Transmission Service

[Weekly]

When should this be done, and at what cost? is www.mistertransmission.com good. Is there any pre-maintenance work like checking fluid, the "transmission" is not listed on the index in my owners manual. Is "engine coolant" transmission fluid?

Thanks

 

[papasmerf]

1)

cost should be about $100 -125 for many cars to change the fluid and filter.

About 50 bucks here. Damn you are over paying even with the exchange.

 

[wollensak]

It Depends

Transmission fluid change Toyota Corolla = $70 CDN.

My Chrysler uses a lot more fluid, and a higher grade that's more expensive.
100 CDN.

 

[RogerRabbit]

3) DO NOT use AAMCO or Mr. Transmission for this service. They will try to sell you things not needed. But do use a transmission specialist.

Who do you recomended for V8 Jeeps?

*Mr. Lube
*Costco
*Walmart
*Dealer

 

[Weekly]

1) tranny fluid is oil. it, and the filter should be changed once a year, according to most manufactureres. It is a clear red fluid. Check your tranny fluid level, and take a look at the colour. If it is grey or has particles in it, time to change.

Where in my engine is the cap to check the transmission fluid, what does it say on top?

 

[impala77]

Where in my engine is the cap to check the transmission fluid, what does it say on top?

On most cars to check the tranny fluid you should be looking for a dipstick similar to the engine oil dip stick, also it is usually labeled or colour coded, the owners manual should show you what it looks like or describe it.

Seeing as the transmission is a major component of your car, if you are unsure about finding it, checking it or servicing it in anyway take it in to either a dealership or mechanic you trust to give you a straight answer. The last thing you want to do is add tranny fluid to the engine oil or the coolant system.

 

[goodtime]

...
3) DO NOT use AAMCO or Mr. Transmission for this service. They will try to sell you things not needed. But do use a transmission specialist.
...

Had work done at two different Mr. Trans. Both times were good for me. No BS or upsell.

 

[Velvet]

Who do you recomended for V8 Jeeps?

*Mr. Lube
*Costco
*Walmart
*Dealer

do NOT go to Mr. Lube... went for a simple oil change... ended up with transmission problems .. they wanted to send me to their partner across the street for a new rad... at a "special price" called the dealership had my car towed and when they checked out my car it ended up having cooler fluid in the transmission fluid and transmission fluid in the coolant.

 

[Weekly]

Automatic Transaxle/transmission Fluid

According to GM's owners manual the transaxle/transmission fluid and filter doesn't have to be changed unless the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these conditions:

- Heavy city traffic where outside temperature regularly reaches 90F/32C or higher

- In hilly or mountainous terrain

- When doing frequent trailer towing

- Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service

"If you do not use the vehicle under any of these conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing."


I take this to mean it never needs changing unless there's a leak.

 

[Warm Hands]

I take this to mean it never needs changing unless there's a leak.

There has been a trend towards this over the past few years. Not only with transmission fluid that never needs to be changed, but also with extended oil change intervals for your engine oil. Most mechanics I know advise that you change your fluids regulary, even if your manufacturer suggests otherwise. Most Canadian driving, especially if you live in the urban traffic jam that is our GTA, is considered "severe service" according to the owner's manual. We have a wide range of temperature variation between summer and winter, and we get an awful lot of stop-and-go driving.

Changing the lubricating oils in your engine, transmission and differential/transaxle (if not part of your transmission oil reservoir) are the best things you can do to ensure a long life from the component. If your car's automatic transmission has a filter (and most GM cars do), then a change interval of 24 months or 48,000 kms will suffice. If you own the car for 10 years, and a transmission fluid change costs $125 each, then you have just spent $625 over a 10 year period. What does a new transmission cost?

 

[auto doctor]

My two cents

If the vehicle is new replace tranny oil and filter after one to one and a half years old. The tranny is being broken in and small fillings from the tranny gears will accumilate. Then after two more years of driving change filter and oil again. Checking for more sediments. There should not be any. Then thats it. If you drive the vehichle under towing condition then maybe every two to three yaers change agian if not. Leave it for five years easily. BUT remember to check fluid level and colour and smell for any problems regularly. Then there is the question of should I get the torque converter drained as well when I get the oil changed. I never do. To much hassel. When checking fluid level it has to be done tranny hot on level ground or your reading will be off. And do not over fill the casing. My my work beater 86 Pontiac has 422,000kms on the original tranny with two oil changes.

 

[Weekly]

Should I skip the "transmission service" to save money and just ask to have the transaxle oil and filter changed? there's nothing leaking on the ground from the bottom of my car.

