Opinion Needed: Should I changed my transmission fluid?
#1
01-30-2015, 11:25 PM
Should I changed my transmission fluid?
2003 Monte Carlo SS , 138,000 miles, 4T65E
So I'm having a few transmission symptoms. Sometimes when accelerating from a stop it lurches forwards. A few times it will hang for a split second between shifts especially 2 to 3. Almost every time I drive there's a slight surge of about 100 RPMS when the torque convertor locks. I checked the fluid, it is a clear brown color like the "OKAY" in this photo:
I'm reading so much stuff about changing fluid in the transmission. Even on this forum, some people say not to change it if it's past 100,000 miles (I have 138,000), some say go for it. Some say it'll kill the tranny, some say it might stop the symptoms....Help!!!
Why do some folks on here say every 30,000 miles when the book says 100,000 miles?
I'm shooting for a pan drop, filter change not a flush, at Cottman Transmission.
Also none of these symptoms are severe or dramatic but are noticeable.
Will they use the Dextron 6 over the Dextron 3? I heard mixed opinion about that as well
So I'm having a few transmission symptoms. Sometimes when accelerating from a stop it lurches forwards. A few times it will hang for a split second between shifts especially 2 to 3. Almost every time I drive there's a slight surge of about 100 RPMS when the torque convertor locks. I checked the fluid, it is a clear brown color like the "OKAY" in this photo:
I'm reading so much stuff about changing fluid in the transmission. Even on this forum, some people say not to change it if it's past 100,000 miles (I have 138,000), some say go for it. Some say it'll kill the tranny, some say it might stop the symptoms....Help!!!
Why do some folks on here say every 30,000 miles when the book says 100,000 miles?
I'm shooting for a pan drop, filter change not a flush, at Cottman Transmission.
Also none of these symptoms are severe or dramatic but are noticeable.
Will they use the Dextron 6 over the Dextron 3? I heard mixed opinion about that as well
#2
01-30-2015, 11:31 PM
drop the pan change the filter..
The fluid should be bright red.... period.
i change mine every 2 years no matter what the mileage is.
with 138,000 miles its waaaay past due!
The fluid should be bright red.... period.
i change mine every 2 years no matter what the mileage is.
with 138,000 miles its waaaay past due!
Last edited by STUMPMI; 01-30-2015 at 11:34 PM.
#3
01-31-2015, 12:28 AM
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mentor, Ohio
Posts: 12,163
I change fluid on my cars at 100K (with exception of the Monte and my wife's Mustang, I changed those at 70K, since they don't get near the miles our daily drivers get).
Sounds like you are having low level trans problems. Here's what I can tell you from my opinions:
- By my own schedule, you are 38K miles past due. I've pan/dropped/fluid/filter changed cars I bought with 110-125K as one of the first things (so it didn't go further). No issues resulted (they also did not have beginning signs of possible trans problems).
- You already plan to avoid a fluid flush, I concur with that.
- If I were you, I'd do the pan drop and filter/fluid change. You are playing a gamble either way at the point. It's past due and beginning to behave like it has a trans issue. In one hand, a fluid/filter change may be just what it needed and clears up your symptoms. In the other hand, since it's past due and showing symptoms of issues, you have no way of planning out when true failure will occur (may ride 40K more like this and blow, may ride 10 miles and blow, you have no way of knowing). I look at it as the best that happens is things clear up, worst is something that was going to happen regardless.
Food for thought.
Sounds like you are having low level trans problems. Here's what I can tell you from my opinions:
- By my own schedule, you are 38K miles past due. I've pan/dropped/fluid/filter changed cars I bought with 110-125K as one of the first things (so it didn't go further). No issues resulted (they also did not have beginning signs of possible trans problems).
- You already plan to avoid a fluid flush, I concur with that.
- If I were you, I'd do the pan drop and filter/fluid change. You are playing a gamble either way at the point. It's past due and beginning to behave like it has a trans issue. In one hand, a fluid/filter change may be just what it needed and clears up your symptoms. In the other hand, since it's past due and showing symptoms of issues, you have no way of planning out when true failure will occur (may ride 40K more like this and blow, may ride 10 miles and blow, you have no way of knowing). I look at it as the best that happens is things clear up, worst is something that was going to happen regardless.
Food for thought.
