Thread: ATF Group Buy?

New six speed from ZF needed new oil which they had specially made for it. So Very expensive to begin with and with LR and dealer profit on top makes it obscene.
New manufaturures are starting to make ATF to same standard now so it is getting cheaper.
I am just trying to get the price down as much as possible.

ZF are not the only people specifying "lifetime" fluids that are priced like liquid gold....

Toyota's auto gearboxes (Aisin?) in the Prados and Cruisers are also now "sealed for life", and I don't for one minute believe it either.... and they also require special, expensive fluid.

A flush every 3 years would be a good idea, if one plans to keep the vehicle for the long run.

This idea of a group buy is a great initiative!

I had my ATF changed after my Simpson trip last year. The gearbox was vibrating especially in 3rd gear. Pan and filter was changed and oil changed twice.. Bill for (billed as SIN ATF) oil was $62 ($12/litre) and pan/filter was $188. I have a feeling they only charged me for one flush bit even so it's half the price that you guys are saying. Gearbox was smooth after the change but have just come back from Vic/SA border fence (lots of sand and a few dunes) and am getting occasional vibration from gearbox. Will get a double flush at next service. Maybe the price difference and reoccurrence of problem is cause they didn't use the right ATF previously.
Anybody had the steel pan and filter fitted and if so any probs with that?

Maybe a little off topic but both D3s on the border fence trip suffered from flashing EPB light, same as on Simpson trip. Only seems to happen when there is allot of sand or dust. Nearly always fixed by turning EPB on and then off. Any thoughts?

Hmm, I'm not sure how fresh fluid would fix a vibration, but I do know someone with a D3 who had his transmission replaced after it started to exhibit symptoms of vibrations...

Originally Posted by discojools

.....(billed as SIN ATF) oil was $62 ($12/litre) .....

Now I find this MOST interesting because you obviously have
not been supplied with "flash ZF oil" at this price. When Norto
refilled his trans last year and used an inappropriate oil , the
ZF control module failed ( ZF said the wrong oil type causes
this to happen quite quickly ) within a few weeks , but you're
still going strong ........

Penrite think their oil is OK::

An advanced formula synthetic, this ultimate multi-vehicle ATFcan be used for automatics in GM (Holden) vehicles as well as in many American, Japanese and European models. Highly recommended for frequent towing and in heavy-duty transmissions. Suitable for service fill of Mercedes 5 and 7 speed autos, ZF 4, 5 and 6 speed autos.
MERCON®V (Ford M2C202, GM DEXRON®-IIIH, Allison C-4/TES-295, Chrysler MS 9602 (ATF+4®), ZF TE-ML14B/C, JASO 1A

http://www.penriteoil.com.au/pis_pdfs/SIN%20ATF.pdf

Penrite SIN ATF is recommended for use in a wide
variety of transmissions where performance better than
standard fluids is required. Applications include the
service fill and top up of automatic transmissions of most
vehicles on the market as well as power steering
systems, and manual transmissions where DEXRON
-
II/III type fluids are specified. While SIN ATF has a
conventional ATF viscosity, it can be used successfully in
many transmissions that require the new type of lower
viscosity fluids.
That last bit is a worry

EUROPEAN PERFORMANCE: ZF 4, 5 and 6 speed
autos, Mercedes 4, 5 and 7 speed autos, Aisin Warner
FWD autos such as used in Holden, Volvo, SAAB, VW,
Audi, BMW, Voith and others so is a one stop shop for
all European cars.
They seem to think it works for everything, but I can't see Land Rover in the list:

EUROPEAN PERFORMANCE: ZF 4, 5 and 6
speed autos, Mercedes 4, 5 and 7 speed autos,
Aisin Warner FWD autos such as used in Holden,
Volvo, SAAB, VW, Audi, BMW and others so is a one
stop shop for all European cars with conventional
“step-type” transmissions. It may be used where
the below manufacturer part numbers are quoted:
AUDI/VW G052162A BMW 8322 9407807
BMW 8322 9407765 JAGUAR JLM 20238
ROLLS ROYCE PL 31493PA PORSCHE 999.917.547.00
FORD PN 52990 (Europe)
MERCEDES 001 989 2103 (MB 236.10),
MERCEDES 001 989 2203 (MB 236.11)
CITROEN Z 00169756/PR 9376.22
PEUGEOT Z

But I don't think it meets the industry standard for The ZF boxes in the D3/4:

Penrite SIN ATF meets or exceeds the performance
requirements of:
GM DEXRON
-IIIH Ford
MERCON
-V/SP
ZF TE-ML-14C Toyota T-IV/WS
HONDA ATF Z1 JASO 1A
CHRYSLER MB 236.10/11/12
MITSUBISHI MM-SP 3 MB NAG-1 and NAG-2
ALLISON TES-389/295/C4 VOITH 55.6335.3X (G607)
MAN 339 V1/Z1/Z2 MB 236.3/5/7/9
NISSANMATIC C/D/J/K MAZDA M-V
Density at 15oC 0.854
Viscosity, Kinematic, cS
at 40oC 38
at 100 oC 8.3
Viscosity Index 178
Colour Natural
Brookfield Viscosity, cP
at -40 oC 12,000
Pour Point, oC -45
Environment, Health

discojools, yes I would be flushing and changing it again, this time use the correct oil. The viscosity is wrong at the very least with the penrite SIN ATF. You could make a claim against the mob who put the wrong oil in?

I used the SIN ATF and when the tranny was rebuilt the tech said that it had cost him $7000 to rebuild a ZF box that he had used a non ZF oil in.

discojools

I would change it PDQ.

Originally Posted by norto

I used the SIN ATF and when the tranny was rebuilt the tech said that it had cost him $7000 to rebuild a ZF box that he had used a non ZF oil in.