1992 Geo Prizm Auto Trans Fluid Never Changed

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JasonK94Z

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I just purchased a 1992 Geo Prizm 3 speed automatic car with 248k miles for $500 as a daily commuter for carpool for 5 days every 3rd week. This car is just a Toyota Corolla with Geo badges. The car runs great! Does not use oil, runs strong, quiet like a sewing machine, etc., it just leaks oil
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Anyways, the transmission fluid is brown. Do I dare change it along with the filter by dropping the pan? It shifts great by the way. I'm scared of breaking up varnish and clogging up the coolant lines thus burning the transmission up.
 
I would leave it alone. I have heard of auto transmissions going 300K+ miles with no fluid change. I might also talk to a toyota mechanic and see what they would suggest.

If the trans goes I think this should be something a junk yard would have on hand.
 
Well, you're going to get several viewpoints.

Oil Leak: Put some Maxlife in if it doesn't leak too much.

Trans: If you're going to keep/rely on this car, yes, change the fluid & filter.

Good luck!
 
I was once told that if it is broken, and you change it, it will only make things worse. Where if it works fine, and you change it you will be fine and the shifting will get better.

I had the transmission fluid and filter changed on my Taurus at 98,000. The difference was night and day. SO MUCH BETTER after it was changed. New fluid while scraping all the stuff out of there did wonders.

I just got a free truck from my father in law, a 98 ford F-150, that I plan on changing out here soon, it has 101,000 miles on it.
 
I was looking at getting a cheap commuter car awhile back and looked at purchasing a Prism awhile back. I looked at three and each one had a rear main seal leak ... since I wasn't able to fix it myself, I never made the purchase.

As for your tranny fluid, that is a tough one for sure. I definitely wouldn't do a flush, but maybe a drain and fill, since that only replaces a certain percentage of the fluid anyway. My $.02.
 
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
does it have the original timing belt too?


The guy I bought it from bought the car from his uncle who purchased it brand new.
The last 100k miles of the 248k has seen no maintenance at all except for an alternator. Just 3k mile oil changes with regular Penzoil 10w-30.

As far as we know, the timing belt has never, ever been changed. I swear to God! I am shopping a timing belt, tensioner, water pump kit right now on Ebay.
 
The 93 Corollas did (have a drain plug on the tranny pan. I would drain and refill every few oil changes to get more of the new stuff in there.
 
I'd either change it a couple of quarts every oil change or leave it alone. If you leave it alone youll probably have to replace the trans at 300,000 though. As far as having all original parts that is not uncommon for these cars. I have a 97 with 142,000 miles and the only thing Ive had to replace is a starter and a bad pulley. These cars will go 300,000 easy.
 
I would install a Magnefine filter ($20) and drain and refill the pan with some Supertech ATF that is speced for your car. The Magnefine will catch most of the crud loosened by new ATF. I would drain and refill the pan a few times going 500-1000 miles in between. My guess is the ATF will stay red after a few changes. I am pretty sure you have a drain plug that takes a large allen wrench.
 
This all sounds great. I will pull the drain plug and replace what comes out with new fluid.

I noticed this morning that there is a slight shudder when it changes to 2nd gear and you are accelerating. I may be just paranoid, but that seems like the trans to me. Of course it has never had a tune up either, so who knows.
 
Agree that several drain/refill cycles is your best bet.
(IMO, you really should do something! )

After a few rounds, drop the pan and change the filter, too.
 
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Do some drain and fills is my suggestion. The Maxlife Dexron/Mercon fluid would be my first choice. I'm guessing that about 3 qt will drain each time. If the first drain and fill is a nonevent go ahead and do one every 2K or so till the fluid is clean and clear.
 
I'm still undecided about all this. I get mixed reviews everywhere I ask.

I'm sorry guys. I guess I'm scared because I did this once on a 74 Monte Carlo that I got from my parents when I turned 16. The car was 16 yrs old too with 63k miles. My dad had used it to tow a 21 foot boat for several years too. The fluid was never changed, so I took it upon myself to have the pan dropped and change the fluid. 2 weeks later, the transmission burned up.

I just put 16 hours of work into removing the severe oxidation from the paint, shampood the interior, repainted the bumpers, etc. I'd like to drive this thing for a couple of years.

Not changing it is driving me crazy! Thinking about changing it scares me however. I'm worrying like an old lady over here LOL. What to do, what to do?!?!
 
I would introduce new fluid very slowly 1-2 quarts at a time by drain fill or fluid extractor. If it has a replaceable filter then I would replace it and clean the pan after I replaced about 1/2 of the fluid.
 
Originally Posted By: JasonK94Z
I'm still undecided about all this. I get mixed reviews everywhere I ask.

I'm sorry guys. I guess I'm scared because I did this once on a 74 Monte Carlo that I got from my parents when I turned 16. The car was 16 yrs old too with 63k miles. My dad had used it to tow a 21 foot boat for several years too. The fluid was never changed, so I took it upon myself to have the pan dropped and change the fluid. 2 weeks later, the transmission burned up.

I just put 16 hours of work into removing the severe oxidation from the paint, shampood the interior, repainted the bumpers, etc. I'd like to drive this thing for a couple of years.

Not changing it is driving me crazy! Thinking about changing it scares me however. I'm worrying like an old lady over here LOL. What to do, what to do?!?!

this is a personal decision only you can make their is no "right answer," and alot of gray area.
if the car is still nice and not a beater i personally would go the slow replacement route, but remember if it grenades after the fluid change it was bad anyway! mike
 
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