#4
01-31-2015, 08:37 AM
i change fluid on my cars at 100k (with exception of the monte and my wife's mustang, i changed those at 70k, since they don't get near the miles our daily drivers get).
Sounds like you are having low level trans problems. Here's what i can tell you from my opinions:
- by my own schedule, you are 38k miles past due. I've pan/dropped/fluid/filter changed cars i bought with 110-125k as one of the first things (so it didn't go further). No issues resulted (they also did not have beginning signs of possible trans problems).
- you already plan to avoid a fluid flush, i concur with that.
- if i were you, i'd do the pan drop and filter/fluid change. You are playing a gamble either way at the point. It's past due and beginning to behave like it has a trans issue. In one hand, a fluid/filter change may be just what it needed and clears up your symptoms. In the other hand, since it's past due and showing symptoms of issues, you have no way of planning out when true failure will occur (may ride 40k more like this and blow, may ride 10 miles and blow, you have no way of knowing). I look at it as the best that happens is things clear up, worst is something that was going to happen regardless.
Food for thought.
Sounds like you are having low level trans problems. Here's what i can tell you from my opinions:
- by my own schedule, you are 38k miles past due. I've pan/dropped/fluid/filter changed cars i bought with 110-125k as one of the first things (so it didn't go further). No issues resulted (they also did not have beginning signs of possible trans problems).
- you already plan to avoid a fluid flush, i concur with that.
- if i were you, i'd do the pan drop and filter/fluid change. You are playing a gamble either way at the point. It's past due and beginning to behave like it has a trans issue. In one hand, a fluid/filter change may be just what it needed and clears up your symptoms. In the other hand, since it's past due and showing symptoms of issues, you have no way of planning out when true failure will occur (may ride 40k more like this and blow, may ride 10 miles and blow, you have no way of knowing). I look at it as the best that happens is things clear up, worst is something that was going to happen regardless.
Food for thought.
x2 ...
with out it.. your still delaying the inevitable.
#6
01-31-2015, 11:35 AM
Thanks for the advice. I'm still having the dilemma of either letting it run its course and slowly die, or changing it and killing it immediately.
If I were to change my fluid which way do you think the pendulum is most likely to swing?
Are these failing transmission symptoms or fluid that's failing to do its job?
Keep in mind these symptoms are not severe at all just noticably. The lurching and hanging only happens maybe 25% of the time. The torque converter slip happens 80% of the time, especially the first lock up. Is it normal for some torque convertor slip?
I'm really nervous about doing this, but if I don't do it there's definitely no hope of improvement and it's definitely a death sentence for the tranny.
If I were to change my fluid which way do you think the pendulum is most likely to swing?
Are these failing transmission symptoms or fluid that's failing to do its job?
Keep in mind these symptoms are not severe at all just noticably. The lurching and hanging only happens maybe 25% of the time. The torque converter slip happens 80% of the time, especially the first lock up. Is it normal for some torque convertor slip?
I'm really nervous about doing this, but if I don't do it there's definitely no hope of improvement and it's definitely a death sentence for the tranny.
#7
01-31-2015, 11:36 AM
I don't know if there is more issues. I almost never drive hard. I rarely go past 2500 Rpms. I'm trying to baby this thing as much as possible.
**I made up my mind I'm gonna go for it, It's gonna die anyway might as well take an attempt to get a few more years out of it.**
**I made up my mind I'm gonna go for it, It's gonna die anyway might as well take an attempt to get a few more years out of it.**
Last edited by 03montenj; 01-31-2015 at 11:45 AM.
#10
01-31-2015, 12:33 PM
All additives don't really do much. HOWEVER, if you change the fluid and the issues persist, there is a Lucas additive you can add as a bandaid fix to get a bit more out of the trans that's called "Lucas Transmission Fix".
Just remember, it's not a magic fluid in a bottle, it's just a band aid fix and all it does is more or less what the ATF does... lube up the clutches and bands and such. Sometimes you just get lucky and it lubes up the problem area but the issue will still be there. When it blows it will be what the "band aid" patched up.
Just remember, it's not a magic fluid in a bottle, it's just a band aid fix and all it does is more or less what the ATF does... lube up the clutches and bands and such. Sometimes you just get lucky and it lubes up the problem area but the issue will still be there. When it blows it will be what the "band aid" patched up.