Auto tranny oil - Drain or flush?

[Zrun]

I'm going to do the auto tranny oil change soon for my wife's car at about 60k km.

 

Should I DIY, meaning drain and pump, or should I bring it to some shop that can do the pressure flush?

[Nine_eleven]

drain and refill would be enough...

[Kax2]

You like to get down and dirty ??

By all means go ahead if you do.

[Genie47]

I think in the US there are transmission techs with many years of experience. Just don't bring it to some quick lube change place. Flushing will stir up a the junk in there and that is all it does. Go to a tranny specialist. I think a tranny specialist will cost USD100 for his services.

 

If DIY, see if you have an easy way to disconnect a cooler line and aim it towards a container, you can let the transmission do the pumping for you.

 

Get as much fluid out and then, drop the pan . Change the filter, reinstall pan and fill with ATF.

 

The reason why you have to drop the pan is because flushing will not get out the junk sitting at the bottom of the pan.

 

I believe you have installed a cooler before, right? If you know how, the DIY should be easy!

Edited April 12, 2005 by Genie47

[Genie47]

I forgot to add. If the filter is a screen rather than a real filter, it is not necessary to remove the pan.

[Zrun]

I've not done transmission before.. for manual transmission, it is as simple as draining it and pumping new oil in there.

 

I think auto is the same? Just drain and then fill, but only 30% or so will be changed, I heard some pro will do the 100% change. I also heard of the problem where the dirt at the bottom goes into the gears.

 

Regarding dropping the pan, changing screen, is that normal procedure?

Edited April 12, 2005 by Zrun

[Genie47]

Most of the DIYers in the US always talk about dropping the pan if the filter is not the mesh type. They don't trust the quick lube places.

[Zrun]

I've the hand pump that I've changed my MT fluid to RedLine MTF (8USD per bottle), so it turns out DIY cost the same as getting outside to do it, but with lousy MTF.

[Yeobh]

Always go to shop that have a ATF machine in order to fully drain the exisitng oil and fill the system to the correct volume.

Its just to cumbersonme for DIY

[Zrun]

Is the ATF machine safe kind of full drain? Or is it just machine pump, which I heard can cause problems?

[Megalord]

You like to get down and dirty ??

By all means go ahead if you do.

You can be clean when you go down and perform oil change, confirm. And its definately better than sending to workshops, for you know what is going on and everything. DIY is the way to go.

[Yeobh]

High class AFT machine comes with high precision pump and weighing scale. The used ATF is allow to gravity flow or vacuum into a container and the amount weigh.The ATF machine on-board computer will then compute the volume to be pumped into the auto transmission.

High performance auto transmission wet clutch plates are very sensitive to water and other foreign matters even very minute and wrong lub additives. Therefore it is wise to follow closely the advice on the type of ATF to be used as per the handbook. Mishandling or use of wrong ATF can cause power transmission loss due to clutch slip and result in over heating.

A high cleass AFT machine from Japan could easily sold for more than s$10k.