My 1987 Ciera w/the 4t440 trans has only 53k miles and is still on the factory fill (with the exception of two quarts that I swapped out via the dipstick tube with a fluid extractor).
The fluid kinda looks like fresh motor oil with a reddish tint (pics below). It smells ok and I don't see any clutch material in it at all.
The question that I'm posing to you is, I know the whole thing about high mileage trans. oil and the whole debate on whether to change it or not if its never been done before, but what about NOT high mileage fluid but happens to be 26 years old???
Ive been doing one quarts swaps once a week two times for a total of 2 quarts being changed thus far. Next week, I'm gonna do two at once and then the same a week later, followed by a pan drop/filter change around mid-June.
My instinct tells me fresh fluid is a good thing, even though my mechanic told me not to touch the factory fill being that it's been there so long and the trans. will likely take a dump with new stuff (the "myth").
The idea is a safer (albeit slower) way to do a fluid exchange without hooking it up to a machine and a more gradual/gentle way to introduce fresh fluid to an old (but low mileage) transmission. I'm nervous about messing with the internal seals and clutch packs.
GM recommends in the manual to do a fluid/filter change @ 100k (seems too long IMO) unless it was under severe duty (towing, consistent high temps and /or taxi service), in which case @ 15k miles.
The crux of this is how much does age play a role rather than mileage?
I also must point out that she shifts perfect. In fact, since I swapped the two quarts for Castrol dex/merc, she shifts even smoother than before.
FYI, It was sunny out, causing the fluid to look a little brighter.
The fluid kinda looks like fresh motor oil with a reddish tint (pics below). It smells ok and I don't see any clutch material in it at all.
The question that I'm posing to you is, I know the whole thing about high mileage trans. oil and the whole debate on whether to change it or not if its never been done before, but what about NOT high mileage fluid but happens to be 26 years old???
Ive been doing one quarts swaps once a week two times for a total of 2 quarts being changed thus far. Next week, I'm gonna do two at once and then the same a week later, followed by a pan drop/filter change around mid-June.
My instinct tells me fresh fluid is a good thing, even though my mechanic told me not to touch the factory fill being that it's been there so long and the trans. will likely take a dump with new stuff (the "myth").
The idea is a safer (albeit slower) way to do a fluid exchange without hooking it up to a machine and a more gradual/gentle way to introduce fresh fluid to an old (but low mileage) transmission. I'm nervous about messing with the internal seals and clutch packs.
GM recommends in the manual to do a fluid/filter change @ 100k (seems too long IMO) unless it was under severe duty (towing, consistent high temps and /or taxi service), in which case @ 15k miles.
The crux of this is how much does age play a role rather than mileage?
I also must point out that she shifts perfect. In fact, since I swapped the two quarts for Castrol dex/merc, she shifts even smoother than before.
FYI, It was sunny out, causing the fluid to look a little brighter.
