When to Change Your Car's Transmission Fluid

!±8± When to Change Your Car's Transmission Fluid

Your owner's manual may claim that you don't need to change the fluid in your automatic transmission. However, this is one area in which it pays to err on the conservative side. If you understand what happens to the fluid as it courses through your transmission, you'll appreciate why changing it can prolong the assembly's life. Given that the cost of overhauling or replacing a tranny can rise to ,500 or more, it's worth taking the time to check the level and quality of the fluid.

This article will explain why the ATF needs to be changed periodically, despite what your owner's manual may suggest. You'll learn how to check the fluid, and identify signs that indicate it has degraded past the point of serving its purpose. We'll also explain how to purchase the right type of ATF for your vehicle.

Why The Fluid Needs To Be Replaced

While you're on the road, your transmission generates friction among its moving parts. The torque converter, gears, clutches, bands, and other pieces, are in near-constant motion. The friction they cause generates a substantial amount of heat. This heat is the reason ATF degrades over tens of thousands of miles.

Most ATFs can tolerate temperatures up to 195 degrees Fahrenheit without suffering significant degradation. Under normal driving conditions, the temperature surrounding your tranny should stay well below this marker. As long as it does, the ATF can last 50,000 or more miles without needing to be replaced.

The problem is, most of us drive in conditions - even if only occasionally - that cause the temperature around the assembly to rise higher. For example, we might drive up inclines, at fast speeds, or while towing heavy loads. This can cause the temperature to rise to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, or higher. When this happens, the ATF undergoes oxidation. It breaks down, and loses its ability to lubricate the individual parts inside your transmission. At that point, if you neglect to change it, the assembly will eventually suffer damage.

This is the reason many technicians recommend replacing the fluid every 25,000 to 30,000 miles. If you regularly tow heavy loads, or drive in extreme conditions, change the ATF on an annual basis.

How To Check The Fluid

Most people are accustomed to checking their oil level with their engines turned off. When you check the transmission fluid, let your engine idle while the gear selector is in "Park."

You'll find the dipstick located near the oil dipstick. Have a paper towel handy. Withdraw the dipstick, and wipe it clean. Then, insert it back into its housing, and withdraw it again. You'll see two lines on the bottom end. One will be marked "Full"; the other will be marked "Add." If the level is at "Add" or below, put more ATF in the reservoir.

Take the opportunity to check the color and consistency of the fluid. Even though this can be done by looking at the dipstick, both qualities are easier to determine by placing a few drops on a clean surface. If the ATF has a reddish tint, and runs easily (similar to table syrup), it's in good condition. If the fluid has a brownish tint, and muddy consistency, it needs to be replaced.

Choosing The Right Fluid For Your Transmission

There are dozens of ATFs you can purchase. However, your car's transmission is designed to use a specific type. For example, Type CJ should be used in certain kinds of Ford transmissions; Chrysler 7176 is designed for that particular automaker's front-wheel drive vehicles; and Mercon V should be used in most Ford models built after 2000.

The important thing to keep in mind is that the wrong fluid can set the stage for premature wear and damage in your transmission. Look in your owner's manual to find the appropriate ATF for your vehicle. Stick closely to that type.

Don't neglect to periodically check the fluid in your automatic transmission, and change it if necessary. It is one of the least expensive ways to ensure the assembly lasts as long as possible.

When to Change Your Car's Transmission Fluid

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ENEOS ATF CS Fully Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid - 1 Quart, Pack of 6

!±8±ENEOS ATF CS Fully Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid - 1 Quart, Pack of 6

Brand : Eneos
Rate :
Price : $56.89
Post Date : Oct 30, 2011 16:00:35
Usually ships in 1-2 business days

ENEOS AT Fluid is a high-performance automatic transmission fluid (ATF) that meets General Motors DEXRON-III/V and all Ford MERCON standards. This versatile ATF can be used in both regular automatic transmissions and in transmissions with slip-lockup control systems. Blended from high-performance base oils and carefully selected additives, including friction modifiers, detergent-dispersants, oxidation inhibitors, viscosity index improvers, corrosion inhibitors, and defoaming agents, ENEOS AT Fluid is a well-balanced fluid for automobiles with automatic transmissions.

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Mercedes 126 Repair - Transmission Service

!±8± Mercedes 126 Repair - Transmission Service

The transmission in the Mercedes 126 is a very robust design, as one would expect. In its day, it was one of the best units available, which led Porsche to use it in the legendary 928. But as with all other systems on these cars, we should not let the reputation for longevity stop us from performing frequent services.

As a general rule of thumb, transmission fluid should be changed every 30,000 miles. Unlike modern cars, where the trend is to do away with service access ports altogether, these Mercedes transmissions allow us to drain not just the pan but also the torque converter. In other words, we can remove almost the entire fluid charge without resorting to such gimmicks as power flushes.

