No problem, since you're new here, we'll cut you some slack this time.

Welcome to the Corvette Forum Dixiecrat!

 

Thanks for all the input guys...

I'll follow the common wisdom and do the pan filter approach.

Thanks again

 

Oddly enough, that is the same approach ......as the service manual......

 

Its been a few days sense anybody posted here so I guess im not hyjacking. I took my 8 year old C5 to the dealership today and had the transmission fluid changed and flushed. also had my coolant changed . $426------------------- OUCH. My tranny has small leak but not bad enough to fix yet. No oil in the garage. Tech said it is a common problem with the C5 . Cost to have the dealership fix that when it gets bad enough $600.

 

Hmmm...so even with all the recommendations, and forum members that have had bad experiences after a flush( not to mention there is no service manual procedure supporting this action).....you still did it. Awesome.

 

I have the filter kit and fluid for mine. Will drop the pan and change the filter this weekend. Whatever comes out will be replaced, whatever remains will be there until the next change. 50K on her and done 4-5 times so far. Original un-modded trans with a butt load of 1/4 mile runs. All I have ever done was new filters and replace whatever fluid drained out with fresh Royal Purple.

 

I had the car into Jiffy Lube on Sunday for an oil change and I asked for a tranny flush as well and the manager (who owns a Z06) said he couldn't do it. HOWEVER, he did not suggest the regular tranny fluid change. My assumption is he didn't have the filter in stock. Why pass up an upsell when the customer is asking for it?

 

I discussed that with the tech, he said that the oil being that old should all come out. we test drove the car, then when I left after I warmed the car up after about 50 miles of driving I pulled on the side of the interstate waited till traffic was clear rolled back on the road and stomped it, excellerated to 120mph and car shifted perfectly, been fine all afternoon.

 

No one has mentioned in any detail how to reinstall the new transmission fluid. How do you you do it? I don't see a fill plug.

 

It's located on the left sidewall of the transmission pan.

Do a forum search for the detailed check and fill procedure.

 

I think it's in the center console.

 

Nope. The Mopar Torqueflite 727 has a drain plug for the torque converter.

I know that for a fact. I had a '73 Dodge Charger SE and I changed the transmission fluid in it.

I don't know why all transmission manufacturers don't put a drain plug in the torque converter. It makes it so easy to drain all of the trans fluid and do the job properly, instead of leaving your trans half full of old fluid.

 

There's no way I would have an automatic transmission flushed.
I've read many times on various automotive forums about bad things resulting from a transmission flush.

With the 4L60E, I'd recommend removing the transmission cooler line running from the transmission to the radiator, attach a hose to the end of it and position the end of the hose in a bucket, then start the car and add new transmission fluid while the old fluid is being pumped into the bucket. When you see new, red fluid coming out of the hose, you know that all of the old fluid is out. Turn the car off and reattach the cooler line to the radiator. Then remove the return line from the radiator, put a hose on the fitting and put the other end in the bucket. Start the car for a little bit to pump the old fluid out of the transmission reservoir. Reattach the return line and you're done, the fluid is now completely and properly changed.

When it comes time to change the transmission fluid in my Vette, I will change all of the fluid, instead of changing just half of it and leaving the torque converter full of old fluid.
That just seems like a half baked way of doing the job...but that's just me.

 

Here you go Dixiecrat, you can read some stories about guys ruining there transmissions by having them flushed.
It seems that trouble starts within about a month after the flush.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...on-issues.html

Keep us posted and let us know if your transmission starts to act up in about a month.

Regards,
-Ward

 

Actually there were 2 drain plugs, located 180 degrees apart, on the 727 torque converter. Removing them both allowed the T/C vent while it was draining.

When I owned my C3 Corvette, my daily driver was a '68 Plymouth Fury with the 727 Torqueflite.

 

If I have a problem you ll be the second to know as the dealership will be the first. Tech told me sense car only had 9000 miles on it there shouldn t be any problems.

 

Bought my 01 with ~52K on the clock. Been doing a tranny fluid flush yearly with AMSOIL ATF, new OEM filter and just the pan drop method. I too heard that the power flush method could be more trouble than needed. The price the OP stated was quoted seems about right if you are buying your own fluid.

I change mine yearly because it is my DD and driving it in brutal TX summer heat can get those temps pretty high. So I attempt to reduce oxidized and burnt fluid often.

-Alex

 

Changing the ATF fluid yearly is an overkill, IMHO, especially since you're already using a full synthetic ATF, which has excellent high temperature stability and oxidation resistance.

But if it gives you peace of mind, reach into your wallet and go for it.

 

I've read the service manual procedure for changing the fluid while dropping the pan to replace the transmission filter and have come to the conclusion that a dealer would never do anything but a power flush. The problem is that a very good portion of the ATF remains in the transmission fluid radiator and that a complete fluid change requires running the engine while accessing the fill port on the transmission which I believe is right next to the muffler. It sounds less than fun plus I came to the conclusion that is was very difficult to determine how much fluid to add correctly. I also concluded that doing it on anything less than a car lift was probably not advisable. I have yet to talk myself into doing the procedure even though I bought a transmission filter many years ago. Another point, good ATF fluid for a complete flush was expensive.

 

New B&M finned aluminum transmission pan:

I got it on there Saturday, naturally there is a tale to tell.

The physical configuration of the C5 automatic reduced but did not eliminate the initial splurch. No matter how I do it, I always get transmission fluid all over the place when changing fluid. The C5 trans pan has a fill/level plug in the side which allows draining of fluid which flows back to the pan after shutdown, so the total volume of splurch is thereby reduced. Nonetheless, when lowering the still mostly full pan, an inadvisable tilt to the West sent a red wave toward the garage door.

Doing this kind of work with the car on jack stands- lots of squirming on an old back. The tool you need is always somewhere you can't see it, like between your legs or just out of reach above your head. Or on the bench.

The C5 automatic transmission has no combination fill tube/dip stick tube. Once the filter and pan are on, you have to use a hand pump of some kind to fill the transmission. That leads to additional spills and blurching. Unlike a manual trans which takes several of pints, I need to get seven or eight quarts into the automatic. I used an "oil suction gun" as the hand pump, but it was unfortunately slightly miss assembled, with a gasket out of place, so it sucked a little air and dripped more than usual, adding to the mess.

After filling to the point where there is fluid dribbling out the fill hole, the engine is then started and the trans cycled through the gears, foot on the brake so that the trans can be filled again. Fluid is drawn up into the works and held there as long as the engine is running.

You then select "TRANS FLUID" on the DIC and monitor transmission temperature as the engine idles with the car on jack stands. When the fluid hits 122 degrees F, open the fill/ drain plug and allow the excess fluid to spill out, new volume created by the increased fluid temperature, splattering your glasses and face. Getting the plug back in is a challenge, as it is next to one exhaust pipe, with about 2" clearance, so there are a few scorches and slight burns on the hand trying to get the plug started into what is now a hot transmission. A check of the DIC with the plug back in indicates 187 degrees. You can shut down the engine ONLY after the fill/ level plug is in- or face a cascade of hot fluid erupting out the open hole.

One would almost think that the fluid loop to the radiator is a transmission heater, not a cooler.

Cleanup the remaining fluid, off the jack stands and done. Several big rags and half a roll of paper towels. Next time the blurch will be smaller, because the new trans pan has an actual drain plug.

While it only took 15 minutes on the jack stands for the fluid temperature to hit almost 190 degrees, the 30 minute drive to town over 17 miles of curvy road on Monday resulted in a fluid temperature of 155 degrees.

You might think from the above that it was a difficult operation. Nope, just my odd sense of humor showing through.