Opinions on automatic transmission additives

[runner823]

If one can remove all risk of having the milkshake occur for $100 or less, one is a fool not to undertake such an endeavor IMHO.

Then you better start installing external cooler on your other cars too.
Also you should run an external cooler before your factory oil cooler fails too. for less than $100 you can remove all of risk of having coolant in your engine.
I've seen one fail and it's rare too!

But in all seriousness, I do agree that radiators do fail. I just think its funny and stupid when people are adding external cooler for a fear of "pink milkshake" which is a rare occurrence. A failure of the upper tank or lower tanks are more likely to happen. I also think its stupid to have two trans coolers. If trans temp are getting that high is because you have problem in the transmission. Some guys in here just need to think IMO. BIGGER TIRES, steel bumpers, and other heavy adds on will cause the transmission to work harder = higher transmission temp. They instead should think about regearing the diff.'s to help the transmission not work so hard.

 

[LittleCaesar]

So I have to ask then if you owned a GX 470, 400, or Camry that was known to have a possible radiator failure, and it hadn't failed yet, would you go ahead and replace it or just ride it out and hope that the problem didn't occur if you planned on keeping the ride until the wheels fell off per se?

Some members just replace their radiators, myself included, as a wear and tear item after a dozen years or more.

I agree it is paramount to run the correct coolant mix to ensure that the coolant system stays healthy.

I had to run an external cooler on an Acura CL for its tranny due to a poor engineering design. Nice car, but riddled with flaws.

 

[clemson4r]

Just keep your ATF clean and no additives will be needed. The Lucas stuff is for trying to squeeze out a few thousand miles out of a near-dead transmission.

+1. The Lucas additive may be alright in moderation, but it is a band-aid fix. One of my old 5.2L ZJ's had a blown transmission that I rebuilt. I had to get an entirely new casing because the Lucas additive that the PO used had completely saturated the porous aluminum casing and had the consistency of molasses. So long as you remain within service intervals using standard ATF, you will be just fine. Can an additive give you a few more miles from a tired transmission? Sure. Is it a performance enhancer? I don't believe so....

Max

 

[fblainen11]

I put Lucas transmission additive in my 97. Doesn't seem to hurt anything. I had some trouble with transmission that turned out to be a kick down cable adjustment problem.

Also, regarding the external cooler. I would just replace the regular radiator and be sure to use Toyota spec coolant...
You kill two birds with one stone. I think the external transmission cooler is a bit overkill for a daily driver...plus it does nothing for your coolant efficiency.

 

[runner823]

So I have to ask then if you owned a GX 470, 400, or Camry that was known to have a possible radiator failure, and it hadn't failed yet, would you go ahead and replace it or just ride it out and hope that the problem didn't occur if you planned on keeping the ride until the wheels fell off per se?

I don't own a GX470, RX400H, or Camry. I work for a dealer. Those are the models were we replace radiators due to failed upper or lower tanks.
But to answer your question, I would drive my vehicle until I see that the radiator is failing. However, if I was going for a long road trip like 1000 miles away from home, then I may think about it. But again, I would just check every fill up. Plus, I always carry a stop leak just incase too. Now, when radiators fail, they develope a slow leak unless it's a crack or something.

 

[runner823]

I had to run an external cooler on an Acura CL for its tranny due to a poor engineering design. Nice car, but riddled with flaws.

FYI, an extral cooler does not reduce your risk that your Acuras transmission will not fail.

The reason these transmission fails, V6 models from 98 - 2002, is because of clutch material break down. On some of the later models, the 3rd & 4th clutches overheat due to lack of lube to those gears. Honda/Acura had the dealer add an oil jet on those gears. They installed them right where the fill plug sits. That's way if look at some of the later V6 the fill plug is not accessible due to the added oil jet.

I did not want to offen anyone; but, I just had to put my opinion out there.

 

[LittleCaesar]

The Acura dealer put the tranny cooler in for me. I was wondering why, but they insisted so not to void the warranty. I didn't ask anymore, just paid the bill. Maybe another case of upselling?

Just out of curiosity, how many radiators of the aformentioned models were replaced under regular or extended warranties?

 

[runner823]

Just out of curiosity, how many radiators of the aformentioned models were replaced under regular or extended warranties?

We have 30 techs in our dealership so as a whole we replace 1 a week and some times 2. But most of these vehicles have more than 120k miles on the clock. It's rare one would fail during the vehicles warranty period. And, what I've noticed for the most part is that a different type of coolant is used and/or lack of cooling system services.

I try to educate people that maintenance is cheaper that a repair.

 

[LittleCaesar]

The reason I was asking was my girlfriend's mother had a gx470, great car with a certified warranty till 100k I think. Right around 90k she had the radiator replaced, the sticking calipers with rotors, pads, etc., the air bags, rack, so she sold it with 96k on the odometer. I thought it was an excessive amount to change in such a short time, but I guess not.

To keep the thread relative, I know someone who has used Lucas on a failing Chevy 4l60 tranny and it got him another 20,000 miles before it imploded. I'd use it only as a last resort if needed.

 

[Nunyabiz]

I would replace the radiator with a new one, install an external cooler, and take it to a T-Tech machine and have every last drop of the old fluid exchanged with all brand new 100% synthetic ATF, forget the "additives", the synthetic ATF is way better.