Transmission Fluid....
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,833
Likes: 0
From: Orange County California
Transmission Fluid....
I got my oil changed for the first time in my vette. I put Mobil 1 10/30(expensive poopie) in. When the guy was done, he told me that I needed to get my tansmission fluid changed as well. I looked at it and it did look a little dirty(brownish). He went on to show me a chart that showed the corvette trans fluid should be changed every 15Kmiles or so. The guarage seemed pretty slow and I thought he might be looking for more business from me, so I said next time. I checked the archives here and the consensus seemed to be 30K miles. I dont know when the last time it was done.
My questions:
Do you think I need to change my transmission fluid?
How often do I need to change it?
Is there anything special I should be aware of? Waht to use, etc...
:cheers:
My questions:
Do you think I need to change my transmission fluid?
How often do I need to change it?
Is there anything special I should be aware of? Waht to use, etc...
:cheers:
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 0
From: Waukesha Wisc.
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (ladyinblack)
IMHO, yes, change it....but usually in my case, once its burned looking, its too late!!! :cry
I agree........ :yesnod: , but it doesn't hurt to change it once a year.....alot cheaper than a new trans.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 51,504
Likes: 6
From: Sacramento CA
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (McShagger)
Transmission Fluid Flush $100
Transmission Rebuild as result of Flush $1300
Wishing I had listened people who told me not to change out the fluid: Priceless
Transmission Rebuild as result of Flush $1300
Wishing I had listened people who told me not to change out the fluid: Priceless
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 12,182
Likes: 1
From: Partying with the Cowboys cheerleaders in Mt. Olive, New Jersey
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (GUMPA)
I agree with Gumpa. I usually change it once a year. Think about it, trans fluid do a lot more than just lubricating the gears...
Racer
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 499
Likes: 0
St. Jude Donor '10
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (McShagger)
Again, IMHO...if the tranny fluid had been changed regularly, go ahead and change it....however, if this is the first time, once they drop the pan and find shavings or particles...it indicates a problem...and I don't know what they do at that point, but once they say there is a problem, your tranny will fail within weeks or days....Once you feel one bad shift, it usually means your f***d! :mad
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,870
Likes: 25
From: Long Island, NY
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (Smash)
Changing the fluid and flushing the fluid are 2 different things.
You want to just drop the pan and fill it back up with new fluid. This will not get all the fluid out, only about half of it. But you will not ruin your Tranny like Smash did.
Vic
You want to just drop the pan and fill it back up with new fluid. This will not get all the fluid out, only about half of it. But you will not ruin your Tranny like Smash did.
Vic
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,833
Likes: 0
From: Orange County California
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (Smash)
Transmission Fluid Flush $100
Transmission Rebuild as result of Flush $1300
Wishing I had listened people who told me not to change out the fluid: Priceless
Transmission Rebuild as result of Flush $1300
Wishing I had listened people who told me not to change out the fluid: Priceless
Thanks for the advice everyone. I will have it done tomarrow.
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 844
Likes: 3
From: Kennewick, Wa. USA
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (McShagger)
One of the sharpest transmission mechanics I know swears by putting a couple quarts of sythetic motor oil in your auto tranny. He does it in all his vehicles, and recommends it to others. Says he was taght that by a highly regaurded transmission engineer at a fluid dynamics semminar. He swears it will cure a lot of tranny problems. Something to do with heat transfer and paraphins or something like that! I hope he's right, cuz I just put two quarts of Mobil 1 in my tranny yesterday! :eek: He says the wieght is not important. I know several people who have done it and so far so good!
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 96,443
Likes: 9
From: Fort Knox, KY
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (McShagger)
Don't forget a new ATF filter, too. They only run about $20 tops, but you'd be surprised by how many people think they're good to go simply by draining out the old and pouring in the new! :eek:
[Modified by onedef92, 2:12 PM 10/11/2001]
[Modified by onedef92, 2:12 PM 10/11/2001]
Pro
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 740
Likes: 0
From: Chelmsford, MA USA
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (McShagger)
I just had my '87 done last week. They dropped the pan, flushed the entire system, replaced the filter and gasket,
and added 18½ quarts. He said it called for 16, but the pan took 6½ which was probably due to the new filter.
I checked the level per manufacturer's specifications and it's right on. Just dropping the pan will not clean out
the torgue converter etc. Cost was $100. It's a good feeling knowing that clean, red ATF is running through her old
bones.
Bob
and added 18½ quarts. He said it called for 16, but the pan took 6½ which was probably due to the new filter.
I checked the level per manufacturer's specifications and it's right on. Just dropping the pan will not clean out
the torgue converter etc. Cost was $100. It's a good feeling knowing that clean, red ATF is running through her old
bones.
Bob
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 12,107
Likes: 50
From: SW Michigan
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (CoolVette86)
Ijust did mine last month, total drain and flush of the trany untill the fluid is the same color that is comming out of the bottle.
I had water in the trany :cuss
Now its good as new :cheers:
I had water in the trany :cuss
Now its good as new :cheers:
Pro
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 674
Likes: 0
From: Hutto TX
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (McShagger)
I dont know how many miles it has on it but if it is over about 50k I would not recommend getting it flushed. Most transmission shops I have been to and the one a friend of mine used to work for would not flush a trany until the owner signed a waivor that if the trany was damaged they were not responsible, the reason I was told was because to flush one properly it would take pressure and low levels of fluid which is not good for a trany. Dropping the pan and replacing the filter and adding 5-6 quarts is all that is recommended by the mechanics I know(some good, some not so good).
Racer
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 325
Likes: 0
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (McShagger)
I picked up my Vette last year with 21,000 miles on it and most likely the orig fluid in the trans. It was a little brownish but not burnt. Had the filter and gasket changed and then hooked up to their tranny power flush unit to replace all the fluid. After 6000 miles its still nice and red. I had used this same system on my 96 Ford AeroStar AWD van every 30,000 miles and when I traded it at 150,000 it still shifted perfectly. Either do it from the beginning or don't do it at all seems to be the rule. I have heard more than a few stories of higher mile vehicals having the fluid changed and then the trans fails.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 29,937
Likes: 22
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Cruise-In 1-2-3-4-5 Veteran
Re: Transmission Fluid.... (djpearn)
I've been replacing my pan fluid and my filter once a year. I've been using Red Line ATF, buy it in case quantity from LAPD. I shudder at the cost of having to replace all 16 to 18 quarts in one go...12 quarts of Red Line cost me about $107 the last time I got a case.
