Chevy Equinox 8T45 8-speed transmission question

[Learn Ya]

Hello. I currently own a 2021 Equinox 1.5 AWD with the 6T40 6-speed transmission. I plan to buy a new Enginenox next year, but I noticed that GM now uses the 8T45 8-speed in the latest AWD generation. Does anyone here have opinions/knowledge about this new transmission? Is it easy to service at home in my garage like the 6T40?

I have owned two vehicles with the 6T40 (2016 Malibu and 2021 'Nox) and they have been reliable and predictable beyond 100k miles. Plus, the 6T40 is easy to service at home. I have always performed two drain-and-fill fluid changes every 30k with full synthetic ACDelco brand Dex VI. Is there anything different about the new 8-speed? Thanks.

 

[Blang]

I believe it is essentially the same as the 9-speed auto (with one less ratio). I'd be very surprised if the service procedure is different at all from the procedure of the 6-speed and the 9-speed.

 

[MurkyAsparagus]

To my knowledge, it is the same as the 9-speed (9T60, 9T65) seen within the Traverse, Terrain, Blazer, Acadia, and other GM vehicles, with one less gear. The original 9-speed was codeveloped with Ford, but Ford decided to roll it out as an 8-speed instead in the Explorer. I have a Blazer, and can say with confidence that the 3rd to 4th gear shift is nearly useless, there's practically no shift that occurs.

If this is true, the service isn't horrible. I've done it twice now in two separate vehicles. Unmount the ECU from its bracket, unscrew the plastic fill cap on the top of the transmission, use an 11 mm socket to remove the super tiny drain plug, measure how much was taken out, replace or use PTFE on the drain plug, reinstall drain plug, put in the same amount of fluid as was taken out. I never checked the fluid level on the transmission. However, there is a level plug in the driver side wheel well that may be used. The transmission must be at somewhere in the range of 165 degrees F. I used a plastic funnel with a tube connected to the end with a hose clamp and Valvoline Dexron VI that I got on sale. I got out approximately 5.5 - 5.8 qts.

The biggest downside of this transmission is having a built-in inaccessible filter. I wish they would just add a dang filter that can be replaced.

However, I could be very much wrong on the transmission being the same. It's too new for me to tell without seeing one taken apart or in person.

 

[Learn Ya]

measure how much was taken out...put in the same amount of fluid as was taken out

That's how I do it. I have two identical 6-quart containers...one for clean fluid and the other for dirty. I just fill them up to the same level. I checked fluid level at the proper temperature after the first and second service. The level was perfect, so I will not check again unless I see a leak somewhere. Thanks for the info.

FYI: I found these 6-quart containers at Walmart.