nauticstar87

Have the pan off the trans when u do it.

therewolf

Here's a transmission oil change horror story. I went to change the oil in my first car,and looked under the engine. There was a drain bolt marked "oil". I was young and had no sense,(apparently things haven't changed much) so when I started draining the "oil" and it was bright red, I said to my friend Dave(who's ALWAYS at the Conoco Station) "WHOA-COOL! It's bright red! Who makes RED motor oil? Dave sez "Yeah, it's probably some of that high performance s**t."

So we re-installed the drain bolt, added five quarts of oil to the engine crankcase, and the comedy proceeded. The engine started smokin' like a pig, and the car would only go about 5 MPH. Fortunately we put in a call to a real mechanic, who IDed the problem:

We'd drained the automatic transmission fluid out of the tranny, and added 5 EXTRA quarts of oil to the then undrained crankcase.

Kids, DON'T try this at home...

Gwampa

When I read about Dextron III in a 1996 Chevy Manual it said it would not need changing. The lady who bought it new never has (friend of my wife's) and it's got 160K on the clock. Seems to shift OK but I wouldn't hammer it either. My 06 Impala came with Dextron VI (synthetic) and I've already changed it and the filter and plan to do it again when I get some work. Call me old fashioned, but that stuff wears out just like motor oil and chunks ain't good in moving parts....if you get my drift. My opinion.

Thumper_ehhhhh

All fluids break down with time and use. If you dont change it you take the chance of damaging something. When old fluid breaks down it doesnt offer the same protection and proformance of new fluid. I definatly would change the fluid and filter in something I bought especially if it was over 100k. I would rather open it up and find problems in a shop than ignore it and have problems when your on the road. Oh I do not go near trannys myself anymore. I was given the wrong filter from the dealer once and when I questioned the difference with the old one they told me I had the wrong filter in the tranny to begin with. I ended up having problems with my astro after I changed it. I took it to a tranny shop and they told me the one the dealer gave me was not the correct one. My problems went away when they put the correct one in. When I purchased my Burb last year it had 113000 km on it 1st thing I did is bring it into that same tranny shop. I had the tranny fluid changed along with the transfer case and both difs. I now know what condition my **** is in. I was told my truck was never or hardly used in 4 wheel drive and there was no shavings in pan on the magnet. It was also the original gasket from the factory so I know the fluid wasnt changed sence new. Please take care of your truck. Fresh fluids keep it fresh and alive.

72c10gunn

you can get aftermarket pan with drain plugs and extra capacity if you want that too....they've got them for alot of trannys

shouldaboughtachevy

I always do a full service, never a flush.

Many people have problems after a flush because the new fluid breaks up some of the gunk built up in an old tranny which then plugs the filter that never got changed, and so now the fluid can't be pumped through it to properly lubricate everything.

If you're going to service a trans with over 100K that's never been serviced before, I like to recommend doing it 2 or 3 times over a few hundred miles, that way the filter won't plug and burn up the oil pump.

Just my .02.

Either way, definitely service your poor transmission. It'll thank you later.

cams 98 silverado

i work at a place where we do trans flushes often. let me tell you. people who drive hard and dont bother to listen to us that recommend following the manufacturer schedule, well they get to visit the Mr. Transmission shop 100 feet from us. my vote is it dont hurt to change the darn fluid. yes, theres cost and in these times 100 plus price is a hard pill to take, but its maybe 15 times cheaper than a new trans down the road. another tip if you are dropping pan, as over the years ive had the pleasure of getting pans where they warp. being thin stamped metal, when removed from trans, can twist and cause a headache and boss yelling at me later down the road. i was doing a pan and flush on some van i think. pan was thin and i noticed where the bolts screw through the pan the metal had stretched upwards creating dimples at each screw hole. i tapped them all flat but in being rushed by an impatient poopy headed boss(yeah...) i forgot to check for warpage and put the pan up, get a call 2 days later, guys mad that his concrete driveway is bleeding under his car. get it back in, i immediately know the remedy of the problem, fix it and everyone was happy. in fact, if theres a trans question, my boss and coworkers come to me for an answer... its kinda cool how that works. youngest guy at the shop gets to answer hard questions... but cant go to the bar after work with the guys... ugh... o well. oh. and yea i have accidently drained a trans thinking when it is labeled oil, thats the oil, well... thankfully there was a dipstick to add to... and if anyone blows a trans pm me, im lookin for a th400. CHANGE THAT FLUID BRO. my 4 pennies.

car5car

Pump from dipstick tube as much as you feel like. If you worry about changing, pump only 1 quart.

1965chevy

just changed the transmission fluid in my 2004 suburban and now it has no power... its gutless...whats going on?

Thumper_ehhhhh

My guess is wrong filter