Alright, PT talked me out of it. Dipstick shows the fluid is clean, I'm going to check levels and top off if needed, then focus my attention on other projects. Next up: rear brake rotors and pads. I am trying the Terrafirma rotors, we'll see how they do. Thanks again for all the input.
Pros/cons of genuine ATF vs. non-Land Rover
- Thread starter Tugela
- Start date
The detergents in new ATF can dislodge gunk that was resting safely out of the way.
My understanding, which may need correction, is that you're cool to change fluid as long as your current fluid is still red. Once it starts going brown it seems that you're better off just leaving it alone.
Again, I'm open to correction on any of the above.
Stu, I think you are right and to build on that, here's how PT explained it to me, more or less:
Unlike engine oil, which collects and filters crap produced during combustion, the AT is a closed system. In order to work properly (this is where I found things counterintuitive) the AT needs some element of friction, and this is achieved in part by particulates suspended in the fluid. If you replace the fluid and the filter the transmission is now bathed in a medium that doesn't provide sufficient friction because it doesn't have the suspended particulates of the old fluid. Something like that.
There was more to it, and I'm probably butchering PT's explanation with my paraphrasing, but that was the gist of it. Bottom line: if my transmission has made it to 167,000 miles without any problems, don't mess with it now. Seems reasonable.
Unlike engine oil, which collects and filters crap produced during combustion, the AT is a closed system. In order to work properly (this is where I found things counterintuitive) the AT needs some element of friction, and this is achieved in part by particulates suspended in the fluid. If you replace the fluid and the filter the transmission is now bathed in a medium that doesn't provide sufficient friction because it doesn't have the suspended particulates of the old fluid. Something like that.
There was more to it, and I'm probably butchering PT's explanation with my paraphrasing, but that was the gist of it. Bottom line: if my transmission has made it to 167,000 miles without any problems, don't mess with it now. Seems reasonable.
That is what I did before I went to AK and back. Used Valvoline Max Life. Tranny works fine. In fact the tranny is the one system on this Rover I'm not worried about. I figure I'll just do the 4qt change every so often. However filling it is a major pain in the ass. Be prepared for a big fucking mess. I used a hand held vacuum pump thingy from NAPA and the filler hose was too big to fit in the fill hole. Had to used a turkey baster to step it down. Since then I thought just slicing the first 1" of the hose would have probably worked better. You will want to punch anyone with a British accent in the face when you are done.
Mine was a mess last time I did it. the previous owner stripped the crap out of the drain plug, so the pan gets removed to drain....
The biggest improvement you can make is a inline transmission/hydraulic filter between the outlet of the cooler and the transmission. All of the fine wear particles will be captured here. The filter in the pan will only catch small rodents and loose hardware. Once installed, after the filter/fluid change, and you'll never have to open the trans again unless it suffers major failure. Most normal wear can be associated with this particulate acting like valve grinding paste.
Just know that on some transmissions the return from the cooler goes on to other parts of the transmission (it is in the middle of the hydraulic circuit, not the end). In those cases, the cooler must have very little restriction for the transmission to work properly. If there is a filter in line and it stops up, it could starve important parts of lubrication. I'm not sure if that is the case with the ZF, though.
EDIT: Looking at some diagrams, the cooler usually cools fluid coming from the converter before it goes to lubricate the rest of the transmission. It also looks like the flow through the cooler is reversed when the converter is locked. A filter may not be the best thing to put in those lines.
Last edited:
Replaced atf fluid and filter in my 99 D2 back in 2007. It just hit 100k back then. Used valvoline maxlife dex3. It is now at 180k miles and still shifts fine. Its made three trips to Nebraska from Oregon and been driven like it was stolen for most of its life.
i recently purchased a fluid pump/evacuator from my Snap-on guy for $180 or so. it works with atf, gear oil, motor oil, or brake fluid and has a few flex hoses and lines with it. i changed the oil in my diffs and transfer case and the pump was great! worth every penny. the trans fluid is next. just like using a bicycle pump. it's a one guy job because the fill hose won't creep out of the fill hole, but two guys would make it quicker. i'm gonna bring it to work and use it there too. https://store.snapon.com/Product-Details-Evacuator-Fluid-Pneumatic-2-3-gallon-8-8-liter-capacity-P642955.aspx
