Transmission Fluid Change - Should I or wait?

[Suprawill1]

Or do a double drain fill after driving around a bit in between if you like doing it yourself.


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That kind of confuses me. If you drain and fill, drive around and repeat, how do you know you're not dumping the half you just put in?

 

[Cruising68]

Technically you dump half of what you put in yes but it mixes with the old fluid. You change 50% then drive around and do another change of 50% gets you almost 70% fluid change. Yes a transfer service gets near 100%. For those of us that maintain our own vehicles and don’t like needlessly shelling out money, this is more than adequate imo. I change every 25k so I’ve pretty much got fresh fluid all the time.

 

[Suprawill1]

Technically you dump half of what you put in yes but it mixes with the old fluid. You change 50% then drive around and do another change of 50% gets you almost 70% fluid change. Yes a transfer service gets near 100%. For those of us that maintain our own vehicles and don’t like needlessly shelling out money, this is more than adequate imo. I change every 25k so I’ve pretty much got fresh fluid all the time.

Wish I had your diggs man! Got the tools and know how but no lift or appropriate area. I don't like needlessly shelling out that kind of money either. :-o

 

[Cruising68]

Wish I had your diggs man! Got the tools and know how but no lift or appropriate area. I don't like needlessly shelling out that kind of money either. :-o

Makes car life a lot easier for sure. I got tired of working on my back in the driveway as a youngster so I bought a tool company later in life. Good thing too, the older I get the harder it is to crawl around. Heck my hands are sore for two days sometimes after a day of playing mechanic.


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[Suprawill1]

Makes car life a lot easier for sure. I got tired of working on my back in the driveway as a youngster so I bought a tool company later in life. Good thing too, the older I get the harder it is to crawl around. Heck my hands are sore for two days sometimes after a day of playing mechanic.


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I guess your next purchase would be a private, in home mechanic! (nodding head)

 

[wifeys-ST]

Just did mine myself at 65k. I used 4 ramps, reversed up so the ramp wasn’t in my way. Harbor freight fluid extractor/dispenser and kevlar gloves. Trans shifts much smoother now and the fluid that came out was still red but it was pretty brown. I think it took right at about 6 qts with a new filter and pan drop. Dont trust the amazon filters, they don’t have a pickup mouth that extends down into the pan like the OEM. I personally dont trust others to properly do the job and get the fil level correct.

 

[EDWYER]

Just did mine myself at 65k. I used 4 ramps, reversed up so the ramp wasn’t in my way. Harbor freight fluid extractor/dispenser and kevlar gloves. Trans shifts much smoother now and the fluid that came out was still red but it was pretty brown. I think it took right at about 6 qts with a new filter and pan drop. Dont trust the amazon filters, they don’t have a pickup mouth that extends down into the pan like the OEM. I personally dont trust others to properly do the job and get the fil level correct.

How long did it take you?

 

[wifeys-ST]

How long did it take you?

It was my first time ever doing trans fluid so i was extra cautious, i think like 4 hours. Next time will probably take me 2.

you’ll need a way to torque to inch-lbs. i had a 1/4” drive inch pound torque wrench but realized i didnt have a 1/4” extension for half the bolts after i was reinstalling. so took me forever to estimate the torque spec on half the bolts with some jank drill bit adapters that didn’t lock together… that and my first time checking level and waiting for temps to rise to 190. Realistically 2 hours next time i do it.

 

[Gadgtfreek]

People have been debating this for two decades, and somehow the argument still lives on. Do I believe in “100k-mile” transmission fluid? Sure — if you don’t plan to own the car anywhere near 100k miles, lol.


If you trade every 3–4 years (like me), don’t sweat it. If I still have this one at 50k miles, I’ll let the dealer handle all the drivetrain fluids. Until then… drive it like you stole it.


That said, there are plenty of vehicles well past 100k miles running OEM intervals with no issues. We obsess — and that’s okay. I also replace my serpentine belts around 50–60k miles. Go ahead, judge me.

 

[EDWYER]

It was my first time ever doing trans fluid so i was extra cautious, i think like 4 hours. Next time will probably take me 2.

you’ll need a way to torque to inch-lbs. i had a 1/4” drive inch pound torque wrench but realized i didnt have a 1/4” extension for half the bolts after i was reinstalling. so took me forever to estimate the torque spec on half the bolts with some jank drill bit adapters that didn’t lock together… that and my first time checking level and waiting for temps to rise to 190. Realistically 2 hours next time i do it.