Importance of changing trans fluid.

[R18Civic]

Just thought I'd drop by and share Mr experiences after a fun filled day of working on vehicles.

I changed a leaking trans cooler line and did a drain & fill with filter replacement.

The condition of the fluid surprised me. It was changed twice at 42k due to me over filling it he first time, now again 75k miles later and things were looking better than they did the first time I changed it. Aside from a negligible amount on the magnet, there was absolutely NO METAL SLUDGE/PARTICLES in the pan. A very fine film in some areas, nowhere near as much as would be expected for nearly 120k, also shifts like it's brand new. No more of that slip and jolt into gear.

Fluid condition was one or two shades darker than the new fluid looks like straight from the bottle.

At this rate the trans will last me 250k-300k with minimal issues.

 

[JC1]

What vehicle is this? Wonder if the filter trapped must of the gunk.

 

[Donald]

If you want it to really last, install a Magnefine inline filter. And synthetic ATF.

 

[RichardS]

It's just as important to service transmission fluid as it is any other fluid in your car. While I freely acknowledge that the fluid in a transmission, PS system, coolant, and brake fluid, likely isn't beaten at hard as engine oil, I also don't trust that it doesn't degrade with age and usage.

The CVT in our dodge doesn't require fluid service unless it's used "as a taxi", but I fail to see how driving in traffic for 2 hours a day can be so much gentler than driving for 6-8 hours a day. I suppose the extended periods of operating temperature would cause more thermal breakdown, but $60 in fluid is cheap insurance for a $6k unit.

Buick specs 50K mile intervals for severe duty, when used in ambient temperatures above 90 degrees (which is normal here for Florida summers) or 100k otherwise.

 

[R18Civic]

Originally Posted By: JC1
What vehicle is this? Wonder if the filter trapped must of the gunk.


I wondered the same, but when I flipped it to drain it the fluid that came out looked brand new as well.

 

[R18Civic]

And it's a 2009 Buick Lacrosse. 4T65E trans.

 

[01rangerxl]

Yes, regular changes do make a difference. I think doing the first change early on makes a big difference.

My 2002 Ranger with a 5R44E has had regular fluid changes at least every 30K miles for its entire life, mostly through the cooler lines. I dropped the pan for the first time around 148K and it was spotless, with just a thin coating of very fine material on the magnet. The filter looked good too...it's not just a screen, and the material was still reddish tan in color, not grey or black. Still shifts great now at nearly 200K.

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

Looks like you got the "golden" 4T65E - lucky you!

Just don't decide to tow anything with it or fortunes can change!

LOL

 

[JTK]

I would agree that an ATF change at some point in a vehicle's first ~3yrs/36K miles seems to remove the most solids and turns the ATF back to it's OEM color. It's hard to believe that doesn't help it's longevity. Does doing one or two additional ATF changes over the life of the unit help even more? Who knows. That's about impossible to quantify.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: Hemispheres
And it's a 2009 Buick Lacrosse. 4T65E trans.


Hopefully, TSB# 08-07-30-040B was done and the Sonnax 84532-01k differential tube retainer was installed when the pan was down. I didn't see the diff tube retainer in your pic. These are cheap things to do which might help you get to 250k.An auxilliary cooler will help too.

 

[R18Civic]

Originally Posted By: i_hate_autofraud

Looks like you got the "golden" 4T65E - lucky you!

Just don't decide to tow anything with it or fortunes can change!

LOL


Lets hope, The first year I had it I spun tires everytime it rained. Based on the amount of sludge from my first drain and fill I was expecting to have lost first gear by now.

Originally Posted By: Lubener
Originally Posted By: Hemispheres
And it's a 2009 Buick Lacrosse. 4T65E trans.


Hopefully, TSB# 08-07-30-040B was done and the Sonnax 84532-01k differential tube retainer was installed when the pan was down. I didn't see the diff tube retainer in your pic. These are cheap things to do which might help you get to 250k.An auxilliary cooler will help too.


Just checked it out. The bulletin says to replace the factory square magnet with the updated disc shaped one. I've had the disk shaped one in my pan since I dropped the pan the first time in 2013, which means fluid was changed once before I got it. Definitely makes me feel better.

 

[Lubener]

It calls for a second one stuck on the filter. I didn't see the clamp on your pic. The tubes fall out and starve the differential of fluid. Another engineering marvel from GM.

 

[R18Civic]

Judging from how clean the pan, magnet and filter were there is no need for 3 magnets. There was a fine silt on the pan, and a thin layer of silt on the magnet and top of the filter.

The lube tube issue doesn't concern me due to one simple fact:

"The flexible hose for the differential lube tube line softens as temperature increases in the 4T60-E and 4T65-E units, causing pressure in the line to blow the steel tube out of the accumulator cover, resulting in loss of critical lube oil.
The Sonnax differential lube tube retainer kit 84532-01K clamps the lube tube securely in place, preventing loss of critical lube oil."

One: The transmission fluid would have to get [censored] hot to warp or contort that tubing, and two: A quick google search shows a [censored] of a lot more results for the repair kit than the actual issue, so it must not be prevalent.

Either way when I drop the pan again in another 50-60k I'll buy the kit and extra magnets.

 

[Whimsey]

We changed the ATF totally early on, every 25,000-30,000 miles with a pan drop and filter change. At 176,000 miles my mechanic said it's so clean just do the pan drop and filter change, no drain plug on the transmission, not a total fluid exchange with the pan drop and filter change. At 194,000 miles it shifts great, like new. The vehicle is a 2005 V-8 Explorer. We intend to keep this vehicle for as long as possible so spending $600 to $700 for ATF changes over 12 years versus ~$5,000 for a new transmission is a bargain.

Whimsey

 

[R18Civic]

My reasoning exactly, I spent 17k on this car. Not only do I love it, but it's an investment so I take care of it, not just the engine.

 

[CharlieBauer]

Originally Posted By: Whimsey
We changed the ATF totally early on, every 25,000-30,000 miles with a pan drop and filter change. At 176,000 miles my mechanic said it's so clean just do the pan drop and filter change, no drain plug on the transmission, not a total fluid exchange with the pan drop and filter change. At 194,000 miles it shifts great, like new. The vehicle is a 2005 V-8 Explorer. We intend to keep this vehicle for as long as possible so spending $600 to $700 for ATF changes over 12 years versus ~$5,000 for a new transmission is a bargain.

Whimsey


Good plan.

I got my ATF from Autozone for $1 a quart and do a dipstick drain and fill every 10k miles.

12 years of ATF maintenance will cost me about $50!