Transmission Service

[92saturnsl2]

My '01 Frontier has a drain plug which I've used to do fluid changes every 30-60k with Mobil 1 Synthetic.

Most vehicle I hear of have to drop the pan, clean the magnet off, filter change, etc. Should I be doing any of this on my vehicle, or is it unnecessary? The owners manual has no recommendation for ATF fluid/filter change, just to check the level periodically.

 

[KLowD9x]

Not necessary.

I have never dropped the pan on any of my vehicles (because that would involve dropping the subframe, and I am lazy) just to clean a magnet.

Keep the fluid changed and you will be good to go!

 

[exranger06]

At 120k miles, yes I would drop the pan. I dropped the pan on my Explorer at about 140k miles and there was a thick layer of sludgy junk on the pan and the magnet had tons of material stuck to it. Definitely good to clean that out.

 

[tig1]

My Fusion has the same setup as your Frontier. I just drained the pan and then refilled the 3 1/2 Qts. I have a filter and plan to change it next spring at about 50,000 miles.

 

[jcwit]

There is an awful lot of vehicles out there that have never seen ANY kind of transmission care and have passed 200,000 miles. I personally know of a Geo Metro with 200,000 miles running dark fluid and doing just fine.

However after saying the above I would think a filter change and mag. clean-up would probably be a good idea at around 100,000 miles. The drain and fill is a REAL good idea, deffintly a good idea.

BTW how many miles are on the vehicle.

 

[StevieC]

My transmission has a lifetime filter/screen that doesn't need to be removed according to the manual. The transmission has a drain plug which I remove to drain the fluid. I clean the drain plugs magnet and put it back in.

 

[bepperb]

I have the same setup, I plan on dropping the pan at around 100,000 miles. It's twelve bucks for the gasket, but I doubt I'll find much. My "filter" is only a screen, nothing to change, but the curiosity will push me to do it.

I guess my vote is "unnecessary."

 

[PT1]

If you have a serviceable filter. I would change it at 50k intervals. If not, drop the pan at 100k and clean it once. But I would do cooler line fluid exchanges.

 

[StevieC]

I'm over 120K miles (200K KM) and I could care less. The transmission is shifting beautifully and isn't leaking. Not touching it! Fluid comes out clean because I change it regularly.

 

[tig1]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have heard that if a transmission filter gets clogged it becomes harder for the pump to push fluid through the transmission and pre mature pump failure can occur. Any truth to this?

 

[KLowD9x]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have heard that if a transmission filter gets clogged it becomes harder for the pump to push fluid through the transmission and pre mature pump failure can occur. Any truth to this?


Probably so, but for the record, neither of the vehicles in my signature have a filter. Can there be that much stuff getting stuck in a filter?

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have heard that if a transmission filter gets clogged it becomes harder for the pump to push fluid through the transmission and pre mature pump failure can occur. Any truth to this?
True... But the transmission fluid has to be severely abused and over used and contaminated with metal filings and/or the transmission have internal problems causing excess metal debris.

If a transmission is kept cool and the fluid changed regularly the transmission should never fail unless of poor design.

I have seen transmission with screens (filterless) go 300K+ miles (480K KM) without issue.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: KLowD9x
Originally Posted By: tig1
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have heard that if a transmission filter gets clogged it becomes harder for the pump to push fluid through the transmission and pre mature pump failure can occur. Any truth to this?


Probably so, but for the record, neither of the vehicles in my signature have a filter. Can there be that much stuff getting stuck in a filter?
It's a very fine screen that just prevents the debris from going through the pump and causing failure. The screen doesn't trap the metal on purpose and retain it like a filter would do, this is the job of the magnet and the fluid/fluid changes.

 

[tig1]

StevieC,
Cool. Thanks for that info. Learn something new every day.

 

[StevieC]

Glad I could help... I was surprised when dad & I rebuilt our first transmission to use this system. You want to see the debris found on the internal magnets. Just shows you how much the conventional filters would hold if were to have one and why it's so important to change these filters if equipped.

In a way this system is better because the pump always gets the same amount of oil and never starves because of a clogged filter because there isn't one.

 

[92saturnsl2]

I'm not even sure my vehicle employs a filter. I'm guessing it's a screen, because I've never heard of filter replacements even on the Nissan forums.

Here's the picture of what Autozone shows as filter ($19.99) for this vehicle. Can anyone tell from the picture whether this is a screen or a traditional filter?

 

[StevieC]

Yup, that's a screen, and if it's like mine it's behind the valve body and solenoids and a PITA to change. IMO that is why it is a "lifetime" filter.

If you don't have a CEL or poor shifting, just change the fluid.

 

[tomcat27]

go to an auto store and take a look at the filter - if it has normal media in it, then I would change the filter every other fluid change. so around 60k for your schedule. unless you tow - then bump that up a little. for the record, most transmission pumps pull the fluid up from the sump through the filter and then into the pump. after 100k, clutch material can make a mess in a pan - of course anyone that changes fluid gets alot of that stuff outa there. I actually serviced a cavalier with shifting problems due to a clogged filter. once the fluid and filter was changed, everything was good.

Nissans probably use an Aisan Warner transmission. If so, you have one of the best automatics on the planet. they make transmissions for Range Rover, Toyota, Lexus, some Jeep XJ's.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: tomcat27

Nissans probably use an Aisan Warner transmission. If so, you have one of the best automatics on the planet. they make transmissions for Range Rover, Toyota, Lexus, some Jeep XJ's.


Nissan uses Jatco AT's. Most, if not all Jatcos don't spec a serviceable filter, but do have a removeable stamped steel pan, so there's probably a filter/screen in there, but I'd leave it & stick with the nice easy drain/fills. Typically there's screens in the fluid passages and solenoid inlets as well.

Joel

 

[jorton]

Originally Posted By: PT1
If you have a serviceable filter. I would change it at 50k intervals. If not, drop the pan at 100k and clean it once. But I would do cooler line fluid exchanges.


DIY cooler line fluid exchanges. That's what I started doing last year. Why go to second base when it's so easy to hit a home run?