Valvoline or Toyota Transmission Fluid?

Is Valvoline Multi Vehicle Max Life ATF full synthetic equal to Toyota Genuine ATF Type T-IV? Does it work just as well?

 

Your truck uses Toyota WS fluid, but ya consensus is its better, and easier to purchase.

Only thing is, I'd want to only switch over if I did a pan drop, not just a spill and fill. I'd want to convert as much as I could over.

 

I have done a drain and fill every 75k with Valvoline MaxLife ATF. Currently at 250k. No issues.

 

Toyota fluid.

 

Could be wrong, but pretty certain 2010 was the year they introduced WS fluid.

My truck is a 2010 I bought new the last day of 2009. When it was time for a trans fluid change, no aftermarket fluids were labeled as WS. That said, I researched and found previous year transmissions, that utilized the T-IV fluids ran the same internal clutches and components. WS fluid was found to be a fuel mileage goal fluid, with nothing special about it. Therefore, my truck, a 2010 Prerunner has been running Mobil 1 ATF for over a decade.

 

WS was used on all V6 Tacomas as of 2005, pretty much every toyota after 2005 uses WS.

Only the dinosaur 4 speed 4 banger tacomas used TIV but V6 sport is 100% WS.

 

I have used Valvoline and Castrol engine oil, conventional and synthetic, in my cars for years, including some that went 300k+ miles and never had an oil-use or internal engine issue on any of them. I currently use Mobil1 most of the time, but have no doubt that either of those brands aren't at least the equal to it.

That said, when it was time to change the transmission fluid in my current truck, I used Toyota WS.

 

I did a pan drop and then a full flush with Valvoline while purging all of the WS fluids. I’ve been doing pan drops and refills will Valvoline and a bottle of LubeGuard for prevention. So far everything’s great. So I vote for Valvoline over WS.

 

@pwier check this thread out:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...of-your-transmission-now.331521/#post-8742594

Posted by a very knowledgeable retired transmission tech.

I'm about to do a pan drop and complete flush (assuming pan looks good) and will be switching over to Valvoline Maxlife during this. I agree with @Bishop84 about switching it all over at the same time versus just doing a drain/fill and mixing the two. Perhaps that is okay, but I'm doing it all at once.

 

I would like to see transmission failure data that attributes early transmission failures to WS fluid. If that’s not available, everything else seems speculative based on fluid specs but not actual performance or failure data.

The most recent post from the thread linked above is from a member who switched away from WS at 280K miles. So his transmission apparently did just fine for all that time on WS, many miles more than most members here will put on their trucks…

 

I’ve consulted gearcruncher when it came to all things tranny related, he’s a great source!

 

You can buy genuine Aisin WS fluid from rock auto for less than $7.50 a quart.

 

It is not equal but it is compatible per Valvoline’s product data sheet, which you can view on their website. I, too, have been using it with no issues. I first used it on our 2007 Lexus ES350, then my 07 Taco, and most recently on daughter’s 20 RAV4, all of which call for WS. As a Type IV replacement, I used it on a 07 Corolla and 06 Camry. However, the consensus among transmission mechanics is to do a flush, as oppose to a drain/refill, when switching brands.