Amsoil Million Mile Transmission Oil Analyzed
In July 2018, after driving my 99 Chevy Van in the blistering heat of the Arizona desert for the past 6 years and 85,000 miles, I became concerned about the Amsoil transmission fluid in my 1,300,000 mile original transmission that has never been overhauled.
Prior to moving to AZ…I lived back east. Had a delivery service driving 8-10,000 miles a month. Was changing my Amsoil ATF every 150,000 miles or about every 18 months! When you drive over the road…you can go much further on oil changes…if you’re using a high-quality synthetic oil like Amsoil.
When should you change your Amsoil transmission fluid?
I reached out to the GMC dealership about ATF fluid getting old. They recommended changing it every 50-100,000 miles. The Amsoil Tech department said the same thing. Most Techies will tell you, to go by the owner’s manual.
What if it says to change the ATF every 100,000 miles and six years later you’ve only driven 85,000 miles? Should you be concerned about the ATF breaking down or getting old?
Your Transmission Is The Weakest Component Of Your Drivetrain
From my experience over the years, most folks are more concerned about their engine oil with little concern about their transmission oil. Guess what? The transmission is normally the first component to drain your wallet. It’s the weak link of the drivetrain. We’ve all had to replace one and they’re not cheap.
Since no one could answer my question, “Does ATF get old” the thought came to me … Order an oil analysis kit from Amsoil along with the ATF plus a Wix transmission filter, make an appointment at the Dealership to do a transmission flush, and catch a sample of the Amsoil ATF when they drop the transmission pan. (Order your oil and oil filters easily by looking up your vehicle and shop by your vehicle’s make and model.)
Catching A Sample Of My Amsoil Transmission Fluid At The Dealership
It had been almost 6 years since I had changed the transmission fluid in my 99 Chevy van.
In July 2018, I made an appointment at the GMC Dealership to flush the transmission. The odometer reading was 1,312,400 miles…still the original transmission…never been overhauled!
The technician allowed me to observe the entire flushing sequence. Never done that before. When he dropped the transmission oil pan, I had a 12 oz glass jar I used to catch a sample of the oil. I later transferred that into my analysis kit sample jar.
I Was Anxious To See What The Magnet Looked Like
I could see through the glass jar…the oil was red and clean. I had the opportunity to inspect the bottom of the oil pan and, most importantly, examine the condition of the magnet
Why? A small amount of microscopic metal particles naturally wear off the gears and settle in the pan. That’s what the purpose of that magnet is for…is to collect them. And if there are lots of them…it’s an indication your transmission is experiencing significant wear and a potential repair looming in the near future.
There was a small amount of dirt particles (most likely from the clutches) close to the magnet at the bottom of the pan. The magnet had a light coating of fine debris particles…but no metal shavings. Conclusion…very little wear was taking place inside this Million Mile Transmission after 1.3 million miles.
Even the technician commented on how clean everything was. And me…I was bubbling over with enthusiasm once again at “how remarkably tough” the Amsoil transmission fluid is.
The technician submerged the oil pan in a special cleaning machine to thoroughly clean it. Dried it and applied the rubber transmission gasket.
He removed the old Wix Transmission filter and snapped in the new one. Installed the oil pan and then added six quarts of the Amsoil Transmission Fluid into the transmission fill tube to replace the ATF that was in the oil pan. The transmission holds 14 quarts of oil.
NOTE: If your transmission has a transmission oil filter…insist that it be changed whenever you change the transmission fluid. Some dealerships will try and persuade you not to drop the oil pan…because it will take longer to change the oil. And will cost you a little more money in labor.
By the way… dropping the transmission oil pan and adding 4-6 quarts of oil without flushing…you’ve left half the ATF in the converter. So you’re adding good oil with not-so-good oil. The good ATF fluid becomes diluted and will not last a normal transmission oil change of 50-100,000 miles.
However, if you drop the transmission oil pan after a couple of weeks of driving, add 4-6 quarts of ATF oil, and do this a couple more times, you may have eliminated a large percentage of the “not-so-good oil.”
Flushing Your Transmission With Amsoil Transmission Fluid…May Make It Almost Immortal
He started the engine and let it run for a few minutes. Poured 18 quarts of Amsoil ATF into the flushing machine. He inserted the flushing machine tube into the transmission fill tube and slid it to the bottom of the transmission oil pan…punched a couple of buttons on the flushing machine and the ATF fluid started flowing into the fill tube.
It probably took about a half-hour to complete the flush. I normally only used about 16-17 quarts of the ATF in the past. However, this technician suggested putting 18 quarts into the flushing machine to get a thorough flush. So I ended up using 24 quarts this time.
I was told by a technician at the Chevrolet Dealership back in Ohio several years ago…you cannot remove 100% of the old ATF by flushing. However, he said you can replace at least 90% of the ATF by flushing. So I figure I got a really thorough flush with 24 quarts.
Amsoil Million Mile Transmission Oil Analyzed
Filled out the paperwork and sent it along with the oil sample to Indianapolis, IN. About a week later, I received my results by email.
In the upper right corner of the report, there’s a scale from 0 – 4 giving you a quick snapshot of the condition of your oil. 0-1 is normal. 2-3 is abnormal. 4 is critical. It read 1 or normal. There’s a section in the report for comments. They said, “The viscosity was slightly low at 5.7.” Amsoil ATF viscosity unused is 7.5. They went on to say, “There’s no immediate need for maintenance action.” What a pleasant surprise!
After 6 Years and 85,000 Miles…Amsoil ATF Didn’t Break Down or Get Old!
At 1,320,000 miles (as of January 2019)…it appears the “original transmission” in my 99 Chevy van can thank the Amsoil transmission fluid for this remarkable achievement. I hope this story inspires you to change all your vehicle fluids over to Amsoil. More importantly…the fella in Wisconsin drove his 91 Chevy pickup truck 1 million miles…went through 5 transmissions! Estimated bill: $17,500.
Now that’s what I call a “Thousand Pound Dog.” That’s a big deal when you can go over 1 million miles without having a transmission breakdown!
If you want to have peace of mind about keeping your vehicles for 500,000 miles “PLUS”…I have proven that the Amsoil synthetic fluids will make your vehicles and equipment almost immortal.
Common Fixes for a Transmission that Shifts Hard
It only takes 5 minutes to order online or by phone…and have the product shipped to your doorstep in 2-3 business days. In 20 minutes…you can have your dealership or local repair shop change your oil…and add the Amsoil synthetic oil and filter to your engine. And just that quick you’re up and running. And that’s not all. The best is yet to come.
Amsoil Synthetic Oil:
- Allows your engine and transmission to float on a layer of lubrication
- Keeps your engine and transmission squeaky clean
- Prevents sludge and varnish build-up
- Increases fuel mileage by 4-6 percent
- Increases engine horsepower by up to 6 percent
- Eliminates block heaters…Amsoil stays fluid at -50 below
- Fewer repairs and maintenance
- Lower emissions
- Less waste oil
- A cooler running engine, transmission, and differential
And for you…a fatter wallet and peace of mind!
Have questions? Or need help in selecting the right oil and filters for your vehicle or equipment? Feel free to contact me anytime at (937) 417-1127 or jbs777@gmail.com. If you reach my voicemail, leave a message or text, and I’ll respond as soon as possible.
You can call Amsoil toll-free at 800-777-7094 Monday – Friday 8 am – 5 pm CST to order products.
Thank you for using my ID#516778 when ordering.
Order Products At Rock Bottom Prices
Happy Trails
John Schlimmer
www.MillionMileChevy.com
