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Maintenance & Repair Maintenance & Repair - Archived Discussions Transmission fluid change-which method is better? 
99 messages, Last post on Jul 10, 2002 at 6:37 AM
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My system has been to have the pan dropped, the filter replaced, and the torque converter rotated and drained at the first service (about 25,000 miles). At 50,000 miles I have the flush done, then back to the pan drop at 75,000, and so on. I've done that on my last two cars and it seems to strike a balance between getting all of the fluid out and getting the filter replaced from time to time. I got 108,000 out of a Windstar before the engine gave up, but no trouble with the transmission. I have 135,000 on an Explorer on the original transmission, no troubles there either (I even pull a 2,000 pound trailer with it from time-to-time). I plan to stay with that system until it lets me down. |
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My local GM dealer uses the BG PF5 for Transmission Flushing with Synthetic ATF. http://www.bgprod.com/autodrive.html Anyone have any experiences with it? How well does it work? They recommend the service every 25K and they drop the pan/change the filter at 50K and 100K. Price quoted is $119 per flush, and they'll throw in the pan drop/filter change for free at the 50K and 100K service. |
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| 3 weeks ago bought a new 2002 camry. Was there when they did the dealer prep. When he checked the ATF after it had been driven a few miles it was still at the cold level. He added some fluid(I don't think it was more than 1/2 quart) to get it up to the hot level. When he checked it was at the first notch of the hot level so I said leave it there since I though it might go up a little more since it had not been driven that far. I then noticed he was using Shell dexron II III ATF. I then went to the parts department and bought some Toyota ATF which also said Dexron II III so I thought every thing was OK. When I got home and looked at my owners manual it said use only T-IV ATF. I called the dealer(50 miles away) and asked if this would hurt my car. The parts man didn't know about T-IV fluid and transferred me to the service department and he didn't know anything about T-IV fluid, but said he didn,t think it would hurt the car . He said I might want to change the fluid at 15,000 miles to be safe. I told them to check on it and let me know. Didn't hear anything from them so I called Toyota customer to ask them if it would hut my car, but the lady couldn't provide any useful information. Then I called the dealer owner and he said he would check on it. He had his customer service man call me, and after he investigated he said they poured the T-IV out of big jugs(I checked and these are 4 liter containers or a little over a gallon) into the quart Shell containers. He also said the man I talked to in service was the assistant and hadn't been briefed on the T-IV. So they aren't going to admit that they put the wrong fluid in my car. So my question is still will putting about 1/2 quart of dexron in my camry do any damage. Even if I drain it it will only get out half the AFT. I think it has a drain plug so they won't have to pull the pan. Any information on this problem will be appreciated. | |
| Never heard of this new fluid? Toyota specific like Honda? | |
| Never trust anyone to properly fill your ATF. 99.9% or shops cannot take the time to drive the car 10 miles (as the manual recommends) to heat the fluid up and then check it. You are better off having it underfilled then heating it well and checking yourself and adding up to full. Much easier then an overfill and having to syphon some out etc. I have yet to see any shop get the level correct, independent or dealer. they just do not take the time to do it correctly, Letting it idle ten minutes does not do the job, it has to be driven 10 miles at least, especially if temperature is cold outside, | |
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titan that guy who told you that you didn't finish the job is right a trans change on hondas only replace approx. 25% of the oil and when it remixes it throughs that % off. 2002 odessey tells you to change the oil 4 times with a short drive in between each change at 30,000 I think all hondas could probably fall under the same maint. scheduale my used honda had a bad color to it so i changed trans oil every eng oil change till it looked healthy again now every 2nd or 3rd oil change i change the trans oil |
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| it has a drain bolt for the transmission like the oil pan , no need to drop pan and change a filter. | |
| Should I drain my Accord, refill drive a few miles, drain, refill, drive, drain and refill until all is changed out? Or can I drain, refill, start the engine and repeat a couple of times? Or is it better to just drain the 3 qts each motor oil change until the transmission fluid looks ok? Are all of these ways acceptable or does someone know more than someone else? This sounds like something I can easily do myself but I want to do it the right way. Help! | |
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The owners manual says change ATF at 90K-much too long IMHO. I change at 30K now after getting a tranny code on the CEL at 70K. ATF was burnt and I only do highway driving. One of these days will try to change all the atf by disconnecting the hot side of the ATF cooler and connecting it to a large clear plastic bottle and while running the engine, attempt to put new atf into it at about the same rate as it flows into the jug connected to the atf cooler inlet. Have had a couple of different people suggest this approach. For those people using the machines to change atf-ever wonder how much of their cleaning solvent remains in your tranny-something to think about-betcha it don't meet any atf standard anywhere. |
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why not put a hose nipple on a plastic bucket, put it on top of a ladder, run clear hose to the LP side (aka pump suction) of the tranny, and use the pump itself to do the fluid changing? when the hose suddenly isn't red at the top any more, shut the key off in gear so you don't airlock the pump, and connect everything back up. you're going to spill/squirt ATF no matter what you do, so you will want a nice bed of absorbent underneath, and have a place scoped out that can take it for proper disposal. every time I have to try and get liquid down one of those danged skinny "filler necks," I get an airlock from a bubble and lose about half the quart of fluid, anyway. seems like this would be a better resolution. warning, I bet that bucket will empty quickly under pump suction, have somebody atop the ladder ready to yell "look OUT!" when they can almost see the bucket bottom. |
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