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Transmission oil change DYI

torque124

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Hi,

I believe you have to start the transmission pump when you change the oil , correct ? Does anyone has a DYI, or has done it ? I would like to change my transmission oil as my car is parked now anyway for winter...

Thanks all.
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JAJ

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The transmission pump runs from a gear on the input shaft, so it runs whenever the engine is running and the clutch pedal is up. Procedure is to drain the oil then refill to the bottom of the fill hole. Then put the fill plug back in but don't tighten it and idle the engine for two minutes with the clutch pedal released and the trans in neutral. Then recheck that the fluid is at the bottom of the fill hole and top up if necessary.

I've changed the fluid about a dozen times in the course of my search for the best shifting fluid. I stopped doing the "run the pump" cycle after the second time because it didn't need topping up.
 

GTthree50

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The transmission pump runs from a gear on the input shaft, so it runs whenever the engine is running and the clutch pedal is up. Procedure is to drain the oil then refill to the bottom of the fill hole. Then put the fill plug back in but don't tighten it and idle the engine for two minutes with the clutch pedal released and the trans in neutral. Then recheck that the fluid is at the bottom of the fill hole and top up if necessary.

I've changed the fluid about a dozen times in the course of my search for the best shifting fluid. I stopped doing the "run the pump" cycle after the second time because it didn't need topping up.
What was your best result searching for the best shifting trans fluid?
 

TheDeadCow

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The transmission pump runs from a gear on the input shaft, so it runs whenever the engine is running and the clutch pedal is up. Procedure is to drain the oil then refill to the bottom of the fill hole. Then put the fill plug back in but don't tighten it and idle the engine for two minutes with the clutch pedal released and the trans in neutral. Then recheck that the fluid is at the bottom of the fill hole and top up if necessary.

I've changed the fluid about a dozen times in the course of my search for the best shifting fluid. I stopped doing the "run the pump" cycle after the second time because it didn't need topping up.
Just got done changing mine, same results. Same with the diff too.
 

JAJ

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What was your best result searching for the best shifting trans fluid?
The one I like the best so far (testing is suspended until spring because the gearbox doesn't warm up during the winter) is ACDelco 10-4014. It's a bit stiff when it's cold (below about 45 degrees F) but it's by far still the smoothest shifting fluid I've tried so far.

Pentosin ATF 1 LV comes in a close second.
 

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I have the tech document. I believe it says to drain/fill/run 2 mins/top off. let me see if I can find it.
 

Tomster

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Is the process the same for the differential also?
I don't believe there is a way to get the fluid out of the cooler unless you run the pump. There was a way to do that with an aftermarket item, but I don't see it anymore from optimum performance. Forscan (I believe) has the ability to run the pump, but from what I hear, its not worth it. Drain, replace fluid and friction modifier, and plug. That's it. Run it a bit and check the levels to top off.
 

jvandy50

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I have been enjoying the BG fluids/MGW combo, and also noticed there wasn’t a need for topping off
 
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torque124

torque124

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The transmission pump runs from a gear on the input shaft, so it runs whenever the engine is running and the clutch pedal is up. Procedure is to drain the oil then refill to the bottom of the fill hole. Then put the fill plug back in but don't tighten it and idle the engine for two minutes with the clutch pedal released and the trans in neutral. Then recheck that the fluid is at the bottom of the fill hole and top up if necessary.

I've changed the fluid about a dozen times in the course of my search for the best shifting fluid. I stopped doing the "run the pump" cycle after the second time because it didn't need topping up.
Have you tried Redline D6 ATF ? I was planning on doing that one, I had very good results with redline in all my cars... Thanks
 

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Demonic

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I suppose I missed something, but why are people changing out the fluid so soon? Is this just a tinkering to see if something wonderful happens?
 

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Have you tried Redline D6 ATF ? I was planning on doing that one, I had very good results with redline in all my cars... Thanks
Redline makes great fluids. I didn't try their D6 ATF although it would probably work fine. I was looking for a really smooth crisp shift that never baulked and never gave the sense of a grind. The OEM Mercon LV is good, but in my gearbox it occasionally refuses to let me into second from first on the first try and there's occasionally a slight "snick" going into third and above. None of that happens with the GM "Highly Friction Modified" fluid.

My belief is that the fluid spec defines the friction modification package, and that the ATF's like Dex VI and Mercon LV are excellent fluids with friction packages that are perfect for AT's and adequate but not great in a manual box like this one. What I've seen so far is that highly friction modified ATF's like Mopar ATF +4 and the euro Pentosin ATF 1 LV shift better than Dex VI and Mercon LV. So does Royal Purple Synchromax, which is a manual transmission fluid intended to replace ATF.

So, going back to your question about Redline, my guess is that it'll work a lot like Synchromax and ATF +4. If you're comfortable with the brand and you like the product, then don't give it a second thought - use it - it'll work fine.
 

jvandy50

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I suppose I missed something, but why are people changing out the fluid so soon? Is this just a tinkering to see if something wonderful happens?
for me it was lol.

i became a believer in MGW/BG fluids with my 16GT. i knew this was a different tranny, but thought it was rather notchy and after getting used to the crisp shifts in my 16...factory setup in the 350 wasn’t cutting it.

now, I don’t think it made as big of a difference in this car as it did in the GT, but it does feel better to me. i was already under the car installing the MGW and shifteck, so why not
 

JAJ

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I suppose I missed something, but why are people changing out the fluid so soon? Is this just a tinkering to see if something wonderful happens?
Brand new gears create lots of fine sludgy grey metal debris over the first 10 to 15 thousand miles. Because the trans and diff don't have oil filters, if you want to remove this wear material you have to change the trans and diff lube.

If you do your own changes, it's shocking how much crud there is on the first and second changes. By the third time, it's pretty clean and it'll stay that way for years.
 

cking

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I Believe shop manual say disconnect cooler lines and use low pressure to blow oil out, then fill run and top off again. For the diff use Forscan to run the pump to clear cooler lines after you drain and fill the diff and remove the return line then top off diff. If I was changing brands I do the extra work.
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