Whereas engine oil should be changed hot, transmission fluid is best changed when merely warm to protect the mechanic from a very real risk of scalding. The steps are as follows:

Drive the front of the car on to ramps or support on jack stands.
Make sure that the torque converter drain plug is accessible. Unless you have been very lucky, you will usually need to blip the engine on the starter to get the plug to come into view through the access hole. It can be "walked" the rest of the way with a large, flat-head screwdriver. It may also be necessary to remove the cross-member between the two front subframes ("dogbones"). The six retaining bolts have 17mm hex heads are are torqued to 45Nm.
Loosen the transmission pan drain plug with a 5mm hex socket, then allow the pan to drain into a suitable container. If possible, collect all the used fluid in one container and then measure it; this will help us dispense the right quantity when we refill.
When the pan has stopped draining, loosen the plug on the torque converter (same size as on the pan) and allow the torque converter to drain out. There is much more fluid here than in the pan.
When the two main flows have ceased, loosen the six bolts retaining the pan (13mm heads) and carefully remove the pan. Don't spill the remaining fluid all over yourself! Resist the temptation to wipe the innards with a shop towel: we don't want any pieces of lint in here.
Remove and replace the transmission filter, retained by Phillips-head screws.
Thoroughly clean out the pan with a lint-free cloth and replace the rubber gasket, ensuring a proper fit all the way around. Reinstall the pan, torquing the bolts gradually and evenly up to 10Nm. (The manual says 8Nm; a little more is fine. But please don't go overboard: these pans can be warped and they're not cheap.)
Replace both drain plugs, using new copper crush seals. Factory spec. is 14Nm, or about 10lbs/ft. Tight with a 3/8 drive works fine. If you removed the cross-member, replace it, being careful not to cross-thread the bolts.
(Optional) Crack open the trans cooler lines at the radiator (17mm wrench) and drain the small amount of fluid from this area. Replace the lines if their condition is dubious; they are not expensive. Retighten all connections.
Using a fine-mesh filter, add four quarts of fresh Dexron-Mercon transmission fluid (ATF) through the dipstick tube. If you can afford it, use synthetic fluid: it helps keep temperatures down by reducing internal friction, and heat is the number one enemy of automatic transmissions.
Start the engine and slowly add another three quarts.
Back the car off the ramps, run it through all the gears, pausing for a couple of seconds between each gear, then check the fluid level. You do not want to be over the minimum mark at this stage. Transmission fluid expands greatly when hot; the reference marks on the dipstick are calibrated for hot fluid. So it is o.k. to be half-an-inch or so below that mark while the fluid is cold.
Drive the car for about 20 minutes (yes, at least that much) to warm the fluid thoroughly. Transmission fluid takes longer to warm up than the engine oil or coolant and requires the friction of actual driving to get up to temperature. Check the fluid again on level ground. Make sure you don't leave any lint on the dipstick before replacing it in the tube. Any level between the marks is fine, but under no circumstances do we want to exceed the maximum level. If you need to add fluid, do so in very small increments and check again.

If you used synthetic fluid, you may notice that the shifts have become noticeably firmer. Compensate, if needed, by adjusting the modulator valve on the driver's side of the transmission. Turn the little key counter-clockwise until the shift quality is to your liking. Bear in mind that too much slip is bad for the internal clutches.

Mercedes 126 Repair - Transmission Service

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How Automatic Transmission Oil Has Evolved

!±8± How Automatic Transmission Oil Has Evolved

Once life and automobiles were both so simple and uncomplicated and times were good. The engine in your car was big and blocky and you saw instantly where the plugs were located. You could check hoses and fluids without disconnecting half the motor first. When you had to get gas, you had one or two choices and there was always someone there, smiling and filling the tank for you....and checking the oil. If you happened to need a little oil to top it off and you only had two types of oil that were available for all vehicles.

During this wonderful and not too modern, days in the past when you had to select one type of oil you would choose either Type A or Type F, depending on what you were driving. Automakers believed in simplicity then too. If you had a Ford and you knew how to spell the name, then you knew that you needed Type F oil. The Type oil pretty much covered any other machine requiring oil during those years.

Today there are shelves that display dozens of oils, a customer can walk into an auto store and find specific oil that has been created for almost every car company. If your car has an automatic transmission then it is critical that you know which of these oils your car requires.

If the wrong type of oil is added to an automatic transmission, it can create some shifting problems. Any problem involving shifting only heightens the stress of the gears. Far worse than a shifting problem, is the fact that you could end up damaging your transmission. There have been cars that had to have the entire transmission removed and a new one installed due to incorrect oil products.

