Transmission Fluid Change?

[Whosondephone]

I just hit 100,000 miles. Should I change the transmission fluid? I do not know if or when It was last changed. I would say the transmission fluid looks kind of green. I do not see any mettle chunks. The only problems I'm seeing is hard shifting.

My mechanic has a 88 and he flushed his. He suggests I do the same. I'm not sure that's a good idea. I think it might be better to drop the pan.

I hear a lot of mixed thoughts on the matter. What do you think?

[chitownvic]

Don't flush! Just do a pan drop


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[chitownvic]

With new filter


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[L1011tristar17]

What Chitownvic said, pan drop and a fluid change with new filter. If you want to be extra thorough, you can drain the torque converter too. I believe you rotate the converter by hand until the drain plug is visible.

[LithiumCobalt]

Flush would be fine. Less mess and more thorough. You can also pan drop and drain the converter as well. That's almost as complete as a flush would be, but then you have to deal with fluid spilling all over.

[miamibob]

Green trany fluid? Now someone has developed Gatorade for our cars???

[sly]

+1 change the filter too.

[L1011tristar17]

If you're doing the filter change yourself, don't forget the o-rings that are supposed to go with the filter. Unless you want to have to drop the pan a second time like I did.

[chitownvic]

Use RTV (gasket maker) to reseal the pan not that junk seal they give you..


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[Mainemantom]

What Chitownvic said, pan drop and a fluid change with new filter. If you want to be extra thorough, you can drain the torque converter too. I believe you rotate the converter by hand until the drain plug is visible.

X2 Highly recommend this.

[Whosondephone]

Cool! I'm glad we are all in agreement. Thanks!

[slack]

Use RTV (gasket maker) to reseal the pan not that junk seal they give you..


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I haven't used RTV on my cork transmission pan gaskets in the past and haven't had any problems. Torque specs are pretty light on those bolts. I soak the new cork gasket in transmission fluid quick before installing it to help hold it in place.

If your pan isn't even or there's a nick in the lip, then you're going to need some RTV though.

[sly]

they provide rubber (reusable) gaskets with the filters now.

[kishy]

they provide rubber (reusable) gaskets with the filters now.

Not that it's especially useful info:
New Motorcraft (dealer-ordered) came with a cork pan gasket and cork filter gasket.
New Wix (RockAuto-ordered) came with a rubber pan gasket and some sort of paper/fiber filter gasket.

In my case for both the changes I've done, I used just enough RTV to set the gasket on the pan and keep them aligned, since of course the gasket is all folded up inside the box and won't lay flat no matter what you do if you happen to be working anywhere other than a sauna.

[chitownvic]

I never seen them with cork gaskets.. Just the folded up rubber one


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