Auto Trans Filter is not serviceable. Questions.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Nov 11, 2009
Messages
35
Location
Ellensburg, WA
I have a 1999 Suzuki Esteem and the transmission filter is not serviceable. Suzuki says there is a filter but it is not serviceable (to get to the filter the transmission must be removed and the case opened), even though the maintenance schedule says to change fluid and filter every 60,000mi. The transmission has no pan, only a drain plug. To access the filter the transmission must be removed and the case cracked open.

I am hoping that this car can get me and my wife through college. I would like to ask you guys if you would do anything different other than change the fluid with the recommended DexIII. The tranny only holds 5-6 quarts and you get a little less than half of that from the drain plug. It has been my experience that many of these small japanese cars, w/automatics, often experience premature transmission failure.

I have contemplated running a high-end synthetic transmission fluid but I would also like to here a few other opinions. The car has 130,000mi. on it now and the transmission operates flawlessly. I would like to keep it that way as long as possible. If I did switch to a synthetic would I need to flush the lines?

If it helps the car mainly sees 10 or more short 1-2 mile trips daily and it never really warms up. It does see long 300mi. trips 1-2 times monthly as well.
 
Pick a synthetic atf and install a magnefine in-line filter. The internal filter in your transmission is merely a screen that you should never have to worry about. That being said, your transmission has hardly any filtration from the factory and the addition of a magnefine will greatly improve this. I wouldn't worry about a cooler since you live in washington state (I am from Issaquah/Plateau) and it rarely gets hot there. Also a synthetic fluid has much improved thermal capabilities compared to a conventional atf. Pick a reasonable OCI(15-30k should be adequate) and enjoy your car!
 
Last edited:
I would stick to what is working. Grab a decent DEXIII and do a couple of drain and refills. Ie. drain out what you can, measure it, add the amount drained and drive for a day or two then do it again. Three times if necessary. It has gotten you this far. Adding a synthetic now without a total line flush could be detrimental. If you can hook up a Magnafine great, but I really wouldn't worry too much.
 
Originally Posted By: AzFireGuy79
Pick a synthetic atf and install a magnefine in-line filter. The internal filter in your transmission is merely a screen that you should never have to worry about. That being said, your transmission has hardly any filtration from the factory and the addition of a magnefine will greatly improve this. I wouldn't worry about a cooler since you live in washington state (I am from Issaquah/Plateau) and it rarely gets hot there. Also a synthetic fluid has much improved thermal capabilities compared to a conventional atf. Pick a reasonable OCI(15-30k should be adequate) and enjoy your car!


X2. If you're worried about the filtration, a Magnefine is a very good choice.
 
I agree with the above, although I think regular fluid changes are more important than adding an external filter. It certainly won't hurt anything, so don't let me stop you, but keeping the fluid fresh is the best thing you can do for ANY automatic transmission or transaxle.

Repeat after me: "There is NO SUCH THING as 'lifetime fluid'".

With a reasonable change interval, you shouldn't *need* synthetic fluid...whatever the manufacturer recommends will be fine. If you have unusual operating conditions, which it sounds like you don't, then synthetic would be the way to go.
 
Originally Posted By: AzFireGuy79
Pick a synthetic atf and install a magnefine in-line filter. The internal filter in your transmission is merely a screen that you should never have to worry about. That being said, your transmission has hardly any filtration from the factory and the addition of a magnefine will greatly improve this. I wouldn't worry about a cooler since you live in washington state (I am from Issaquah/Plateau) and it rarely gets hot there. Also a synthetic fluid has much improved thermal capabilities compared to a conventional atf. Pick a reasonable OCI(15-30k should be adequate) and enjoy your car!


I agree with most of this except I would add that the Amsoil ATF says that 50K is the change they recommend for severe service. Otherwise they say 100K. With a magnifine that should be reasonable as long as you are not towing etc.

I ran it for 80K on my Dad's van with a magnifine and the fluid looked pretty darn good when I changed it. It still had a deep dark cherry red color. Mobil 1 ATF or something that is quality should be comparable....... I would flush out as much of the trans fluid as possible when switching over.

Good luck
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the input everyone. I think I am going to get a little more info on the in-line filter. It would be a easy install since the lines are easily accessible so if the price is reasonable it might be a fun project. Is there any negatives to a in-line filter?

Also, I have always wondered if cold operating temperatures had any negative effects on the tranny? During the summer the temps are extremely high since there is no cooler (and in the part of Washington State I live in we see hot summers). I am sure it is within normal operating temperature its just the only vehicle I've worked on where the trans fluid piratically burns you when you check it. But with these driving habits in the winter it very rarely reaches operating temp.

