Thread: Cheapest Place to Buy Lifeguard 6 by the Litre

Originally Posted by twr7cx

You're contradicting yourself.







You'ver both claimed that it's proved and admited that it hasn't been proven - this is Schrodinger's cat...
While there's enough examples around of people who've used it and the gearbox has continued to function immediately afterwards, the same might also happen if you filled up Dex 3 in there, it's possible you could got and drive a further 10,000km trouble free - but neither is an indicator or proof that it will continue to work well over the expected transmission life or extend that in service life.




But a large part of your argument for using Penrite BMV over genuine LF centres around the cost.







I don't have any knowledge, expertise or experience in this area, but it seems to me that if it's mixed in the oil/fluid and doing different effects then it's likely changed that oil/fluid.
Perhaps rick130 with his vast knowledge on oils could enlighten me please?


Either way, at this point, I think were best to agree to disagree - perhaps in a few years we can catch up and see how our comparative automatic transmissions are fairing. I've got two MY12 D4 TDV6's here running the genuine LF6 in the 6 speed boxes so will be able to advise on their conditions at the time.

Yes, I think we'll just have to agree to disagree.

It is a pretty much known & proven fact that using an unsuitable oil such as your example of Dexron, the problems such as shuddering will be apparent within 10,000 klms or less and this has shown not to be the case with Penrite BMV.

In my past life prior retirement I was State Product Support Mngr for almost 30 yrs of the largest Earthmoving Machinery supplier in Tas. (and believe it or not, it is NOT Caterpillar, it is Komatsu.)

During that time I did several courses with Australian Laboratory Services (ALS) in Qld who among other things are Australia's largest Oil Analysis Chemists.
I think I have a good understanding of oils, their properties, how they work and what affects them etc etc.

Have seen over the years very expensive damage caused by unsuitable oils used in various compartments, sometimes simply fixed by using a superior brand of oil, eg, Belray oil far superior and the only one to use in certain circumstances in certain final drives to get max possible bearing life.
Consequently I am very cautious and mindful not to use unsuitable oils for my vehicles......

Am more than happy to share progress reports every few months as to how the trannys are going, although I'm not using mine so often these days, the MY00 Hilux 4WD tray with 534,000 klms is doing most of the carrying work.

Let's hope at plus 250,000 klms we can both be laughing about it, having had no problems whatsoever...........

Looking under the car recently pondering doing the 3rd ZF oil change DIY I noticed my steel pan conversion done by the Indy previously does not have a drain bolt. WTF.

I imagine that involves using a pretty big catch pan if you need to release the sump pan bolts with the oil sitting in there. Recipe for a huge mess.

Was thinking of first pumping oil out the cooler line at radiator then removing sump pan? What’s the usual method?

DrivelineAP Price - LIFEGUARD 6 (1 LITRE BOTTLE) OE ZF $ 36.42 inc gst

OIL LIFE GUARD 6 (20 LITRE) OE ZF $ 537.10 inc gst

Pumping direct out of the oil line to the radiator will probably get about 4 litres out. If you are only wanting to do a flush and don’t intend to replace the filter - then a double flush from the oil outlet will do the job. That is pump out 4 litres, top up, then repeat.

Originally Posted by DiscoDB

Pumping direct out of the oil line to the radiator will probably get about 4 litres out. If you are only wanting to do a flush and don’t intend to replace the filter - then a double flush from the oil outlet will do the job. That is pump out 4 litres, top up, then repeat.

Yes that’s the easiest and cleanest if not wanting to replace filter.

Plus if you pump out 4 litres first, then with a large drip tray and oil collection container you could crack the oil pan bolts and pry one corner down a bit and drain to the gasket level anyway.

I am sure it will get messy!

Get the front of the car up on stands, support the rear of the transmission on a jack and remove the crossmember, then undo the pan bolts but dont remove, lower the jack about 50-60mm, should be enough to weir the fluid out over rear or the pan into a drain pan.

Btw, the BMW steel pans fit the ZF boxes and have a large drain plug with an internal hex drive.

First I would have a word to the idiot who did the mod about not using the correct sump pan - it should have the drain plug in it.

For a basic oil change just suck to gearbox fluid out the filler hole - no need to undo sump bolts and all the other crap. For more than a basic change - do the above and and then take more fluid out and fill at the oil cooler and then do a final fill adjustment through the gearbox fill hole.

Originally Posted by 101RRS

First I would have a word to the idiot who did the mod about not using the correct sump pan - it should have the drain plug in it.

For a basic oil change just suck to gearbox fluid out the filler hole - no need to undo sump bolts and all the other crap. For more than a basic change - do the above and and then take more fluid out and fill at the oil cooler and then do a final fill adjustment through the gearbox fill hole.

Pan replaced and previous 2 changes done at WA’s #1 Transmission Indy so yes I’m pretty surprised it’s the no drain plug option.