt style filters. The older screen types you could but in my opinion was equally pointless and perhaps more dangerous as if you dislodged what was trapped you could potentially recirculate that debris and it end up trapped in critical areas like the valve body.

I'll go with what you both think, sounds good to me