[ViperGT]

Just wondering, i've been searching but haven't found a solid answer...i'm getting an oil filter assembly gasket changed monday at an aamco shop right down the street from my apt. (they just happened to be the cheapest for labor) and it just made me wonder if i should get a tranny fluid change seeing as how i haven't had one done since i've owned the car (about 2 years) i don't know if it has ever been done to be honest...theres really nothing wrong with the transmission that i can tell...maybe a bit more jerky or weird feeling since i first got it but maybe thats just me thinking into it too much...i had to have my old honda prelude (first car 7 years ago) transmission rebuilt and it cost like 2 grand so im a bit wigged out about the thought of going through that again....

So should i have it changed orrrr even flushed...orrr just leave it alone? i want to keep the car at least another 2 or even 3 years but with the high mileage im just afraid something is going to go and cost a lot, figured for 80 bucks i could prolong the life but i've heard messing with the tranny with high mileage is a bad idea, would it be best to just leave it alone since nothing is wrong? orrr better to try some preventative maintenance?

i have an 03 GT with an auto transmission with 140,000 miles most of which are highway miles if that even matters

[mrbigjeep]

how does the fluid look on the dipstick?

[casper gt]

get the fluid/filter changed (it will be more than 80.00 though to pay someone to do it)

[mrbigjeep]

eighty bucks would probably just cover the fluid

[ViperGT]

really? damn my bad, i must have looked at their pricing list wrong i could have sworn it said 79.99, so how much does it usually run to have it changed? and would it be better to go to the dealer rather than a random shop?

[casper gt]

Originally Posted by mrbigjeep eighty bucks would probably just cover the fluid

exactly what I was getting at

[ViperGT]

just went to check it out of curiosity and it didn't smell burnt or anything, it was a darker amber color, not super dark, did have a tiny tiny bit of sludge looking stuff on the bottom tip of the dipstick though...

[carnut59]

if it has never been flushed before done not flush it. if it is shifting differently than before, leave it be. other than that you can do just a filter change and fluid top off.

[ViperGT]

Originally Posted by carnut59 if it has never been flushed before done not flush it. if it is shifting differently than before, leave it be. other than that you can do just a filter change and fluid top off.

oh ok so they can just change the filter without draining and replacing?

[casper gt]

Originally Posted by ViperGT oh ok so they can just change the filter without draining and replacing?

no, the filter is inside the pan, to change it you'll need to drain the fluid.

[carnut59]

the pan only holds a few quarts of fluid. the trans w/ t/c holds about 15-18 quarts. you wont drain all of it only what the pan holds.

[ViperGT]

ok gotcha....soooo for that high of mileage and noticing it wasn't burnt smelling, am i clear to change it without any future problems or is it better to leave it be?

[casper gt]

Originally Posted by ViperGT ok gotcha....soooo for that high of mileage and noticing it wasn't burnt smelling, am i clear to change it without any future problems or is it better to leave it be?

always best to change it, heat is the #1 killer of automatic transmissions, contaminated fluid is #2.

[ViperGT]

nice, i guess ill do that then i appreciate the fast responses everyone!...so just curious, why do a lot of ppl say to leave it alone with high mileage as if changing the fluid will cause something to work improperly afterwards i've read its a 50/50 chance, is the sludge holding the tranny together? haha

[mrbigjeep]

something like that lol. my trans teacher who did transmissions when he was a mercedes tech gave me his reasoning but i honestly can't remember.

btw, that little sludge bit always seems to be at the end of the stick. not a big deal. but if the fluid isn't real dark (doesn't sound like it is) then i would flush it. i think we charge like 185 at our dealership (fairway on laurens rd)

[casper gt]

Originally Posted by ViperGT nice, i guess ill do that then i appreciate the fast responses everyone!...so just curious, why do a lot of ppl say to leave it alone with high mileage as if changing the fluid will cause something to work improperly afterwards i've read its a 50/50 chance, is the sludge holding the tranny together? haha

it's a common mis-conseption that a high milage trans that has never been serviced will cause problems if you do service it.

I've personally never (in 30 years or so of modifying/racing automatics) never seen a proven case where just changing the fluid on a high milage trans hurt it.

[ViperGT]

Originally Posted by mrbigjeep something like that lol. my trans teacher who did transmissions when he was a mercedes tech gave me his reasoning but i honestly can't remember. btw, that little sludge bit always seems to be at the end of the stick. not a big deal. but if the fluid isn't real dark (doesn't sound like it is) then i would flush it. i think we charge like 185 at our dealership (fairway on laurens rd)

aw man holy crap mrbigjeep i didn't notice you were from the upstate! niceee, so is it better to go through the dealership or should the transmission shop be ok? and also any clue how much fairway would charge for just a fluid change, don't wanna blast away my sludge glue lol and casper thanks for all the awesome helpful tips and being patient with a newbie haha

[mrbigjeep]

ya man...that price is for a full flush. uses a machine to pull sixteen quarts out and sixteen fresh quarts back in

other than that your option is to have the pan dropped and filter changed and then topped off with like six or seven quarts of fluid (wouldn't be a complete flush)

as far as where to go, either should be fine...

[casper gt]

Originally Posted by mrbigjeep ya man...that price is for a full flush. uses a machine to pull sixteen quarts out and sixteen fresh quarts back in other than that your option is to have the pan dropped and filter changed and then topped off with like six or seven quarts of fluid (wouldn't be a complete flush) as far as where to go, either should be fine...

best thing to do for a 4r70w (since it has a drain plug in the converter) is to drop the pan, drian the converter (gets about 90 % of the total old fluid out), then replace the filter & refill.

vaccuming it out & then replacing it (common "flush" technique used by shops) is worse than doing nothing, cause not only does it stir up the deposits in the bottom of the pan, it doesn't allow you to change the filter.