In response to Angru's question our 306 with AL4 box has now done over 10000 trouble free smooth shifting klms in all driving conditions without any issues whatsoever since I put 8 liters of fresh Amsoil ATF and the Dr Tranny friction modifier through / into it.... Amsoil ATF meets the ZF specs for ATF and I buy it from a distributor in Wollongong....can't comment about anything else as I have no direct reference or experience....all I know is that our auto went from a jerky harsh shifting and occasionally slipping gearbox to a relatively smooth, seem less an quite enjoyable drive.....
AL4 Auto - finally smooth shifting!
- Thread starter jae656
- Start date
My DPO is still happy on the Penrite ATF FS. Coming up on 60,000kms now and still for the most part smooth (a random hard shift in there occasionally to remind me it is still a DPO after all...)
Nulon ATF +4 and engine oils are my favoruties
We have a Peugeot 207 CC that would intermittently hold onto 1st gear too long then suddenly jump into 2nd. We had A&B Automatics assess the situation, but their $200 inspection didn't show any pressure or solenoid faults. So I had the ATF extracted and replaced with Nulon Full Synthetic Multi-Vehicle ATF +4.
Within the first 100 km things improved dramatically. The gears now change smoothly, and the whines it had have gone. All I can say is 'Thank You Nulon'.
We use their Euro 5w30 engine oil in the Pug, and I use Nulon Long Life 5w30 Diesel engine oil in my Beemer. I change the BMW engine oil every 5,000 km. It's great to see Aussie know-how at work.
We have a Peugeot 207 CC that would intermittently hold onto 1st gear too long then suddenly jump into 2nd. We had A&B Automatics assess the situation, but their $200 inspection didn't show any pressure or solenoid faults. So I had the ATF extracted and replaced with Nulon Full Synthetic Multi-Vehicle ATF +4.
Within the first 100 km things improved dramatically. The gears now change smoothly, and the whines it had have gone. All I can say is 'Thank You Nulon'.
We use their Euro 5w30 engine oil in the Pug, and I use Nulon Long Life 5w30 Diesel engine oil in my Beemer. I change the BMW engine oil every 5,000 km. It's great to see Aussie know-how at work.
Last edited:
Please post how you get on
I have to echo the Nulon results but in 4 HP 20 boxes in the PSA V6
I have a 308 1.6 THP 2009 (60,000 klms) and the auto had some (?) internal seals replaced just after I bought it (June 2015) because it was slamming from first to second when warm.
Anyway, I noticed today on the freeway that I got an occasional shudder while accelerating in fourth.
After checking a few forums, I ordered Dr Tranny Shudder Fix, hoping it will...
Anyway, I noticed today on the freeway that I got an occasional shudder while accelerating in fourth.
After checking a few forums, I ordered Dr Tranny Shudder Fix, hoping it will...
Hi all.
The two tubes of Dr Tranny Shudder Fix finally arrived from USA.
I am wondering if I can squeeze the contents into the AL4 filler hole without having to remove the battery.
Is there much clearance above the transmission filler hole?
The two tubes of Dr Tranny Shudder Fix finally arrived from USA.
I am wondering if I can squeeze the contents into the AL4 filler hole without having to remove the battery.
Is there much clearance above the transmission filler hole?
Last edited:
Puggsly, you don't say whether the fluid (ATF) was changed when the seals were replaced.
I know it would be a logical assumption, but it has amazed me how often obvious options (such as fluid changes) are not performed (or recommended) by mechanics - is it something to do with the marketing 'sealed for life' nonsense?
Surely you are not planning to mix your expensive, imported, snake oil with potentially old, dirty/burnt transmission fluid?
Cheers
Alec
I know it would be a logical assumption, but it has amazed me how often obvious options (such as fluid changes) are not performed (or recommended) by mechanics - is it something to do with the marketing 'sealed for life' nonsense?
Surely you are not planning to mix your expensive, imported, snake oil with potentially old, dirty/burnt transmission fluid?
Cheers
Alec
What is the right-hand plug for? After I had the gearbox drained and Nulon ATF inserted this plug started to weep. So, I undid it and got out just over half a litre of very dark ATF. It seems to be more like the Citroen plug where there is an inner plug? There are not the small plug inside a larger plug like earlier AL4 boxes.
I have driven the car and there are no issues (so far). I am very confused by this.
Last edited:
I'm amazed this thread is till going three years on... but just received a private message as a result so thought I'd update on my experience to this point.. To summarize.. I bought my wife a 2000, Automatic Peugeot 306 2.0L convertible.. with jerky, harsh shifting and occasionally slipping gearbox. It had a full dealer dealer history including ATF flushes at 40,000klms intervals and when it came into our care had traveled 189,000 klms.