Take Care everyone.
 
If you run a good syn trans fluid you will have less negative effects than a non syn or partial syn fluid. In line filters are under $20. negative is they could plug up, but that would take a lot. They have a bypass though.
Keep in mind with a good syn fluid You will have better hi heat and low cold protection than any other type of fluid. If you don't tow and run a good syn fluid having that cooler becomes more and more unnecessary if it ever was needed in the first place.

The syn won't break down in the heat as much, will flow much better in cold temps, and will extend your drain intervals.
So even though it cost more you don't need to change it near as often and it protects better in marginal conditions.
 
If the trans filter, filters smaller material then a Magnafine, then isn't the magnafine pointless?
 
Ellensburg isnt what I would consider hot by any stretch. Certainly nothing approaching Phoenix and nothing special is needed here as far as transmissions go unless there is a design shortfall. Keep in mind many OEMs have proving grounds here and most of the cars and even some trucks do not have external transmission coolers. If you tow then it cant hurt, but for your application I would suggest the synthetic ATF of your choice and a magnefine.

Cold temps have really no negative impact on automatics besides making them possibly shift late or rough and thats more a function of the atf being a bit thick. It's not too common now thanks to the advent of low viscosity atf.

MarkM66- The factory filter does not filter more than the magnefine or any other auxillary filter for that matter. The OEM filter/screen is merely a "rock catcher" if you will. Some filter 200 microns and others(usually felt) are in the neighborhood of about 100 microns. Either way its to keep large debris out of the pump and rest of the system.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: MarkM66
If the trans filter, filters smaller material then a Magnafine, then isn't the magnafine pointless?



The Suzuki trans has only a non-serviceable screen (likely not much over 100u) and currently the best felt pan filters are at 60-80u. The Magnefine is at 35u, though the magnet picks up nearly all ferrous particles (up to 50% of the total amount of contaminants in the average automatic) thus rendering the efficiency higher.

FYI, the flow through the filter when in bypass is equal to line flow. This was a major part of OE (Ford/Chrysler) testing in the late '90s and early '00s when they were being certified.
 
Last edited:
Good point, Arizona is obviously much hotter and in comparison it probably wouldn't seem hot here at all. I have really only thought about the heat issue during the 8-10 weeks of summer that we commonly see daily highs well over 100 deg. I am actually referring to Wenatchee though, I have only lived in Ellensburg since September, and although they are both a steppe/desert climate, I hear people say that Ellensburg is typically much cooler.

I would never take the time to add a cooler on this car anyways but it has made me think about switching to a synthetic fluid and that's one of the reasons I made this post. It would be really nice to get my 3oo,ooo miles that I am hoping for with out throwing a transmission in it and even if that's a unrealistic goal I don't think it hurts to try.
 
Yeah ellensburg is definately cooler than wenatchee in the summer months. Honestly, baring design issues with your perticular transmission, I see no reason that you couldnt get 300K out of it. There are examples that go well beyond that(millionmilevan.com). From what I recall he had his ford vans transmission flushed every 30k or so using regular valvoline atf(they used a t-tech and no flush chemicals).

I run bypass filtration on all of my transmissions. For me it's the only way to roll, unless I can't fit the setup in the car in which case I use a magnefine. And I am a Redline Oil fan and have been for many years. I try to run only POE oils if I can(Redline and Motul). That being said I also like Amsoils ATF. My favorite for Dex III and Mercon V applications has got to be Redline D4. Really its hard to beat this stuff for its intended applications. Amsoil ATF would be a close second though. Just my 2 cents!
 
Last edited:
One thing to consider other than temperatures is running conditions . If you go on many trips into the mountains then the tranny can get pretty hot . I found this out about 6 years ago when on a trip through AZ in my Taurus going through all those mountain switchbacks , the oil was dark and fairly burnt by the time I got back to Ontario so oviously the tranny got pretty hot . Needless to say I did a service on it right away with conventional oil .

I put Amsoil AP ATF in the wifes' 07 Fusion this spring and it works great . Come next spring I'm going to do a flush and refil with the same ATF in the Taurus which has had 2 servicings since the AZ trip . It will have about 120,000 miles on it by then (200,000 km ) I'm sure the Amsoil AP ATF is overkill for my common driving conditions in this area as it's very flat with just slightly hilly conditions in some areas but I feel the extra cost is worth it in the long run
smile.gif
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top