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Automatic flush

1K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  DickinFallsChurch 
#1 ·
My automatic transmission fluid hasn't been changed in 4 years (was only driven about 3,000 miles in the past 2 years) So this weekend while i was changeing the oil plugs cable's etc that it would be logical to change and flush the auto gear box.

Soooo....

What recomendations do people have here to flush the tranny? What flushing fluid should i use? what kind of auto tranny fluid should I replace my old stuff with? Anything i should be watching for while i do this?

Thanks.

--Jeremy
 
#2 ·
Go buy yourself about 12 quarts of good ATF fluid, type F only. Get the engine/tranny nice and warm. Remove drain plug and drain. You'll get about 3 quarts out. Replace plug and refill transmission. Start the car, put it through each of the gears for 30 seconds or so, or better yet, drive to the end of the block and back. Remove drain plug and do this routine again....and again...and again.

The transmission holds about 12 quarts but you'll only get about 3 out by draining, the rest is in the torque converter etc. By draining and refilling, you are diluting the old stuff with new so by the time you've gone through the routine about 4 times, it's virtually all new fluid.

Unless you're seeing some really nasty stuff coming out, I wouldn't bother with dropping the pan and cleaning the filter.
 
#5 ·
cdaly said:
Different final drive reservoir. I put some really thick gear oil in there 'cos of a loud whine {it was already empty when I went to drain it!...}.
thanks!

So basically it won't hurt the final drive just to stick gear oil in it? I take it my old transmission (170,000mi) would like that better?

--Jeremy
 
#6 · (Edited)
The Bentley manual specifies EP-80 gear oil for the final drive, with 10W-30 engine oil as an alternative. I use gear oil in our 900 auto final drive, because of its extreme-pressure (EP) properties.

Regarding your trans fluid, since it's only 4 years old and has seen very little miles, I wouldn't bother to change it.

*edit* I always buy fluids from Wal-Mart; best prices, and the quality is there because they have to meet the same specs as the name-brand ones. Wal-Mart has the Type F fluid for your trans, in quart bottles and in gallon containers.
 
#7 ·
Gurss it depends a bit on whether all the fluid was changed 4 years ago.
If so, I probably wouldn't worry about it as long as the level, color and smell are OK. If only part of it was changed last time, then go ahead and change just what comes out of the pan when you pull the plug--about 2.5 qts as I remember.
I've used 75W-90 synthetic gear lube in my final drives for many years. If it has been changed recently, just check the level.

If the power steering fluid hasn't been changed recently, that would be a good thing to do. Take out as much as you can from the reservoir, refill, drive enough to mix, repeat a couple more times.
 
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