I did two transmission flushes using Penrite universal ATF and one using the fully synthetic over a 3,000klm period. This had little if any impact on the auto. Between changes 2 and 3 the car started going into limp home mode with corresponding warning light... would be cleared and reset and do it all over again within a few 100 klms.
The scanner showed faulty oxygen sensor which I thought.. "rubbish" .. whats the o2 sensor got to do with the Auto right..?? WRONG!... Changed the o2 sensor and problem never came back in 40,000klms something to do with the Auto ECU receiving a signal from the oxygen sensor ... as for the shift problems they remained after the problem with the limp home so about 100klms after changing the oxygen sensor I scoured the web and found a suggestion on a UK site that made sense and resonated with my experiences ... It required draining the Auto (for a fourth time by now) and filling it with Amsoil synthetic ATF together with 1 bottle of Lubeguard ATF protectant as well as 1 tube of Dr Tranny... as previously advised in this thread this is a much higher viscosity solution than any of the other fluids discussed. Was it a cocktail . I guess so... did I have anything to lose .?? The car was almost undrivable especially when the Auto was hot.. so no I didn't!
The car went on to travel 40,000 klms over the ensuing 2+ years being a combination of stop start, high traffic and freeway (living on the NSW Central Coast as we do) and was driven quite hard at times (old pacific hwy in particular). It was finally rear ended on the F3 by an imbecile in a Fairlane GHIA who then wanted to argue it wasn't her fault!... Up until it was driven onto the tow truck and became the property of the NRMA in exchange for a direct deposit almost three times it's purchase price it was shifting gears as good as any AL4 Auto I have driven (including new ones) ..... For what it's worth I still drive my Saab 9-5 Wagon with the Aisin Warner 5sp Auto, it still drinks Toyota Type IV ATF fluid every 20,000klms and it still shifts flawlessly but did have a vale body overhaul at about 145,000klms.... Happy frogging to you all...
I did two transmission flushes using Penrite universal ATF and one using the fully synthetic over a 3,000klm period. This had little if any impact on the auto. Between changes 2 and 3 the car started going into limp home mode with corresponding warning light... would be cleared and reset and do it all over again within a few 100 klms.
The scanner showed faulty oxygen sensor which I thought.. "rubbish" .. whats the o2 sensor got to do with the Auto right..?? WRONG!... Changed the o2 sensor and problem never came back in 40,000klms something to do with the Auto ECU receiving a signal from the oxygen sensor ... as for the shift problems they remained after the problem with the limp home so about 100klms after changing the oxygen sensor I scoured the web and found a suggestion on a UK site that made sense and resonated with my experiences ... It required draining the Auto (for a fourth time by now) and filling it with Amsoil synthetic ATF together with 1 bottle of Lubeguard ATF protectant as well as 1 tube of Dr Tranny... as previously advised in this thread this is a much higher viscosity solution than any of the other fluids discussed. Was it a cocktail . I guess so... did I have anything to lose .?? The car was almost undrivable especially when the Auto was hot.. so no I didn't!
The car went on to travel 40,000 klms over the ensuing 2+ years being a combination of stop start, high traffic and freeway (living on the NSW Central Coast as we do) and was driven quite hard at times (old pacific hwy in particular). It was finally rear ended on the F3 by an imbecile in a Fairlane GHIA who then wanted to argue it wasn't her fault!... Up until it was driven onto the tow truck and became the property of the NRMA in exchange for a direct deposit almost three times it's purchase price it was shifting gears as good as any AL4 Auto I have driven (including new ones) ..... For what it's worth I still drive my Saab 9-5 Wagon with the Aisin Warner 5sp Auto, it still drinks Toyota Type IV ATF fluid every 20,000klms and it still shifts flawlessly but did have a vale body overhaul at about 145,000klms.... Happy frogging to you all...
jae656,
are you saying that the "cocktail" or the "rear ending" fixed the AL4($)?
are you saying that the "cocktail" or the "rear ending" fixed the AL4($)?
I could not say that all euro autos are dodgy.............I have done insane k's in ZF autos in my Pugs.
The only problem...apart from buying a s/hand car with trans not serviced for yonks,was when pulling into 'The Rat' one day the torque convertor fail coming into 'The Rat' one day....From memory about $100.00 to get rebuilt.......800,00 k's plus was not uncommon ....Would be a very rare case,I would think,that an ALF/DPO box would last 400 k's.......mind you a Borg Warner gearbox did not do heaps BUT the saving grace was it was easy to pull out [Falcon] plus rebuild was not expensive plus they slowly failed in time ....I cannot recall them doing all sorts of weird things along the way.
