Autobox made of cheese?

[Kieran]

Please note that the one person who did run DIII + Lubeguard changed over to Amsoil and would not go back.

Indeed. Ariadne just wasn't quite right with Dexron and a friction modifier additive.... And once you factor in the cost of the modifier, you're at amsoil prices anyway. For sure, the initial outlay on Amsoil does sting - but then, my gearbox mangled Dexron III in 8,000 miles!

[I-S]

Sorry Nick, didn't realise you'd run it as well. I was referring to the K-meister.

[RugbyPete]

That's not required. You'd be changing the ATF every 9k miles! Standard recommendation is to change the ATF every 24k miles or thereabouts, but, with Amsoil synthetic ATF in the box, I think you'd get more mileage than that. Much more important is to keep the ATF at the absolutely correct level - too low and the changes can be notchy, too high and you risk blowing the torque converter seal.

As others have said, regular maintenance is the key to reliability with these cars. I'm on my second VR-4 - first had done around 120k miles when I sold it, current one is on 84k miles. The torque converter seal was done on my previous car at 15k miles(!) before I bought it, never had any problem with the current one. Been using Amsoil ATF for the past 20k miles or so with no issues at all. I would recommend upgrading the ATF cooler though, the standard one really isn't up to the job.

Cheers,
Brian

And from this post http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22235
it seems I'm getting conflicting information.


"Originally Posted by RugbyPeteAh. So its £108 regardless. Jeepers....

If I'm doing it every 25k, will mitsubishis own oil not do?


If you're using Mitsis stuff, I think most people here would recommend you do it every 4500 miles - these boxes are VERY fussy. Amsoil will last longer - see my reply to your other thread.

A simple torque convertor seal replacement is going to cost you upwards of £600, never mind a full gearbox rebuild. Don't skimp on the ATF."


So, Amsoil ATF lasts 24k...
Mitsubishi Diamond III lasts 4500 miles? How can they get away with that?? I've not seen any Mitsubishi litrature telling us to come in cos their autobox and oil is rubbish

I'm going to HAVE to go Amsoil to keep it cost effective, but imagine if Amsoil didn't exist???

[Kieran]

I think to be fair that Bern's more on about the VR-4 gearbox when talking about fluid life there - the V6 doesn't have the same power and bulk to deal with, so the fluid would probably last longer. That said though, I would say that the ATF change interval on, well most cars really is far too long. In the USA, ATF changes seem to be just a part of normal lubrication services, rather than an event in a 'Major' service as seems to be the case in the UK.

Certainly in the Galant's case I'd be thinking once a year or every 10~12k as a sensible minimum, irrespective of model, with regular checks to ensure that the level and condition are within spec - paticularly if the car is used 'enthusiastically'...

[william]

Pete, I think you need to calm down a bit! The tiptronic really is not that bad. Have a look at my gallery and see what I towed for 3 years with my VR4 tiptronic. The box did overheat going up mountainpasses untill I fitted a transcooler and I only changed the oil once in the 3 years I owned the car. The oilchange was done at the auto box workshop down the road from me and I have no idea what oil they put in. It was still changing smoothly when I traded it in on a manual. The car was also fitted with a manual boost controller which frequently caused the fuel cut out to trouble me, so the box really worked hard. So, treat your car reasonably and it should give you many years of trouble free motoring!

[RugbyPete]

I'm just very concerned, I can't afford for the tranny to give up and leave me with a £1000 bill, so I'm really keen to investigate this issue to the full, and if possible investigate cost effective methods of fluid changes.

Looks like £108 is gonna be the cheapest option for me, I'm going to bite the bullet and go down that route, as I can't see any other way of protecting my tranny other than Amsoil, and it was probably last done at 54k, 43k ago, and at a Toyota Garage so god knows what they used..

[White Lightning]

Looks like £108 is gonna be the cheapest option for me, I'm going to bite the bullet and go down that route, as I can't see any other way of protecting my tranny other than Amsoil, and it was probably last done at 54k, 43k ago, and at a Toyota Garage so god knows what they used..

Good decision ... we knew you'd get there in the end

[Roadrunner]

And from this post http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22235
it seems I'm getting conflicting information.


"Originally Posted by RugbyPeteAh. So its £108 regardless. Jeepers....

If I'm doing it every 25k, will mitsubishis own oil not do?


If you're using Mitsis stuff, I think most people here would recommend you do it every 4500 miles - these boxes are VERY fussy. Amsoil will last longer - see my reply to your other thread.

A simple torque convertor seal replacement is going to cost you upwards of £600, never mind a full gearbox rebuild. Don't skimp on the ATF."


So, Amsoil ATF lasts 24k...
Mitsubishi Diamond III lasts 4500 miles? How can they get away with that?? I've not seen any Mitsubishi litrature telling us to come in cos their autobox and oil is rubbish

I'm going to HAVE to go Amsoil to keep it cost effective, but imagine if Amsoil didn't exist???

Hi Pete,

I'm afraid there's some real drivel being spouted here. There's no way the ATF needs to be changed every 4.5k miles, or even 9k miles. As I've said, I've now run 2 VR-4s to 120k miles and 84k miles respectively.