The old Type A -transmission oil has undergone a complete transformation over the years and is now known as ATF or Dexron Automatic Transmission Fluid. ATF oil has gone through steady changes and improvements, but it remains a very dependable and quality car additive.

Type A Transmission Fluid was first marketed as Dexron and this product soon gave way to Dexron II .This changed once again to became Dexron IIE in the 90s.This version had extra performance enhancers which were used to improve the viscosity of the oil.

It was seen that the additions of enhancers were very useful for achieving better performance with the shifter and transmission solenoids. The shifter solenoids were computer controlled and the ones in the transmission were controlled by pressure. Later in the 90s, Dexron IIE was reformulated and introduced as Dexron III, which is the one that is presently used.

At least there is an easy answer to the query about which type of oil to use in many of today's automatic t transmissions. Regardless of the designation (II, IIE or III), Dexron III is available today for any vehicle that requires a Dexron formula. Dexron III can be substituted for any of its earlier relatives.

Dexron has become an industry standard for almost all of the automakers. The entire production line of General Motors cars and trucks require this type of oil. Even automobiles that are produced by foreign manufacturers use Dexron. This oil is also put into Fords and the Chrysler Vehicles that were made through 96. This multipurpose workhorse oil has even been used in power steering units and hydraulic machinery.

Ford autos and trucks up until 1996 were using the Type F oil but so were some other manufacturers. The addition of some special ingredients made Type F oil the perfect match to balance the friction created in the automatic transmission's clutch plates.

One of the cautions that came about the Type F oil was an alert for users so that they would become aware of the strength and concentration of this one oil. The added boosters to the Type F oil made it so strong that 1L of Type F could be added to 5 L of Dixon oil and all of the oil would have the characteristic qualities of Type F oil.

In some cars, the Type F oil would noticeably slow down and create a drag in the transmission's smoothly functioning gears. The gears would have to work harder to get the job done. Consumers need to be aware that the MERCON ATF and the Type F oil are not compatible at all.

Although Chrysler has always had their own ATF specifications, they have also listed Dexron oil as an acceptable replacement. That changed The Honda vehicles use engine oil for automatic transmissions in a number of their cars. There is an automatic transmission that is found in cars in Europe and Asia that only uses ESSO LT71141 or T-IV ATF. There are a number of synthetic oils that are being marketed today and you should always check for compatibility before using.

By 1997, Chrysler began to use ATF+3 oil. This oil can be substituted for ATF+2, ATF PLUS Type 7176 ATF. This is a type of oil that is used by many of the Mitsubishi and Hyundai models.

Most drivers no longer change their own vehicle's oil and the garages and mechanics are familiar with the specs and requirements of cars and trucks. If someone should have to add oil for some reason, they can look in the owner's manual and it will list what kinds of oil and how much is required for your particular auto. Dealerships and most auto shops will be helpful and you can check online if all else has failed to produce the information that you need.

Car hobbyists may remember that today's automatic transmission was originally brought to the market by the Oldsmobile Company. It was quite unusual and more of a curiosity when it was first debuted in public. That cumbersome 3 speed metal hulk bears no resemblance to its compact, high tech descendant, but the Oldsmobile Company was responsible for the prototype and the first working models that were being driven in public before WWII.

How Automatic Transmission Oil Has Evolved

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Valvoline VV353 Automatic Transmission Fluid DEXRONIII /MERCON, Pack of Twelve 1 Quart Bottles

!±8± Valvoline VV353 Automatic Transmission Fluid DEXRONIII /MERCON, Pack of Twelve 1 Quart Bottles

Brand : Valvoline | Rate : | Price :
Post Date : Sep 22, 2011 20:38:14 | Usually ships in 24 hours

DuraBlend Gear Oil - Provides excellent protection and high performance. Valvoline's DuraBlend Gear Oil is formulated with a unique blend of premium synthetic and conventional base oils and is a superior extreme pressure lubricant.Have techical questions, please feel free to call our Tech Service # 1-800-TeamVal

• Superior anti-wear, anti-scuffing and corrosion protection
• Provides superior performance at low temperatures
• Helps improve fuel efficiency
• Resists breakdown at high temperatures
• Recommended for (conventional and limited slip) manual transmissions where an API GL-5 or MT-1 fluid is specified

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Valvoline VV360 MERCON V (DEXRONIII ATF, Pack of Twelve 1 Quart Bottles

!±8±Valvoline VV360 MERCON V (DEXRONIII ATF, Pack of Twelve 1 Quart Bottles

Brand : Valvoline
Rate :
Price :
Post Date : Sep 19, 2011 09:00:32
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Valvoline Mercon V ATF is a premium synthetic blend automatic transmission fluid engineered to provide performance benefits over conventional ATF fluids.Have techical questions, please feel free to call our Tech Service # 1-800-TeamVal

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