Thread: ZF Auto trans aftermarket steel pan and filter

it is a myth - the service schedule has the change at 240,000km or 10 years - and half that if used for towing - still way too high though

garrycol, I can tell you are not are mechanic that has spent years rebuilding transmissions. As can be seen in the pic from another post here, as soon as the trans starts its life the friction plates and bearings start deterioration and we have all this metal and friction material floating around the transmission causing further wear on the components as well as going through the valve body which has extremely tight tolerances. When I quiz Dealer Service Managers, non I have ever come across at dealers in four states, have ever rebuilt a transmission, they just replace them. How can you have a decent conversation with somebody who has not even opened one up or rebuilt hundreds as I have in the past, including 6, 7 and 8 speed transmissions or ever done Oil Analysis on the LR "for life" theory. There is no magic oil that sends all the wear material off to leave clean oil to circulate, the Auto Trans filter does not catch all this material. Years in Oil Analysis of mobile mechanical components and Failure Analysis training taught me different to what blarney LR dealers spruke. I do not want to get into a conversation with your view just because "LR said so" other than this post. You have your view, I have my decades of experience, and others here have the proof of the oil condition and common sense.

I think you misunderstood what garycol was saying?

Originally Posted by d3viate

garrycol, I can tell you are not are mechanic that has spent years rebuilding transmissions.

I do not want to get into a conversation with your view just because "LR said so" other than this post. You have your view, I have my decades of experience, and others here have the proof of the oil condition and common sense.

Huh - sorry I do not know what you are on about.

Just commenting that the view that many people on here seem to think that the boxes are sealed for life is incorrect as landrover have never said that, and this is not reflected in the service schedule - and by the way my view is as stated in my post is that this schedule is way too long.

Maybe you need to take a bex, have a lie down and actually take a slow read of what I said.

But yes you are right I do not know one thing about the workings of a auto box and have no intention of learning.

garry

Quote:
Originally Posted by vbrab
I started with a 20L drum of trans fluid and by the time I had drained what I could and then flushed through until it at least looked a bit cleaner, I had about 6 litres left in the drum.
When the vehicle was in the dealers, I asked them to do the fliud change and they told me that it was an "internet myth" that the fluid ever needed changing.

it is a myth - the service schedule has the change at 240,000km or 10 years - and half that if used for towing - still way too high though

Sorry if I have taken it wrong, but I did not think any human would take the Lifetime fluid as literally "lifetime" or that a dealer ? would actually say that. Did the dealer have a red nose and big funny shoes ?
I, it seems, presumed he believed that LR were anywhere near what is required for a longlife trans.
I should of taken more interest in the - way still too high though.
My apologies. I do not have bex but I'll go back in my kennel.

No harm done, no need to go anywhere. It's good to get hard earned first hand experience shared on this forum.

It isn't Land Rover (or ZF) that are pusing this "lifetime" fluid nonsense. Toyota has followed suit so a Land Cruiser 200 Series auto gearbox, made by Aisin, also has "lifetime" fluid.

Maybe the fluids are getting better due to technology?

I suspect that earlier posts which hinted that "lifetime" was defined as period of warranty is on the money...and also minimising the need to dump /recycle oil ... major dealers now need to spend $000s on recovery processes..

Has anyone had the pan change etc done at Southern Cross in Toowoomba? Any thoughts or any other recommendations for that part of the world?

Cheers