Can You Change Your Own Transmission Fluid

How to Change Transmission Fluid in Your Own Garage

Change transmission fluid at the recommended manufacturer suggested intervals.

Photograph courtesy of Ernesto Andrade on Flickr

Failing to alter manual fluid on time will shorten your manual service life and atomic number 82 to early failure. This can stand for a major expense and seriously hurt your economic system. Fortunately, y'all can avoid this problem past replacing the fluid yourself. You lot spend much less for the service, and you lot can do it right in your own garage.

Professional person car technicians know that:

Manual fluid works hard to help transfer engine rotating power to the wheels every single mile you bulldoze while keeping the organisation every bit clean as possible.
During this procedure, bands, clutches, gear sets and other components inside the transmission clash, push, pull and rotate at high speeds, releasing metal, grit, and friction material into the oil.
These particles accrue, degrading the oil's lubricating, cooling and cleaning properties.
If you don't flush these particles and furnish you transmission with fresh oil, particles, and worn oil will start to advance components article of clothing.

So, fifty-fifty if your car manufacturer says your manual fluid is practiced for the life of your car, it'southward a skillful idea to supplant the fluid at least every 60,000 miles. Otherwise, follow the schedule in your car possessor's manual or vehicle repair transmission. Almost likely, you can practise this task yourself in your own garage using a few common tools.

Ordinarily, yous need to drop the oil pan from the lesser of the transmission to drain the oil and change the oil filter. A few models provide a draining plug on the pan and perhaps a separate compartment to access the filter, saving you a lot of work. But not all of them.

This guide will assist y'all through the procedure to avoid transmission damage and leaks.

After miles of service, transmission fluid fills with dust, metal shavings, and other harmful particles that need to be flushed.

Photo courtesy of Stefan Krause on Wikipedia

Before you first, make sure you take the recommended type — and corporeality — of transmission oil, pan gasket, and manual filter for your item make/model/year vehicle. Check your car repair transmission, which has a more than complete list of parts, tools and other specifications you'll demand to service your particular manual. The transmission will too tell you which components, if any, you demand to remove to proceeds access to the transmission oil pan.

If you don't have the repair manual for your detail vehicle make and model, buy an aftermarket copy. They toll merely a few dollars and come with a lot of useful information you'll need for other maintenance and common repair projects. You can buy a re-create at virtually automobile parts stores in your area or online.

Next, you'll find the steps you'll need to take for this projection, with special emphasis on those details you take to pay attention to when changing the transmission fluid at home.

Chemical-Resistant Gloves
Flat-Head Screwdriver
Goggles
Hammer If Necessary
Large (ii Gallons Or More) Drain Pan
Lint-Complimentary Towels
Long-Neck Funnel
Plastic Or Slow Scraper
Ratchet
Ratchet Extension
Set up Of Sockets
Store Rags
Torque Wrench—Borrow Ane From Your Local Auto Parts Shop If Necessary

Getting Your Transmission Ready

Earlier you outset, warm upwards the car to enhance the transmission fluid's temperature. This will prepare your manual for the job.

Idle the engine for well-nigh 20 minutes or take your auto for a fifteen-minute ride so the oil in the manual picks upward all the loose particles that accept settled around components. This way, the oil volition affluent these particles when tuckered.
Back at abode, choose a level surface to park your car and plow off the engine.
Lift the front end of your car using a flooring jack and support it on jack stands.
Block the rear wheels using a pair of wooden blocks and prepare the emergency brake.

Draining the Transmission Oil

Put on your goggles and chemical resistant gloves
Crawl nether your vehicle and place the drain pan under the manual oil pan and begin to loosen the bolts that secure the pan to the manual using the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket
Remove the bolts on the sides and front of the pan first. Get out the bolts on the back loose and then that you lot can drain as much oil as possible before removing the pan completely. Be conscientious when loosening the bolts as hot transmission oil will begin to menstruation out of the pan and y'all can burn your hands
Tilt the pan to drain as much oil as possible before removing the pan. Yous may need to suspension the seal between the pan and the transmission using the scraper or screwdriver and hammer. Exercise this carefully to avoid damaging the mating surfaces
Finally, hold the pan with a store rage and remove the rest of the bolts.
Lower the pan slowly on a level position and gradually tilt the pan over the catch pan to end draining the rest of the oil
Examine the oil pan and particle magnet inside. A small amount of metal shavings is normal. If you find a large corporeality of shavings or small-scale pieces of other foreign matter, this may indicate the transmission need a special service or some damage has occurred. If necessary, accept the pan to a professional transmission shop so that you can get a professional opinion.
Identify the pan and mounting bolts in a rubber identify for now.
Remove the transmission filter. The filter is either press fitted or bolted to the underside of the transmission. Carefully pull the filter right off the transmission or remove the mounting bolts using a screwdriver.
Some torque converters—the doughnut-shaped device between the transmission and engine—have a drain plug yous can remove to drain the oil inside as well. Bank check your vehicle service manual, if necessary.
Using a plastic or dull scraper, remove traces of the sometime gasket from the transmission and oil pan mating surfaces.
Thoroughly clean the pan and mating surfaces on the pan and manual. Spray some carburetor cleaner on a lint-free towel and use the towel to make clean and wipe the surfaces.

Some torque converters come with their own fluid draining plug to replace the oil inside. — Some torque converters come with their own fluid draining plug to replace the oil within.

Photo courtesy of Jyllish on Flickr

Installing the New Filter and Pan

Compare the old filter to the new one to brand sure you have the right filter and install it.
Before placing the new gasket on the transmission pan, bank check your vehicle repair transmission and run across if you need to apply sealer to the new gasket. Sealer not only helps to seal the pan to the transmission only helps hold the gasket in place during installation. Otherwise, you lot can use oil-soluble grease to hold the gasket in identify, if necessary.
When ready, position the oil pan in place under the transmission. Agree the pan with 1 mitt and begin to install the pan bolts finger tight using your gratuitous manus.
After installing all the bolts, tighten them gradually in three steps, following a crisscross design and a torque wrench.

Usually, you showtime tighten the bolts to one-half their final torque.

And then, tighten the bolts to three-fourths of their required torque.

And finally, tighten the bolts to the manufacturer specifications. Exercise this twice to make sure the bolts are tightened to the correct torque—cheque your repair manual for the specified torque.

Make sure to add the correct type and amount of fluid you need for your transmission. — Make sure to add the correct type and amount of fluid you lot need for your manual.

Photo courtesy of arktoi on Flickr

Refilling the Transmission

After installing the oil pan, lower your machine and wait for the sealer to dry, according to the manufacturer instructions, if necessary.
Refill the manual with the correct amount and blazon of transmission oil recommended by your car manufacturer — check your motorcar owner'southward manual or repair manual. Cascade the oil through the transmission dipstick tube using a long cervix funnel.
Then, replace the dipstick and start the engine. Warm up the engine; then, shut it off and check the pan for leaks. Ready whatsoever problems every bit necessary.
At present, start and idle the engine for almost 15 minutes to bring the transmission fluid to operating temperature. Shift the transmission stick through the gears and back to Park.
Bank check the transmission fluid level and add as necessary. And then, shut off the engine.

To change transmission fluid you may demand a couple of hours or more. But it's a maintenance job you tin do at habitation for well-nigh vehicle models. This is an excellent project that helps you service the transmission co-ordinate to your manufacturer'due south schedule at a fraction of the toll than you lot'd unremarkably pay in a regular shop. But to go on your transmission working properly, check the fluid level and status betwixt changes and replace information technology as necessary.

This article is accurate and true to the all-time of the author's noesis. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, fiscal, legal, or technical matters.

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