When changing ATF

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My Versa note has a drain plug but the refill would be a PITA. It has one of the so called sealed CVT transmissions. On my F150 I do a drain and fill at least once a year. 4 qts. get changed out annually if not sooner. I put a Doorman pan on the truck with a drain plug on it. Love how it made the change out so much easier. I do a filter change every two years now.
 
Originally Posted by philipp10
Seems strange that the automobile companies provide a drain plug for your engine oil.....yet no drain plug for your transmission.....


My Fusion has one, and it's all I use to do my ATF change. Just one drain until it stops, and then add the exact same amount of fluid back in through the dipstick tube. Drive for 5-10 minutes, and then measure again and top off if needed. No siphon required.
 
Corollas have drain plugs.
1st change I do is pan off, clean magnets, bolt it back together and refill. Subsequent changes are drain and fill.
 
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You probably won't get anything siphoning from the dipstick
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The real answer is to get an aftermarket pan that has a drain plug
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I get about 50% of the ATF volume out via the dipstick tube by pumping on our vehicles, it pulls the level low enough below the pan bolt seam that no huge mess is made unbolting the pan, breaking the seal, and dropping the pan. I use one of those inexpensive little hand pumps found at big box stores and Harbor Freight.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/IIT-17544-Siphon-Transfer-Pump-Kit-with-2-50-Inch-Hoses/377252201

Works even on my wife's Mustang with 6R80 that has a dipstick shorter than the length of my finger.

FWIW I always replace the transmission filter when I change ATF.
 
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Originally Posted by Warstud
Originally Posted by philipp10
Seems strange that the automobile companies provide a drain plug for your engine oil.....yet no drain plug for your transmission.....

I never had a vehicle with a Tranny drain plug.

1997 Nissan Pathfinder has one
 
All the vehicles in my signature below have transmission drain plugs except the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It has besides the sump filter screen, a spin on type cooler filter.
 
Originally Posted by SirTanon
Originally Posted by philipp10
Seems strange that the automobile companies provide a drain plug for your engine oil.....yet no drain plug for your transmission.....


My Fusion has one, and it's all I use to do my ATF change. Just one drain until it stops, and then add the exact same amount of fluid back in through the dipstick tube. Drive for 5-10 minutes, and then measure again and top off if needed. No siphon required.


Our 2017 Explorer has that same transmission, the 6F35. But it doesn't have a dip stick, just the filler tube. So far I've been draining out 4 quarts cold and refilling with 4 quarts cold. I'm assuming it was filled correctly from the factory. I know you can get the transmission up to a specified temp and check through the "official" fill port on the transmission, but it's a real pain do do in my driveway and so far what I've been doing has been working just fine. the filter is not easily changeable, you have to remove the transmission and split the case open to do it. It's SO easy to do more frequent drain and fills to keep the fluid clean.

Whimsey
 
Originally Posted by philipp10
Seems strange that the automobile companies provide a drain plug for your engine oil.....yet no drain plug for your transmission.....


You know that guy who changes oil down at Jiify Lube? You don't want to confuse him with a second plug. He's having a hard enough time with one plug.
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Originally Posted by benjy
changing the filter IF POSSIBLE is very important as is new clean fluid with replenished additives, start early say every 30 thou, its cheap insurance compared to a tranny repair or replace $$$$$



I have gone well into the 100K mile range without changing the rock catcher and with no issues to date.
 
Originally Posted by cjcride
Corollas have drain plugs.
1st change I do is pan off, clean magnets, bolt it back together and refill. Subsequent changes are drain and fill.


Originally Posted by benjy
changing the filter IF POSSIBLE is very important as is new clean fluid with replenished additives, start early say every 30 thou, its cheap insurance compared to a tranny repair or replace $$$$$


This is pretty much what I have done with the 2006 Tacoma... got it with 40k, did drain/fills at 60k and 90k. At 120k I dropped the pan, cleaned it all up and replaced filter, refilled, no leaks and drives great
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Wasn't much gunk on the pan magnets, expected a bit more after 120k on the original filter/pan service. Now just drain/fills every 30k for the foreseeable future. Currently planning for the next drain/fill at 150k (currently 149k).

Originally Posted by philipp10
Seems strange that the automobile companies provide a drain plug for your engine oil.....yet no drain plug for your transmission.....


How about a vehicle with no drain plug on the differential... C4 Corvette. One of the few things about this car that makes me say "GAH!"
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