Originally Posted By: JTK
Was it changed prior to the 109K mile point?
By the looks of the fluid at that time, I doubt it. the fluid was very dark. not burnt, just a lot of PM suspended in the fluid.
Originally Posted By: BrianF
Change it if you like but if it was changed at that previous mileage I would not say its a rush. 2000 pounds is not a transmission busting weight. Just do a quick fluid exchange and leave the filter if it was changed prior.
not real worried about the weight. a few years ago I hauled our pop up out there with my v8 explorer. the hills are surprisingly steep. some are much steeper than you would find on the interstate, a few approach 10% I would guess. with the explorer, I locked it into 2nd gear and held 3,000 rpm up and down the hills for the last 15 or 20 miles of the drive.
I know it will work some, that's all. even when I'm not hauling a camper, I usually make the last stretch of the drive in 3rd, just to eliminate shifting.
filter was not changed at 109k and would not be changed this time either. According to the guys that design them, if the filter is plugged it is because the trans has failed. they don't filter enough to worry about changing during a lifecycle (250k).
Originally Posted By: Kira
OP said, "Fluid looks good...". What exactly does that mean?
Get 2 identical 1/2 oz. containers and draw off a tiny sample now and again after your trip? See if there's a discernible difference.
it looks better than it did at 109k
if I had a good way of sampling it I would do just that, though.
Originally Posted By: OilyWaterMIXER
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Change it.
Drain and fill. Dont flush.
they guy I go to uses a BG fluid exchange machine. it uses the cooler lines to do the exchange. out with the old, in with the new. no pressure involved. I'm comfortable with the process as I've had 4 or 5 transmission serviced by this shop using this machine. He also uses a full synthetic (BG, I assume) multi-vehicle fluid. Again, with the number of transmissions I've had done, I'm comfortable with the fluid choice too.
I'm just hung up on the miles, I guess. that 50-60k range is where I like to be for a service interval. that and I've been beating the tar out of it with our travel trailer. the pop up will be a cake-walk by comparison.
I'll probably ask my guy to do it and let him talk me out of it
he's good about not taking your money just to take it. he's told me several times to wait on stuff if he thinks it is not really needed at that time.
if I were going to do this in my driveway, I'd use Amsoil OE. but I don't think I have time to mess with it.
thanks for all the input!
keep 'em coming