Changing Tranny Fluid

[WingDing2]

2003 Chev Silv 6.0 100,000 mi

I have been offered many options/prices whats the best way to go?

Flush no filter change. vs. Drain/filter change and Refill.

Note:Dealer service told me filter change not nessasary and not part of there flush for $160

Fluid has never been changed.

[moparmarv]

I have never had a tranny flushed I just drop the pan and put in a new filter and gasket and fill with fresh fluid every 35000 miles and I have not had any tranney problems

[WingDing2]

Yeah thats what I was thinking of doing (to save $$) but there is 100,000 on the fluid and I would like to clear out all the old stuff. Manf sug filter change @100,000

[BudMan]

I'm sure some of the tech guys will respond but I have a 99 Suburban 286,500 miles and the tranny has been flushed every 35,000 since new. Had the filter changed once at about 125,000 and still works as new. Just my .02 worth.

[jwhjr]

At 60K in my 04 Silverado I had the tranny flushed as well as the pan dropped and a filter change. I'm planning on doing a fluid swap only at 100K by pulling the line off of the cooler and running the new fluid through. To be honest, the filter wasn't all that bad at 60K so I probably could have just done the fluid swap then. I did it for peace of mind.

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

First of all, how long do you want to keep the vehicle?

A long time, then 100% fluid & filter. Use a synthetic, Amsoil or M1.

[WingDing2]

I plan on having this truck until the doors fall off! or rather my Son will have it until then, It's been a really good truck. Really, change to a synthetic after a 100k of Dex3? I am a proponent of Amsoil and have used it be before but I think I'll stay with the Dex3. After reading what everyone here suggested what I should do, I think were going to drop the pan today and change the filter and refill then sometime this week or next get a flush. Anyone have a better suggestion? I've shopped around and I can get a standard flush for a $100 bucks.

[moparmarv]

from what I have heard from some people I know flushing a traney every 35000-50000-miles is a good idea but I have herd some people have had problems if they flush a high mile traney because it brakes all the junk lose and causes problems with the trans after that just my imop

[theoilman]

Do it yourself procedure to change all the fluid in the transmission:

1. Drop the pan, replace the filter. If equipped with a reusable gasket (metal shim/rubber coated) wipe clean carefully, do not let it get bent and reuse. Refill the pan quantity (typically 4 to 6 quarts most pickups). Do NOT start the engine yet.

2. Disconnect the cooler line - run both ends to a collection bottle (I use clear vinyl tubing available in various sizes at any home supply store). Have your assistant crank the engine and stay behind the wheel. Fords and GMs tran in park, Dodge rear wheel drive tran in neutral. While fluid is pumped out one of the lines, refill through the dipstick tube with fresh fluid. After about 6 quarts pumped out or the fluid color changes to the fresh fluid shut off the engine. Reconnect the cooler line. Check the fluid level. Test drive shifting through all gears a couple of times, come back and recheck fluid level.

This procedure does a better job than the flushing machines when they don't drop the pan and replace the filter!

[Iron Cowboy]

Good info oilman. Moparman I know what you mean, I have experienced the exact situation. I have a honda now and the dealer service rep told me they recommend a drain and fill the 4 quarts they get out with a simple plug drain every 35k which is enough of a price hit with that special Z something atf fluid that honda's need. apparently a force-flush type thing you get at the quicky lube is tranny suicide

oilman any recommended d.i.y service for the "unique" honda trannys?

[WingDing2]

Thanks Oilman for the info! I wish I would have waited until today to do the job. We drained the pan (it has a plug) then dropped the pan, changed the filter (it was due) cleaned everything up, put it back together and refilled the 5 quarts we drained. I then started the engine, went through the gears for 3 sec. each (as instructed in owners manual) and drove it until it got warm then rechecked level and was just a little low. topped off and called her good. This system is 15 quarts I have only replaced 5 1/2 quarts any suggestions other than a service center flush. Thanks!

[WingDing2]

Oilman,I just want to understand the procedure. Fill through the dipstick tube while pumping out through the cooler lines? Both not just one? I guess the reason I ask is the fluid is pretty slow going through the dipstick tube and I would assume it's movin' through the cooler lines. Thanks

[theoilman]

Yes, fill through the dipstick tube.

Cooler lines - I am yet to find a reliable book to tell which is flowing which direction. I normally would just disconnect one at the most convenient location and put a tube on both open ends - because you never know ahead of time which is coming from the pump and which is return. Some vehicles it might be easier to disconnect both lines.