No rad trans rad cooler + telling customers 'sealed for life'...???????????? GIVE ME A BREAK !!....not good sound engineering at all.
The only problem...apart from buying a s/hand car with trans not serviced for yonks,was when pulling into 'The Rat' one day the torque convertor fail coming into 'The Rat' one day....From memory about $100.00 to get rebuilt.......800,00 k's plus was not uncommon ....Would be a very rare case,I would think,that an ALF/DPO box would last 400 k's.......mind you a Borg Warner gearbox did not do heaps BUT the saving grace was it was easy to pull out [Falcon] plus rebuild was not expensive plus they slowly failed in time ....I cannot recall them doing all sorts of weird things along the way.
No rad trans rad cooler + telling customers 'sealed for life'...???????????? GIVE ME A BREAK !!....not good sound engineering at all.
Citroen C5 Hdi 2LITER TURBO 2003 SEDAN AL4 GEAR BOX ATF DRAIN PLUG
HI, ANYONE know where the ATF drain plugs are located, any diagrams or photos would be appreciated, tx
Please PM me.
HI, ANYONE know where the ATF drain plugs are located, any diagrams or photos would be appreciated, tx
Please PM me.
Google this forum from their full website. All your queries should ve answered. ( Top right corner)
Sent from my SM-G900I using aussiefrogs mobile app
Sent from my SM-G900I using aussiefrogs mobile app
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2000
- Messages
- 11,441
We've now changed to Penrite ATF, and while the 1st to 2nd lurch happens when the 207CC gets hot, at least the AL4 is still going. Just had a second Penrite R&R yesterday, and the AL4 still does the same, even though it is less pronounceable.
If your keeping the 207 and you already find the AL4 playing up when the coolant temp gets over half way I would suggest replacing the heat exchanger buy the thickest one on the market available for the vehicle and replace the coolant at the same time.
Also replace Penrite for a 3rd time this should have cleaned out the torque converter.
Any other clunking will be the valve body which may be clogged and slowly being cleaned out with new fluid flushes.
Oh the AL4 fun
Sent from my SM-G900I using aussiefrogs mobile app
Also replace Penrite for a 3rd time this should have cleaned out the torque converter.
Any other clunking will be the valve body which may be clogged and slowly being cleaned out with new fluid flushes.
Oh the AL4 fun
Sent from my SM-G900I using aussiefrogs mobile app
It's nearly 6 years since the OP, though I just wanted to chime in with a "thanks" for the info in this thread, it was very helpful in guiding me to change the ATF on a 2007 307CC. My Pug's done just over 250,000km and is running great - the car was looked after very well by the previous owner (a lot of highway driving with a bit of city, regular services but no mention of the transmission oil), the roof works perfectly, etc. The only niggle has been the windows (the lifter mechanism is clearly under-specced, looks like this was at least the third replacement in 12 years), and the auto box was a little rough (clunky going in to R, and had once slipped in stop-start traffic on a hot day). Both now fixed thanks to the info here.
To add something to the conversation, here are pics from an AL4 transmission with newer-style fill plugs and level tube and 250k on the clock, with unknown service history. The old oil was quite dark and didn't smell great; I did two complete flushes (~3.5L each) with a short drive between each, and then drained and refilled per the process given in the AL4 files here, using Penrite Multi-Vehicle Fully Synthetic ATF. The transmission was noticeably better after the first flush, and by the third batch of fresh oil was very smooth, including on rapid D to stop to R changes.
ATF fill plug (open)
drain plug after removal (non-magnetic...)
removing the fill level tube with a hex key
state of the drained oil
Fingers crossed this car will see quite a few more years yet - hoping to avoid the fate of jae656's!
Ta,
Ben
To add something to the conversation, here are pics from an AL4 transmission with newer-style fill plugs and level tube and 250k on the clock, with unknown service history. The old oil was quite dark and didn't smell great; I did two complete flushes (~3.5L each) with a short drive between each, and then drained and refilled per the process given in the AL4 files here, using Penrite Multi-Vehicle Fully Synthetic ATF. The transmission was noticeably better after the first flush, and by the third batch of fresh oil was very smooth, including on rapid D to stop to R changes.
ATF fill plug (open) drain plug after removal (non-magnetic...) removing the fill level tube with a hex key state of the drained oilFingers crossed this car will see quite a few more years yet - hoping to avoid the fate of jae656's!
Ta,
Ben