2000 Buick Century Trans Fluid change

[JimmyJohns]

Hey folks, I'm making a duplicate post here to see if I can get some more opinions on what I should do.

My mother owns a 2000 buick century with 85k miles on the clock, and approximately 2 years ago prior to her owning the car, someone replaced the transmission lines, so I can assume this accounts for a couple quarts of fluid.

In an attempt to keep this car running as long as I possibly can, I wanted to change the ATF fluid on this. I'm going in assuming no one has ever changed the fluid, which is why I'm here. I've got 3 people lecturing me about what to do and not to do.


Here is an album showing the fluid on the dipstick
http://imgur.com/a/E5Z29


The fluid looks good to me, more used I should say, but definitely not brown or black. When driving, it doesn't slip, but when you goose her a little bit the 1-2 shift feels sloppy, very soft but not slipping. That being said, If I go through with this, then I'll be dropping the pan and reusing the gasket, replacing the filter, and rebuilding the accumulator with the transgo shift kit and throwing on the clamps for the lines going into the accumulator, and finally, topping her off with some maxxlife.


So, if you'd all be so kind, I'd like to hear some of your opinions on this. I apologize for a repeat post from a couple months ago, but when you have several people telling you that you're making a huge mistake, then you tend to get nervous.


If you guys need some different pictures or any other information to get a feeler for this, please let me know.

 

[Rolla07]

It looks pretty new to me. I wouldnt touch it personally as it looks fine. We cant assume that the trans issue has to do with the fluid alone, wonder if this was flushed prior to being sold to your mom?

 

[JimmyJohns]

The 4T65E has a common issue with the accumulator springs getting worn out, causing hard shifts or slow shifts, it's not a guarantee, but for how much the kit cost and how little work it requires, it's not a bad bet to take. It very well could have been flushed/changed prior to her ownership, last time I was under there it almost looked like one of the bolts on the pan was new, also not a guarantee, but somewhat comforting that someone was in there it looks. Makes me feel a bit better knowing someone else agrees on the fluid color.

Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to loosen the pan a bit and let a little drain to see how it'll treat us, but usually the dipstick is a good indicator.

The best part is, these people telling me I'm wrong, the one guy changed the fluid on his auto 325i at 130k+ miles when the fluid was black, and he lost reverse which just ended up being a solenoid. The other guy changed the fluid on his 525 at 110k miles and he's all good. Which makes me scratch me head at the hypocrisy

/endrant

 

[Kestas]

The color on the dipstick can be misleading. Transmission fluid doesn't get as dark as motor oil. It might look fine on the dipstick, but you'll appreciate how dark it is when you dump out the bulk.

 

[JimmyJohns]

Fair enough, so I guess you won't really know until you pull the pan.

Here's another album with the dipstick and a tissue to better highlight the color, even though that may not matter.

That little bit of darkness on the tissue itself did come off the dipstick the first time I wiped it off, I'm not sure if that is a bad indicator.


http://imgur.com/a/zCjzG

 

[SatinSilver]

I wouldn't do a flush on it since that may stir up who knows what and potentially cause some debris to clog something up. For instance one of the many small internal passages being plugged up, worse case scenario. One of the reasons Honda doesn't recommend flushes, only drain and fills.

So do a drain and fill only to freshen things up. The fluid doesn't wear out only the additives do. Maybe add a Dorman trans pan with a plug to do easier drain and fills.

 

[JimmyJohns]

I agree, no flush, filter change and a drain and fill was what I was planning on.

 

[SatinSilver]

Does the pan have a drain plug at the bottom of it?

 

[JimmyJohns]

sadly no, I would love to just drain a pint to get a good idea of how it looks. If my buddy does the service, I'm going to tell him to loosen the bolts on one side and try to let no more than a quart drain and see how the fluid looks

 

[Kestas]

At this point you don't know how long the fluid has been in there. It may be the original fluid. The pan may be loaded with fine debris from break-in and wear. Make sure your plan takes that into account. Any used car I buy has all its fluids and filters replaced as a starting point for future maintenance, unless it has records.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Get the Dorman pan with the drain plug

 

[JimmyJohns]

Car was bought at 78k miles from an old man who couldn't drive anymore, and my mother drives like a grandma. I can assume, but no promise, that the trans was not beaten on. But I am indeed going into this with the assumption that it is the original fluid. Most of the horror stories I've heard about fluid changes is when people do a fluid flush. I wanted to do it when we first got the car, but I got cold feet, and since have put on under 9k miles.


I know you can't say for certain what will, or will not happen, but if you owned this car, what would you do assuming it had the original trans fluid?

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: JimmyJohns
I know you can't say for certain what will, or will not happen, but if you owned this car, what would you do assuming it had the original trans fluid?


The exact same thing I mentioned earlier about 6 posts up. Drop the pan and replace with the same amount that drains out. It will be the most gentle method to the trans. You want a slow, gentle cleaning with the new additives that are introduced.

It reminds me of the aquarium that I used to have that called for draining about 20% of the water out and new water added. However, if you added all new water to the aquarium the fish would probably die from the shock. But you could replace 20-25% of the water every 24 hours until the water was clear.

 

[Nick1994]

You've got a good plan. MaxLife and the shift kit and you should be fine. Although I'd get the Dorman pan with the drain plug as well.

 

[JimmyJohns]

It makes perfect sense to me, apologies for being somewhat ambiguous with my questions. I'll proceed as planned then, and change it again in maybe 10k, 20k miles?

 

[Dave Hess]

Every 30K is fine.

 

[JustinH]

I would drop the pan and replace the filter, and clean up the pan, and put new fluid in there.

How long does she plan to keep this car? May not be worth it to buy a dorman kit, I know that the body rust kills cars up there.

 

[R18Civic]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Get the Dorman pan with the drain plug

Get the ZZP Aluminum Pan with cooling fins.

 

[R18Civic]

Get the ZZP Aluminum Pan with cooling fins instead of the Dorman pan with the drain plug. Anyone who drains the fluid and doesn't change the filter is a [censored] idiot.

Originally Posted By: JustinH
I would drop the pan and replace the filter, and clean up the pan, and put new fluid in there.

How long does she plan to keep this car? May not be worth it to buy a dorman kit, I know that the body rust kills cars up there.


Grab the Dex VI, 100k mile change intervals and I'm assuming it's a 4T65E so dropping the pan a filter removes about 7.2qts.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

@Hemisphere, it seems that the ZZP pan for the 4T65E has a magnetic drain plug