Changing ATX Fluid

[boschbabe]

Our recently purchased Cabby's ATF is brown. What's the consensus on changing the fluid via the pan? I know that it doesn't get all of it this way but I don't want to spring for a flush.

[Briano1234]

Our recently purchased Cabby's ATF is brown. What's the consensus on changing the fluid via the pan? I know that it doesn't get all of it this way but I don't want to spring for a flush.

First off they can't do the flush on it, as there is no oil cooler ports.
Second unless you drop the tranny, to take the torque convertor off you can't totally drain it.
You can take the pan off but you only get half the fluid out of there well maybe not half...then while the pan is off you can change the "lifetime" filter. But why bother..

How to Remove and replace a torque convertor seal.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=1932

So here is what you do.
Buy a 23 dollar Mighty-Vac tool at harbor freight, or a parts store of your choosing.
You need a 1 quart Glass Pasta sauce jar.
about 5 feet of vinyl tubing the size is less than a 1/2 wide outside ( gimme a few as I don't know the diameter of the hose.)
A drill bit smaller than the Tubing and a drill.
Jb-Weld Quick.
Long thin Funnel or those clear oil cap tubes so you can fill the tranny.

You will need 9 quarts of ATF Dextron 3 fluid.


Take the top of the pasta jar and drill 2 holes through it in the center.
Take your vinyl tubing and cut it in to a 3 foot section and a 2 foot section.
Screw the cap on the pasta jar.
Insert the 3 foot section in to the lid to about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the car.
Insert the 2 foot section in to the lid about only to the bottom of the threads of the jar.

Use JB-Weld to seal the hoses to the jar on the inside and the bottom (we need an air tight seal.)

To change your oil:
remove the ATF dip stick.
Insert the 3 foot section of hose in to the Automatic Transmission fill tube (dip stick) as far as you can get it, about a foot and a half

Attach your Mighty vac to the 2 foot section of hose.

Using the Might-vac suction one quart of fluid out. Drain the jar.
Suck another quart of fluid out.
Suck a 3rd quart of fluid, or if you only get 1/2 a quart remember that.

Now, add the same amount of fluid that you took out back in, that is why you need to know how much and the quart jar makes it handy.
Once you have replaced with 3 quarts or 2, and a half... replace the dip stick

Drive the car one mile. let it shift.
Return the car to the garage, and suck 3 more quarts of fluid out.
Replace with 3 new quarts of fluid.

Drive the car one mile. let it shift.
Return the car to the garage, and suck 3 more quarts of fluid out.
Replace with 3 new quarts of fluid.

Drive it about a mile, as that is the time it takes for the fluid to get to temp, and then check the level of the atf, add as needed in little amounts only

You have now exchanged your fluid... the Drive allows the new oil to mix with the old and dilute it, until you replace all 9 quarts.
The Tranny holds about 6.5 quarts of fluid, 2 to 3 in the body and 3 in the torque convertor. Trust me, you can look up the dry fill in the Bentley.

See my How to on How to remove and replace a torque convertor seal.. for what you have to do to drop a auto.

Here are pictures of my capture jar.




Mity-vac they sell a cheaper one too.
http://www.harborfreight.com/mityvac-va ... 39522.html

For the vinyl hose you need to get a size that easily goes into the ATF dip stick tube. I think a 1/4 inch id is about the size you need.... but better to try and buy, the Clear stuff is better as you can see it sucking out of the tranny. Once you have filled the quart mark on the jar, let the rest go back in to the tranny, and use a rag to wipe the tube off as you pull it out. To drain it, just remove the lid from the jar..then screw it back on and suck another quart out...

[boschbabe]

The tranny is leaking a little. Don't plan on pulling it in my lifetime. If I do, I'll know where to look for instruction. I have a hand pump I might try to suck out the old stuff. Thanks.

[Briano1234]

The tranny is leaking a little. Don't plan on pulling it in my lifetime. If I do, I'll know where to look for instruction. I have a hand pump I might try to suck out the old stuff. Thanks.

Where and what is it leaking?

The automatic has 2 types of fluid.
ATF in the body.
90wt in the differential.

If the Oil is ATF the usual places for it to leak are:
Torque convertor seal.
O-ring on the fill tube, as if it is over filled then it usually spews out there.
Pan gasket is loose.

If the oil is 90 wt, then the usual suspects are the differential seals.
The Side cover
Then SMS where the differentials rivets are machining a hole in the case.
There is also the possibility that the 90 wt is over filled and then it weeps out of the pressure holes.

[boschbabe]

I plan to investigate the source this weekend. Hopefully it is the dipstick tube because it is overfull. Thanks