Transmission fluid change

[Plati]

Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.

How about surgery?
Should you ask a surgeon?

Ok, I guess that's a little sarcastic but I do consult with my shop for fluid changes and I trust their answers

 

[johnboneske]

Your probably the same guys who change their oil at 3000 miles too. READ THE BOOK! Do you honestly think that any shop or dealer has more.knowledge than the manufacturer themselves?



Go by what the book says!

 

[Cam28315]

Thanks for the replies!! I watched the video. I’m going to go ahead and wait another few months probably. They just do a drain and fill now typically? I remember hearing about the flushes causing problems on high mile vehicle when the oil hasn’t been changed. Think I’m just paranoid bc I love my car and want it to last a long time and don’t want to screw things up

 

[johnboneske]

Thanks for the replies!! I watched the video. I’m going to go ahead and wait another few months probably. They just do a drain and fill now typically? I remember hearing about the flushes causing problems on high mile vehicle when the oil hasn’t been changed. Think I’m just paranoid bc I love my car and want it to last a long time and don’t want to screw things up

I agree with you too! I love my vehicles and always take care of them. My pockets aren't as deep as alot of people, so I take care of what I own. But, changing fluids early is just a waste of $! Do what the book says and your fine.

I know plenty of people who change their oil every 3000 miles, and some who run Synthetic oil every 3000 miles too. I don't know what your book says for your year? I think mine says every 7500 miles and that's conventional.

I change mine with Mobile 1 and a filter at 8000, change trans fluid every 25k in mine though cause I routinely pull 7000 pounds. I've never changed diff lube, have changed the power steering fluid once(since the pump went bad) and once done the coolant. I have 225k on my odometer and is just fine. Sold my last Expedition with 298k on it, my wife's Trailblazer EXT has 195k on it... Changed trans fluid in it once.


I agree, take care of what you own and love but don't listen to the shops. They would have you do it much more frequently.

 

[johnboneske]

Your right, I have known a few people(myself included) on flushing trans fluid when a vehicle is just below the 200k mark and after the change the trans wouldn't shift right, which tells you that it needed the "crap" that was in the fluid to work properly.

 

[Gary Waugh]

I change my transmission fluid, transfer box fluid and differential fluids every 70K miles, its not a huge expense if you do it yourself and gives me peace of mind, I have over 180K miles on my expedition El (08) and it still runs great, changes gears great and has no leaks. It pulls a 24 foot enclosed trailer on a regular basis so I like to change the fluids more often. I change the brake fluid every 5 years again, just for peace of mind!! I have heard that if you leave the old transmission oil in for a long time and then change it (say at 140K miles) the transmission sometimes starts messing up on shifts!!

If you do the work yourself all the fluids cost less than $200 total, and I have to do it once every 5 years or so!! Seems a low cost job and I like the peace of mind it gives me!!

 

[richs fishes]

Do you honestly think that any shop or dealer has more.knowledge than the manufacturer themselves?

I hate hearing that as an answer and sort of agree and disagree at the same time. If the manufacturers really knew so much we'd never see vehicles break down, have recalls, TSBs, updated parts etc. Ideally the manufacturer certainly should know more. Maybe they do and keep the info to themselves for some reason. But that doesn't mean a particular shop wont have just as much if not more knowledge about one aspect or another of a vehicle. A run of the mill shop might also know that the manufacturer was forced and regulated to use a particular part or fluid to meet one standard or another when it reality it is not the best choice.

In my case when I bought my Expy with 92K miles I had a transmission shudder that I resolved by draining and refilling the fluid.

 

[Icemanjones]

First: brake fluid should still be checked from time to time for signs a seal is breaking down. If you dont catch it in time you may have to overhaul the whole system including the abs (ask me how I know).
2nd: the color and smell of the fluid will tell you a lot. Dont just rely on numbers. 3k mile oil change in 1 vehicle could be a waste of money but in another could have saved the engines life from a disaster! My 95 GMC gets changed with good old dino juice every 6 months even with only 500 miles ticked off during that time. Be cautious until you learn your truck.

 

[johnboneske]

First: brake fluid should still be checked from time to time for signs a seal is breaking down. If you dont catch it in time you may have to overhaul the whole system including the abs (ask me how I know).
2nd: the color and smell of the fluid will tell you a lot. Dont just rely on numbers. 3k mile oil change in 1 vehicle could be a waste of money but in another could have saved the engines life from a disaster! My 95 GMC gets changed with good old dino juice every 6 months even with only 500 miles ticked off during that time. Be cautious until you learn your truck.

I agree with that. Every 6 months is a good rule of thumb if you dont put any miles on it. Although I have 2 Taurus SHO's(89 and 95) that I change once a year with Synthetic, they both get driven less than a 1000 miles a year.

 

[762mm]

Could you elaborate a little more on the sensitivity of the "electronically controlled components" to fluid contamination? I'm not understanding that.

Like Makuloco says, these solenoid-controlled transmissions are very sensitive to contamination.


As for "manufacturer recommended change intervals", they are a friggin joke! The manufacturer doesn't care, because the truck will be looong off warranty by the time the tranny or rear end ***** the bed on original fluid! Like Makuloco says in the video above, it's a marketing ploy to make you believe in low costs of ownership. In other words, it's the ******** that helps them sell more trucks!


Take it from a guy (me) who had to get transmissions rebuilt 3 times on my previous Ford : that new fluid and filter is the BEST investment you'll ever make! Same applies for transfer cases and rear ends, especially if you tow heavy.


If you got the truck used and don't know if it was ever in water, changing diff fluid (front and back) is a must. At the very least, you have to check for water contamination...