 

[auto doctor]

Transaxels are components that attach to the tranny for front wheel drive cars. They consist of a shaft section with a CV joints at each end. They require no fuild change but the dust boots on them need to be checked for cracks or seperation. Because water and dirt will get into the CV joint and cause premature failure of the transaxel.

 

[Weekly]

What should I do then? I'm concerned if I ask for a transmission service without specifying what I'd like done they'll tell me I have problems that need fixing whether I do or not.

 

[Fatshaft]

Consider a "Flush", not a filter change when it's due. When u drop the pan, and replace the filter an fluid, you leave up to half the old fluid in the torque converter. So right away you've got 50% dirty fluid. A flush purges all of the old fluid without dropping the pan.

 

[RogerRabbit]

There are small independant shops. Lawrence Transmission comes to mind. I'm sure that there must be some in your area.

I would not really trust Walmart to find anything more than a dipstick.

Dealer should be OK, but dealers usually cost top dollar.

Thanks W! I have not heard anything good about walmart's auto dept, so far...

 

[xix]

Fluids

Wow interesting stuff. Amazing how many people dont' change many of the fluids that need to be changed.
Motor oil. I n the summer I do it myself but once a year I will use Synthetic oil and change the oil at 3k - 4k.
Coolant. I like drain it and add a fresh one every 2 years with disttilled water. Or you can flush it yourself with distilled water for 2 minutes. This is when I change the thermostat.
Transmission oil. I change it between 50k - 75k km. Make usre they actually do filter change.
I never heard of flush the tranny but I will try it next time.
For the flushing of the fluids I go to a one of those jiffy lubes and get out of the car and watch them. Make sure you ask if they use the machine to flush and not just change the fluid and let your car run for 5 minutes. Then change the fluid again. That part is con. I prefer doing machine flushing at jiffy lubes insteat of a regular mechanic shop.

 

[tongeman59]

Mr. Transmission in Brampton...see Steve Richards. He has been there 25 years and offers no BS service.

 

[james t kirk]

There has been a trend towards this over the past few years. Not only with transmission fluid that never needs to be changed, but also with extended oil change intervals for your engine oil. Most mechanics I know advise that you change your fluids regulary, even if your manufacturer suggests otherwise. Most Canadian driving, especially if you live in the urban traffic jam that is our GTA, is considered "severe service" according to the owner's manual. We have a wide range of temperature variation between summer and winter, and we get an awful lot of stop-and-go driving.

Changing the lubricating oils in your engine, transmission and differential/transaxle (if not part of your transmission oil reservoir) are the best things you can do to ensure a long life from the component. If your car's automatic transmission has a filter (and most GM cars do), then a change interval of 24 months or 48,000 kms will suffice. If you own the car for 10 years, and a transmission fluid change costs $125 each, then you have just spent $625 over a 10 year period. What does a new transmission cost?

I completely agree.

Change the oil every 6,000 km, and tranny and coolant every 50,000 km.

As far as where to go, it comes down to the mechanic NOT the shop in my eyes. If you have a good neighbourhood mechanic and he uses factory parts (you tell him to) then you are 99% of the time good to go.

The dealerships have a bit more insight on things, but that's not to say that their mechanics are somehow superior, perhaps even the opposite.

You need to find a good mechanic, insist on factory parts and you will be fine no matter what.

 

[poorboy]

Should I skip the "transmission service" to save money and just ask to have the transaxle oil and filter changed? there's nothing leaking on the ground from the bottom of my car.

You either pay now, or pay later. The transmission is the most complicated mechanical component in your car. Don't cheap out on this item. Once a problem develops with your trans, it is always expensive.

Transmission service is almost exclusively an oil and filter change. There is nothing else for the mechanic to do really if there is no problem.

In every single GM car I have worked on, there is a magnet on the bottom of the pan in addition to the filter. If you choose to get your trans flushed, you will not get the filings and clutch material off the magnet. Only about 66% of the fluid is changed during a service. The rest remains in the valve body and torque convertor.

As someone else has mentioned, Toronto is severe driving conditions. If you sit in traffic a lot in the summer, I would advise you to get a transmission oil cooler installed. Total cost for part and install should be about $150.

Almost the entire auto industry uses GM trans fluid of some type (Ford does not use its own Type F anymore). Dexron III is the standard right now, but there is now a new one out (6?) that has an extremely long life. It is backwards compatible, but I wouldn't go and switch at the moment because of the expense.

Don't forget to check the trans fluid when it is hot and the car is running in park.