How hot is hot, and how cold is cold?
Sealed transmissions.
- Thread starter redbone3
- Start date
Ya got me... But I am lousy at following directions. I am getting a little better, though...
The average consumer has ZERO NEED to check the fluid in a sealed system- and does not change the fluid themselves. The condition of the fluid can be changed under the "severe schedule" in the owners manual. The average vehicle owner (if vehicle is purchased new) will pay to have the fluid changed a maximum of two times during ownership, most once. The sealed transmission in my wife's Hyundai was also a PITA and I had an independent change it using Maxlife. Lamenting a lack of a dipstick is a DIY BITOG "thing".
When I changed the fluid/filters in the Versa CVT a few weeks ago it had 29993 miles. The fluid in it wasn't black but wasn't far from it. New fluid color was a light green or light blue I don't recall which.
Not looking forward to the day when i service the 13 sonata. No dip stick, and a "sealed" unit with only a bolt you remove to drain, and a "inspection" port you use to fill the fluid up to... Hyundai wants $350 from what i remember for this service..
The Elantra on the other hand was a walk in the park. It has a dip stick, that is clearly marked and a drain bolt on the pan, with a removable pan if you wanted to clean the magnets and change the filter.. Very nice design.
The Elantra on the other hand was a walk in the park. It has a dip stick, that is clearly marked and a drain bolt on the pan, with a removable pan if you wanted to clean the magnets and change the filter.. Very nice design.
As long as there are two plugs, everything is fine. Rear diffs, transfer cases and front diffs don’t have dipsticks. ( I don't care about the odd exception). As for the weird temperature related issues on some, yes, it’s a PITA, but quit changing your tranny fluid every year! 
After doing my non-sealed transmission a couple of times, I'm not sure I dislike the "sealed" one. The problem? ironically--the dipstick! Small tube so it pours a bit slow, but worst part was the slow drain time on the dipstick tube. I would pull the dipstick and wipe, put in, and there'd be ATF on the entire stick. Ok if I knew what came out so I could put the same back in, but made me wish for a separate fill port all the same.
Yup done this nine times on the Hyundai no problems. Drained it hot a couple times as well, volume of fluid wasn't measurably different, I always get exactly a hair over 3.5 qts or halfway between 3.5 qts and 3.5L on my measuring jug, hot or cold.
So, when the car gets old and develops a minor transmission leak, instead of being able to quickly and easily check the fluid level you'll find out when the transmission burns out.
Thanks, but no thanks. To me this is just another in a long list of reasons to stick with older models.
Thanks, but no thanks. To me this is just another in a long list of reasons to stick with older models.
Dollar stores usually sell graduated plastic pitchers that can be used (I do) and a piece of masking tape can be attached to temp mark the level...
I have one from Ace Hardware from the paint department. Wasn't much.
Here's a how the Koreans do ATF d&F on 6 speed AT 2013 Sonata without dipstick.
He did 5 times D&F for $50 (20 liter can).
I drained/refilled 2018 Camry transmission with the same volume that came out. Only has 47,000 miles. With the front end lifted, and at room temp with the car not driven for two days and the replacement fluid on the floor in front of the car in the same garage, the same volume that came out was replaced. Actually came out to 3.3 quarts...a bit more than I expected. I guess raising the front end helped get a bit more out. I've done this on other Toyota 8 speeds and only got 2.75 quarts out. Put in Valvoline Maxlife ATF. I figure if I do this every 50,000 miles or so, I'll get rid of the car prior to having any transmission problems...no way to know for sure, but, it's what I deem to be reasonable, I had the washers, and I like to tinker.
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