Thread: Cheap zf oil finally

I've been using Penrite BMV. It's compatible with life guard 6, 8 and 9

..... sigh...
😑😑🙄🙄

Originally Posted by justinc

..... sigh...

I understand your disappointment but penrite have released a service bulletin in 2010 that they are not recommending oils for the ZF 6 speeds until the technology becomes available to them to have a ZF warranted oil. The BMV was recommended from penrite for use of life guard 6 as of February 2018.

Woko, are you using it in a zf6 ?

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Woko, are you using it in a zf6 ?

Yes. In a discovery 3 and 4

Nulon also have a product claimed to be suitable and meeting all of the relevant specs. So there's a few that have claims around this (Castrol, Penrite, etc).

Penrite specifically state "...SUITABLE FOR USE WHERE SPECIFICATIONS BELOW ARE REQUIRED (FOR OUT OF WARRANTY SERVICE)" against Lifeguard 6/8/9 among many others.... which doesn't fill me with confidence. Despite claiming they meet ZF TE ML-11 and Ford WSS-M2C919-D and -M2C938-A and "ATF BMV may be used in ZF 6, 8 and 9 speed automatic transmissions where Lifeguard 6, 8 & 9 is recommended". Also the Penrite stuff is overall a thicker oil than LG6/8/9 and the Castrol and Nulon 'equivalents'.

However, without ZF as the manufacturer coming out and and specifically approving any of these, I think there's still an element of risk. I haven't seen anything concrete from ZF standing behind anything except their own LG6/8/9. Of course, it's in their best interests to NOT approve other products. Round and round we go...

Penrite are pretty good at going the costly route and gaining manufacturer licensing of their fluids, but it looks like ZF aren't interested.
I'm guessing their additive supplier has reverse engineered Life Guard and they must be pretty confident it at least matches the Shell fluid otherwise they wouldn't advertise it meets the spec, unlike a lot of blenders.