I changed the ATF on the first one at 45k miles (Mitsi Diaqueen III), 72k miles (Castrol TQ SPIII - OK, a mistake ) and again at 90k miles (Mitsi Diaqueen III) and never had any problems with the box. The Castrol wasn't best suited to the box so I was happy to take the advice of Kieran to change it again. I changed the ATF on my current car at 45k miles (Amsoil Synthetic) and will change it again at 90k miles for Amsoil again. Both cars were tracked on occasion, doing Knockhill, Elvington, Nurburgring and Donington with daily, spirited driving, all with no issues.

As I've said before, keep the fluid at the correct level and fit a better cooler and you won't have a problem. The box on my current car is working really well and it's 40k miles since the fluid was last changed.

It's not just the ATF either. Some will be changing their AYC fluid every 4.5k miles too. More money than sense ...

Cheers,
Brian

[Kieran]

It's not just the ATF either. Some will be changing their AYC fluid every 4.5k miles too. More money than sense ...

To be fair, Brian is right, though there's no way I'll leave ATF, even Amsoil in a box for 40K miles. I've seen with my VR-4 and my GLS that with a stock transmission cooler, they will toast their fluid in less than 10k miles. It's happened to me twice (once with the GLS, once with Ariadne). However I do agree that with an upgraded cooler (one that's up to the job unlike the OEM unit) that the ATF will have a much easier life.

As for AYC, each to their own but seeing as there's no cooling or filtration for the AYC fluid or clutchpacks , so I'd still advocate sticking to the recommended interval (you think 4.5k miles is bad, the Japanese interval is even less!) - £50 gets enough ATF to do several AYC changes - versus god-knows-what for a new AYC diff!

[RugbyPete]

AYC on FWD?

[Roadrunner]

As for AYC, each to their own but seeing as there's no cooling or filtration for the AYC fluid or clutchpacks , so I'd still advocate sticking to the recommended interval (you think 4.5k miles is bad, the Japanese interval is even less!) - £50 gets enough ATF to do several AYC changes - versus god-knows-what for a new AYC diff!

You'll soon know when the AYC fluid gives up because (so I'm told) the rear diff clutches will screech and groan! The intervals for changing the AYC fluid were originally set by Mitsubishi for their Evo range, believing that everyone would rag the nuts off their cars. Given that VR-4s tend not to get ragged as much, or as badly, the AYC fluid will last longer. I change mine every 27k miles and have never had a problem in over 200,000 miles of VR-4 motoring

[Roadrunner]

AYC on FWD?

Sorry, Pete, just a general comment on fluid changing, not specific to your car ...

[RugbyPete]

I thought so... for a minute I thought they'd got that technology to work in a FWD car!

But then i remembered thats what diffs do without the electronics...


So then. where can I get another cooler from? Can I nick something from another car?

We used to put saab intercoolers in our 200sx for example

[I-S]

Pete- Get your club membership. That reduced the price on ATF from 101.40 inc delivery to 85.50 inc delivery when I got mine some time ago. With that level of saving, as soon as you buy some amsoil engine oil also, you'll have saved more than the membership cost you.

If you're not tracking or towing or whatever then you do NOT need a larger ATF cooler. I've done 14000 miles since putting the Amsoil ATF in my car with the standard cooler and it's still bright red on the dipstick and working just fine. The VR4 is much more liable to munch the ATF than the GLS and V6. The lower running temperature of the Amsoil ATF, as well as it's improved high temperature stability gives you a double-whammy against needing one. The extra cost of the Amsoil fluid over any other fluid is miniscule in comparison to the cost of obtaining and fitting a larger ATF cooler.

[Kieran]

You'll soon know when the AYC fluid gives up because (so I'm told) the rear diff clutches will screech and groan!

Yep - when the fluid gets so mucky it clogs the plates up this does happen. I hope never to have this scenario - So I'll carry on following the book and changing every 4.5k (needed or not!). I just couldn't leave it knowing that it would be technically 'overdue'... Me? fussy? Nah...

[RugbyPete]

So I'm now trying to get the best price on amsoil, what do you reckon to
Amsoil Torque-Drive Synthetic
Automatic Transmission Fluid ?

[I-S]

This has been covered before. Torque-Drive (code: ATD) is NOT suitable. You want Synthetic Universal Automatic Transmission Fluid (code: ATF).

[RugbyPete]

Are they talking cr*p?
http://www.mitsubishiforum.com/m_114.../tm.htm#115430

What discount do we get on Amsoil as a member then?

[Nick Mann]

They probably aren't talking crap, but you don't have the equipment they think you have. I'm not sure of you gearbox code, but I would take a guess at F5A5. I'm sure someone will confirm. Your engine code is 6A13.

I also am not sure why ATF would ever need changing at every service. As others have said, put good stuff in and keep an eye on it. If you get worried, then send a drop off for analysis - IIRC the independant lab kit & analysis costs less than £20, so a lot cheaper than a fluid change!!

The discount is a minimum of 10%, but depends on exactly what and how much you buy.

Hope that helps!

[Roadrunner]

Are they talking cr*p?
http://www.mitsubishiforum.com/m_114.../tm.htm#115430

What discount do we get on Amsoil as a member then?

No, they're not talking cr*p, but you wouldn't expect a Mitsubishi dealership to recommend anything other than their own products, would you? Given that the USA also has better legislation for returning duff cars to the manufacturer, I can also understand why owners would err on the safe side and go with the dealer recommendations.