Valvoline says its MaxLife ATF subs for Nissan Matic J.

http://www.valvoline.com/products/Maxlife%20ATF.pdf

Nissan says that using anything other than Nissan Matic J will void your warranty.

 

I had a garage use this http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp_internet/castrol/castrol_usa/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/m/MultiVehicle_ATF.pdf on a simple drain and fill in mine and I didn't like it, so I had it completely flushed with Matic J. Matic J just plain works and I don't feel it's worth messing with. I had one dealer tell me that my warranty on the transmission was now void, but I don't believe it. If I have problems, I'm pretty confident Castrol will go to bat for me, but it's not worth it, IMHO.

-Chris

 

Matic-J (around $7 a quart) is what Nissan calls for in Titan. IMHO I don't think it's worth trying anything else at this point in time. Doesn't mean I won't change my tune later when they make one that adds 10 horsepower and has enuff R&D in it, haha.
Plus if something goes wrong with tranny, it's easy for the dealer just to say "Oh we can't warranty it because you don't have the correct fluid blah blah blah!! Although I don't see how they would tell the difference, taste test? I hear so many dealers just finding an excuses not to do warranty work, which is beyond my comprehension. So stick with oem stuff for now, just my opinion.

 

Oh, I did stick with it but I just wanted to know what was different. The service writer was giving the dooms day act about how the fluid is more expensive and Nissan requires "special" fluid and my warranty would be void otherwise and blah, blah, blah. It was $250 for the flush.

Thanks for the responses, I now know something else about my Titan.

 

I had a garage use this http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp_internet/castrol/castrol_usa/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/m/MultiVehicle_ATF.pdf on a simple drain and fill in mine and I didn't like it, so I had it completely flushed with Matic J. Matic J just plain works and I don't feel it's worth messing with. I had one dealer tell me that my warranty on the transmission was now void, but I don't believe it. If I have problems, I'm pretty confident Castrol will go to bat for me, but it's not worth it, IMHO.

-Chris

You could just take it somewhere else. They would never know.

 

I just had mine done today at the dealer. The truck had 26,500 miles and it and I wanted to do it berfore hauling snowmobiles this winter.

It was 160 dollars.

 

My dealer offers transmission flush and refill with BG synthetic fliud. There fluid has been tested to drop temps by 20 degrees. My dealer uses alot of BG products.

 

My dealer offers transmission flush and refill with BG synthetic fliud. There fluid has been tested to drop temps by 20 degrees. My dealer uses alot of BG products.

We use all of BG's products at our dealership as well. Great stuff.

 

What is BG?

 

Nissans Matic-J is made by Castrol. Castrol Transmax J fluid, made (or formulated) in Germany. I haven't been able to identify if it is made here by Castrol, but likely would be. Transmission fluids have about 16 additives in the fluid, the Transmax J is a synthetic ester base "oil". The additives are put in to be compatible with the plates, gears, stick slip parts, etc. Using the wrong fluid can do some major damage, usually over time.
Anyone have any contacts with Castrol to see if it can be purchased from a distributor in 5 gallon pails? Likely would be half the price of the quarts from the dealer.

 

Sorry to beat a dead horse here, but isn't there some law that says that the manufacturer cannot specify a specific type of part to use or else the warranty will be void??? Doesn't this tactic make it unfair to the consumer? Requiring the consumer to buy dealer only parts is unethical.

 

Nissans Matic-J is made by Castrol. Castrol Transmax J fluid, made (or formulated) in Germany. I haven't been able to identify if it is made here by Castrol, but likely would be. ... Anyone have any contacts with Castrol to see if it can be purchased from a distributor in 5 gallon pails? Likely would be half the price of the quarts from the dealer.

I have been looking for it for over a year. My mechanic has a very good Castrol rep and even he can't get the Transmax-J. The only place I've been able to find it is in Australia. My post above has a link to what Castrol is pawning off in the US as a Matic-J equivalent and, as I said, I wouldn't use it.

-C

 

The 2003-06 350Z owner's manual states: "Currently available exact equivalents to Nissan Genuine ATF Matic Fluid J are Castrol Transmax J or IDEMITSU ATF HP."
Castrol never marketed the Transmax J in the USA, so don't bother with that one. The IDEMITSU product is what Subaru sells as their Genuine Subaru ATF Fluid, and while I haven't checked the price at my local Subaru dealer, I read somewhere that Subaru sells it for about $5/qt. I own an '05 Outback, and my owner's manual lists the recommended trans fluids as: Genuine Subaru ATF, IDEMITSU ATF HP, Castrol Transmax J, and Pennzoil ATF - J.
Sidenote: Pennzoil product was never marketed, to my knowledge.
Note: The Idemitsu product is conventional fluid; whereas, the Castrol product was a synthetic blend (described on Castrol Australia website, but no longer sold there; interestingly, described as full synthetic on Castrol Germany). The Idemitsu product is only available if you have your trans serviced at a Cottman Transmission Center (MSRP price of $4/qt), or if you belly up to a Subaru parts counter. Hope this helps.