With this procedure you will only leave a pint or less behind.

[theoilman]

Iron Cowboy -

Yes, many Hondas and other Asian transmissions don't have a pan as do most all American and European automatic transmissions. Many of these do have a drain plug, but only drain a small amount, some less than 2 quarts.

But, they do have easy to access cooler lines. Drain what you can from the drain plug first, then use the cooler line to pump out and do most of the job.

However, there are now a number of vehicles with no dipstick tube, or if they have a tube, don't have a dipstick for the tube. To service any of these is NOT a do-it-yourself job.

[bigdaddyof3]

I do the same thing!

[Scott K]

Are shop did it this way for years, some salesman came in and sold our service manager a $4000 flushing maching, that did the same identicle thing as just using a couple hoses and a bucket. We never used it, and the service manager got mad at us becuase we wouldnt spend an extra half hour setting this overpriced bucket up.

Just a note, some flushing machines have pumps in them, and would clean better then this one, that just used the vehicles tranny pump,

[WingDing2]

The more and more people I talk to, you hear about flushing machines causing Tranny suicide in older "high mileage" vehicles.

I would assume that the machines with pumps in them are more agressive than just using your own tranny's pump?

I will just use the "do it yourself" method primarily cuz I cant afford the $120 flush. That's the times right now.

[bigdaddyof3]

Excellent answer!

[hunter101]

a buddy of mine always drained,replaced the filter, and flushed like oilman said. He did it every 35k miles, he put many miles on his trucks? He never had a tranny fail and most were at or near 500k miles when he got rid of them. he was totally anal about his trucks but it always paid off

[ice_it_06]

Put a deep pan with a drain plug on my Tahoe when I bought it five years ago.

I drain & fill two times, and the third time I drain, drop pan, change filter & fill. Do it every year in spring. Fluid remains clean and transmission shifts effortlessly. Engine runs cooler as well since I trashed the OEM pan for the deep after market pan.

[michaelpettersen82]

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but the way oilman explained it will work, but certainly not as well as using a T-tech Machine. This machine displaces all the fluid from Transmission, torque convertor, lines, Trans Cooler. It exchanges 100% of the old fluid, it also works with the natural flow of your trans. pump and will NOT over or under pressurize the system. Also you should never change the filter before you change the fluid or you are just running dirty fluid through your new filter which is not what you want to do. I run a Quick Lube in Ham Lake and we only charge $79.99 for a COMPLETE fluid exchange, I dont know where u were going that is going to charge u $150, but I would stop going there my friend.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Does $79.99 cover all fluids including dexron VI and the other synthetics that the imports use?

[michaelpettersen82]

As of right know it does, its a special promo I am running for the whole month at my store. It covers atf+3, atf+4, DexVI, merconIV, SLF, Mitsu diamond III, etc. The only ones it does not cover are Mercon SP and any VW/Audi Trans. fluid. But thats beside the point,his question was for a Dex3/Mercon fluid, and lets be honest Dex3/Mercon Trans. fluid is $5.15 a gallon. A 4L60E holds 12-12 1/2 Qts. So thats $16 bucks in product, if your paying any more than $80 - $85, for a Dex3 trans. service your getting ripped off

[Scott K]

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but the way oilman explained it will work, but certainly not as well as using a T-tech Machine. This machine displaces all the fluid from Transmission, torque convertor, lines, Trans Cooler. It exchanges 100% of the old fluid, it also works with the natural flow of your trans. pump and will NOT over or under pressurize the system. Also you should never change the filter before you change the fluid or you are just running dirty fluid through your new filter which is not what you want to do. I run a Quick Lube in Ham Lake and we only charge $79.99 for a COMPLETE fluid exchange, I dont know where u were going that is going to charge u $150, but I would stop going there my friend.

I have a question for you. If I pull off the cooler hose after it leaves the cooler, then place that end into a bucket, fill the fluid into the filler neck, how is this not flushing the whole system, besides the 3 foot of steel line from the cooler to the trans? There cant possibly be much dirt in a small section of a steel line.

[michaelpettersen82]

If you think it does the same thing, then thats cool. I didnt say it wouldnt work, I just said with a T-tech machine your vehicles pump creates the exchange, eliminating the possibility of over- or under pressuring the tranny. and also eliminating the possibility of over- or under filling the system.