Fluid change
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Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Flat Rock, Michigan
Fluid change
At approximately how many miles should i change my trans fluid? I have 31,000 miles on the factory juice. Driving conditions have been normal and i have towed nothing.
-hooD
-hooD
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Joined: Mar 2001
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From: So Cal
Fluid change
Read the manual or general rule of thumb is every 30 to 50K miles for "normal" duty and every 12K for towing.
I have heard that some of the newer trannies recommend 100K changes but that just goes against my gut feel. I suppose if the factory fluid was synthetic(some are) you might get away with it, but I would go with shorter intervals.
Just my opinion, and I am no expert.
Jim Henderson
I have heard that some of the newer trannies recommend 100K changes but that just goes against my gut feel. I suppose if the factory fluid was synthetic(some are) you might get away with it, but I would go with shorter intervals.
Just my opinion, and I am no expert.
Jim Henderson
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
Fluid change
One other thing. Changing the fluid is an excellent opportunity to drop the pan and see what condition your tranny is in.
You want to see a little or no greyish fuzz on the magnet. You want to see only a few or no metal chunks the size of a grain or rice. You want to see fluid that is a nice red and smells chemically, you don't want brown or burned smells. You will see "pepper" flakes, you should expect maybe like a teaspoon full. You also want to see that the filter is not clogged up. I usually see 1/3 to 1/2 covered on paper filters at 30-50K. What would it look like at 100K?
Dropping the pan is a traditional diagnosis step that a tranny shop will take, you can learn a lot about the tranny condition by looking in the pan.
Routine fluid changes are good for more than just the fluid.
You want to see a little or no greyish fuzz on the magnet. You want to see only a few or no metal chunks the size of a grain or rice. You want to see fluid that is a nice red and smells chemically, you don't want brown or burned smells. You will see "pepper" flakes, you should expect maybe like a teaspoon full. You also want to see that the filter is not clogged up. I usually see 1/3 to 1/2 covered on paper filters at 30-50K. What would it look like at 100K?
Dropping the pan is a traditional diagnosis step that a tranny shop will take, you can learn a lot about the tranny condition by looking in the pan.
Routine fluid changes are good for more than just the fluid.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
Fluid change
Oh and you might see a plastic plug floating around, not to worry, that wasjust a dust plug on the end of the dipstick that gets pushed loose when they install the tranny. You will only see this on new trannies that haven't had a fluid change before.
Jim Henderson
Jim Henderson
