Some people say change it in accordance with the manual, some say never touch it. Whats the verdict here?

 

had mine flushed at 30k mi. will change filter at 50k mi. if someone like me, who only tows on rare occasions, trans temp stays low than recommended change is OK... but if someone is hard on there's towing a lot, racing lot, then change is needed more often depending on what the fluid looks/smells like and how the trans performed

 

I install a drain bolt in the pan of my vehicle's transmission at the first 35K mile transmission filter change.

As it becomes convenient, I try to change the filter and the 6 or eight quarts of fluid which come out of the pan with it every 35K to 45K miles.

Since I've started doing this, all my transmission troubles have magically gone away, for some strange, unexplainable reason.

 

I do mine every 30K. In times past when I didn't do it I'd burn the fluid and clutch packs up. Now that I change it every 30K the trans have been lasting me a long time

 

My theory is
Change tranny fluid or change the tranny when it burns up

 

my 2 cents is. If you buy a vehicle brand new, change the fluid as recommended in the manual, or every 35k-45k like rivereye said. If you buy the vehicle used with over 100k, I'd be worried bout changing it. If it had never been changed before, and you change the fluid, it could cause problems. Don't ask me how it can cause problems, just everytime I've seen it changed for the first time after 100k, problems arose fast, maybe it's just coincidence. And for me when the tranny burns up, gives me an excuse to build it bulletproof. Of course it would burn up at the worst time. i voted to change it, i'm a walking contradiction.

 

There are horror stories about transmission fluid changes... but those are mostly isolated from what I have seen over my 2 years on the forum.
I say change at regular intervals, even if it has over 100k miles on it.

 

I agree on changing, I just did it with a motor change, 150k probably never changed, thankfully I was able to drain converter and renewed both front input and rear tail seals too as both were leaking.

 

Thanks for all the responses... I just hit 50K and think I am ready for a flush!!!!

 

Please tell how you did the drain plug. I like the idea but the only thing Is the metal shavings that MIGHT fall into the pan and is caught by the magnet pad!!