How do you change the fluid in your transmission?

Question

I was just wondering because I don't want to have to go to the shop for that kind of thing and be charged up to wazzu for getting that done.

Answer 1

if it has a drain plug then drain n fill. i'm thinking you have an auto trans. if no drain plug in pan then pan has to be r and r'd. there is also a filter that will need to be changed. if it is a screen then just clean it. now either way you will not get all the fluid. so i recommend smelling the fluid before you start. if it is dark and strong odor then you need to completely flush the fluid, if it's still pinkish and no strong odor then drain n fill. to flush at home can be tricky and messy. find cooler lines (to and from rad) need to test for tranny inlet line. the line from rad. will squirt when disconnectedand nothing comes out trans where line was removed. here is tricky part. you will need a container like 5 gal. paint pucket and attach hose from rad. outlet line so it will lay in bucket. 5 gal. bucket number #2 you will pour in 8 quarts of new fluid and attach hose to trans inlet and run it to bottom of bucket #2. start engine in neutral and verify flow. run til fluid coming out is clean or 8 qt. supply gets low. once you have clean output shut off and reinstall cooler lines then restart in neutral at normal engine temp. and fill to full line. that will even fix shudder and minor slip problems in most transmissions. after all that i rec. having your dealership do it. the fluid stinks bad when burnt, hard to dispose of, stains anything the fluid touches, and you can't screw up or you'll burn up tranny. i used to flush the front wheel drive trannys before they came out with the flush machines. now all dealerships are required to have them.

Answer 2

So, it's time to change your fluid. Many people are reluctant to change thier fluid because they think it costs to much to service a transmission. At my shop, we charge from 90.00 to 150.00 CDN
for most vehicles. Some German cars are more because the fluid alone is 25.00 to 30.00 CDN per litre. The truth of it is, a transmission is cheaper to service than your engine....look at it this way !!!! Example using a 2000, Plymouth Voyageur that uses ATF+ 4 transmission fluid. In this vehicle, service intervals are approx. 80,000 kms for the transmission and 5000 kms for the engine. After 80,000 kms, the engine oil would have been changed 16 times at about 30.00 each. That's 480.00 for engine oil changes VS 150.00 for the 1 transmission service !!!! By comparison, thats not much at all. Unfortunatly, I've seen do it yourself tranny services that caused failure of the transmissions, Why? Using the wrong parts. Example, there are 3 different filter, and 3 different pans/pan gaskets for the Ford Taurus transmission and they MUST be used correctly. Alot of the Quick Lube places aren't aware of these minor differences and often put on the wrong parts. This scenario also applies to other models of transmissions as well. Same model transmission can come with different pan/filter combinations !! Do you really want to run the risk of this happening just to save a few bucks????
Bite the bullet, spend the bucks and get your transmission serviced by a professional !!!!

Answer 3

it depeneds on the make some transmissions are a sealed unit therefor u cannot change the fluid. Depeneds on the make u can get a tranny servive for about 80 bucks that 80 bucks will save u about 2 grand, tranny services are a over looked thing but very beneifical to the long life of your vehicle. most tranny services you unbolt the trannt pan replace the filter and the seal an dreplace the fluid, start the vehicle hold the brake an dlet run in all gears to lube them. GOOD LUCK

Answer 4

on the least get the fluid and clear out replaced, by no ability pass to a variety of quickie fluid flush places. i could think of the dealership could do it suitable additionally. for my area, i take advantage of my own technique for flushing - this is composed of cleansing the pan changing the clear out. After reassembly do away with the return transmission line and divert it right into a gallon field. upload 5 quarts to the transmission, initiate the motor vehicle and with brakes utilized shift into force, this could pump tremendously much each and every of the remainder outdated fluid out very at present, pausing to feature some to maintain from working out. as quickly as you get to approximately 5 quarts out of the line the fluid would be particularly clean. that's the secure way of flushing I even have performed various circumstances and no matters. there's a grain of fact to the statements approximately not flushing via fact it is going to screw up a transmission. I even have yet another hypothesis approximately flushing. a million. how lots of people do not even think of approximately their transmissions till they're performing unusual? you may nicely be considered one of them. i don't be responsive to in case you have been the unique proprietor. 2. as quickly as taking it to get a flush performed the transmission keeps to behave unusual then quickly fails so blame the shop! 3 loss of maintenance - a transmission save particularly should be apprehensive while somebody such as you pulls up and that they seem the the fluid situation and the mileage. 4. If it have been my save i will not desire to do it in any respect till there some evidence that it were serviced in the previous.

Answer 5

Many Japanese auto manufacturers install a drain plug on the tranny pan. This allows drainage of several quarts of fluid, the same as pulling a pan off an American car, but not near as messy, and you don't have to worry about leaking pan gaskets.

I drain mine, refill it, the drain and refill again after I drive it several days, This gets the new fluid mixed in with the old, as you can't get the fluid out that's in the torque converter, radiator, and passages of the tranny just doing a regular drain.

Doing it twice gets a high percentage of new fluid in though.

Answer 6

It's a messy, nasty job, and I suggest you just go to the Oil Change businesses around and let them do it. It costs about $60. And they have the special machinery to make sure it is completely changed.

But why would you want to?? Most cars never get changed. I think the recommended interval is about every 100,000 miles, and I don't even recommend doing it then. If its working right, just let it be.

Answer 7

you need to get a new trany filter and gasket for your year and make of car first then loosen trany pan drain fluid remove pan remove filter clean pan and gasket surfaces install new filter install new gasket and pan do not overtighten pan bolts about 15 footlbs pressure is enough refill fluid to full leval run car till warmed up and check fluid leval again

Answer 8

the whole pan and filter drops off the bottom of it.

fairly simple proceedure..... a little more time than changing engine oil.

Answer 9

you will need to drop you tranny pan to replace the filter. it will make a big improvement

Answer 10

i dont change anything in my transmission