150K mile trans service interval?

[Rick#7]

What is the general consensus of everyone for letting the trans fluid run for 150K miles? With my car just crossing the 85k mark on my odometer I started wondering about what major service intervals I would be encountering between now and 100K, so I read through the owners manual and was a bit surprised to see that the trans fluid was not listed among the 100K routine service, but it was on the next line down at 150K!

My car has the 6R80, but actually both the stick and the AT are shown for servicing the fluid at 150K. I know there's usually no harm is replacing fluids early, except for the fact that it's wasting unused service life in the old fluids which in my mind is the same as just throwing money away. I wouldn't have a problem replacing the fluid a little early, but with a 150K recommended fluid change interval, I'm barely past the 1/2 way point right now, so if the fluid is genuinely good for 150K it's definitely too soon to change it. I only ask about it because I'm really old school when it comes to car maintenance. When I first started driving, a lot of cars didn't make it to 100K, and 10 years old was really old for a car. Oil changes were done at 2500-3000, spark plugs at a minimum or a full tune-up at 10k-12k, belts and trans fluid at 50k. Most daily drivers didn't make it to the repeat service interval at 100k. Even if the car did get that far, the average driver didn't bother to keep up with the service at that point because the car was so close to being scrapped they just looked at it like throwing good money away on a vehicle that wasn't worth it. I'm just not used to trannies going beyond 100k before needing any service. My car being 12 years old now, still looks and drives like new, especially compared to the condition of some 10 year old cars I had back in the 80's, and I want to make sure it stays like that because I plan to keep it for a long time.

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[Timbuck]

I drive my car hard , and I think doing the trans is cheap. so do it once a year 20000kms. It takes an extra 30 mins while it on the hoist. remove the 20 small bolts on the sump and drop it off and replace the main filter and chuck it back on. Doing it this way there is residual oil in the converter. But you get like a 75% new Tran fluid. Sure some may think it’s over doing it and it probably is. But I do find tranny fluid isn’t bright clear red anymore and dull browny/red so it’s definitely had some life taken out of it. Even the smell and the lubricity between the fingers you can tell it’s has lost that slick feeling and feels watery if that makes sense. 6r80’s like clean solenoids so this is just easy preventative maintenance in my book. The whole lifetime oil thing that lots of car makers talk about if a load of BS. Just ask any automatic trans builder.

 

[Southview]

Do it. The fluid is so thin now. Not like old school fluid in my turbo 400. Have had to many friends complain about shuddering and hard shifting in their vehicles. I work on vehicles and hear the same thing. It’s not needed u til 150k or it never needs to be changed. The ones I have convinced to change the fluid, it has improved the trans.
On my Honda 10 speed I was having problems at 35k on a vehicle driving less than 8k miles a year with extended warranty. Took to dealer, since it was under warranty and every time was told it was something else, not the trans fluid. Frustrated, I did it my self. Like a brand new vehicle again.
Dont wait until it needs it. If you do, by then, the damage could be done.

 

[John S]

Do it

Ditto. Besides contamination and a filter that's probably ready for a change, the additive pack in the oil is probably shot, including the fritcion modifiers that contribute to smooth clutch engagements.

 

[Rick#7]

Sounds like it's time for the change. I hear what you're saying about the thin fluid. The owners manual also showed the radiator fluid to be changed at 100K, but my water pump gave out at 75K, and the general sentiment (besides the fact that the oem pumps are trash) was that the fluid just wasn't lubricating the pump well enough to keep the bearings going, so I'm planning on the next radiator flush at 50K out. Seems like the trans needs a similar reduction in service interval.

 

[tomservo92]

I just hit 40K on mine and plan on doing the service at 50K. I'm just too nervous to let it go to 150K.

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