 

I had a tranny service done at about 35000, and went to the dealer...I chickened out.

People keep talking about running synthetic fluid, I'd be VERY suprised if the Nissan factory tranny juice wasn't already synthetic! Fords Mercon V is, and I keep laughing at guys who talk about running an aftermarket "synthetic" in their Ford trannys...The good news for Ford guys is that several manufactures make fluid that meets the Mercon V spec, while not the case for Nissan.

 

What did the dealer charge you guys for the tranny fluid change?

 

Having a simple drain and fill done at the local mechanic tomorrow with the Nissan fluid for $80. They'll do a flush for $190 but he said at only 28k don't waste the money. I told him I was on a dyno for 5 hours and it got pretty hot a few times but he didn't think it probably needed more than a drain and fill. He'll look at the oil tomorrow and let me know if it does. He said he's well aware of only using the Nissan fluid and not mixing anything.

 

Sorry to beat a dead horse here, but isn't there some law that says that the manufacturer cannot specify a specific type of part to use or else the warranty will be void??? Doesn't this tactic make it unfair to the consumer? Requiring the consumer to buy dealer only parts is unethical.

Yeah vague memories of my business law courses....something like anti-trust laws or something?

Does sound illegal. But so does no cover ladies night, when guys still have to pay $10.

 

Having a simple drain and fill done at the local mechanic tomorrow with the Nissan fluid for $80. They'll do a flush for $190 but he said at only 28k don't waste the money. I told him I was on a dyno for 5 hours and it got pretty hot a few times but he didn't think it probably needed more than a drain and fill. He'll look at the oil tomorrow and let me know if it does. He said he's well aware of only using the Nissan fluid and not mixing anything.

Well it ended up costing $150 with tax. They had to pay $9.50/qt from a dealership so they couldn't do it for the price quoted. I could of said no but it would of still cost more at the dealership

 

I inquired about having the flush done at a dealer, three of them here in Cincinnati didn't have the flushing equipment. Finally got in touch with one dealer with the flush equipment, he told me the thing doesn't work half the time, and he recommended just doing a drain and fill. 4.5 quarts to drain and fill the fluid is $ 7.29 a quart at this dealership. He also said pull the pan and air blow the screen to clean it, the transmission doesn't have a filter like older transmissions. He said the drain and fill at 25,000 miles would be okay without having the flush done. So, that is my plan maybe for this weekend. Has anyone dropped the transmission pan? What does the screen look like, and can it be cleaned?

 

I don't understand what good a drain and fill would do if you are only replacing 4.5 quarts of the 16 quart capacity (including cooler and lines). It's better then nothing but seems like more work than it is worth.

 

I don't understand what good a drain and fill would do if you are only replacing 4.5 quarts of the 16 quart capacity (including cooler and lines). It's better then nothing but seems like more work than it is worth.

Yeah, that is what I was thinking also. $100 sounds cheap for tranny flush with 16 quarts of Nissan J + the flushing fluid, so I guess it must be $100 + fluid costs?

BTW, know anything about the C-clips in the front diff?

 

Yeah, that is what I was thinking also. $100 sounds cheap for tranny flush with 16 quarts of Nissan J + the flushing fluid, so I guess it must be $100 + fluid costs?

BTW, know anything about the C-clips in the front diff?

Yes, $100 + cost of fluid.

I haven't heard anything about the c-clips yet. We haven't had any problems with them lately. But we haven't had the snow we had last year and it seemed the only time we had problems is when people were using the 4X4.

 

The dealer that had the flushing machine told me it was an 11 quart capacity, if so, that would be nearly half the fluid. 16 seems like a lot for the size of the transmission and cooler.

 

11 quarts is what the service manual says is the capacity. 16 is probably 5 quarts they waste during the flush???

 

11 quarts is what the service manual says is the capacity. 16 is probably 5 quarts they waste during the flush???

I had mine done a few months back and was told it held 16 qts.. I questioned him and he told me that when they flushed the tranny it would be a reversed flush that would clean the screen in the tranny-(no filter)-...