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Procedure to change your Transmission Fluid/Filter


Turbo231

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Hello All,

 

I've seen some questions and such from various members about changing their Transmission Filter and Fluid on their own. Since I was going to do mine anyways, I decided to write a little procedure with pictures to show what it takes to do it yourself.

 

http://members.aol.com/regal231/xmission.htm

 

Hopefully it can help any of you to take the plunge and do it yourself.

 

gp-64.jpg

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My advice is to stay away from tranny additives, but the actual writeup is very nice and straight foward.

 

I go a couple steps beyond that, but for a simple pan drop it works nicely. When I flush my transmission, I add 4-5 quarts of ATF. Then, I like to disconnect a cooler line and pump out fluid while adding another 2 quarts. I shut the car off once the fluid is clean. Then adding the proper amount of fluid to fill the transmission.

 

That way, I have a nice new filter and new fluid.

 

By the way.....if you suspect you are having transmission troubles you might want to cut the filter open and inspect for bits and pieces.

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Does GM reccomend to have the trans flushed on their cars? I need to change the trans fluid on both my dad's cars (02 Envoy and 01 Sonoma), and I want to know if this is basically the same procedure.

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My car has over 160miles on it and I just pumped out the fluid (about 4qts) throught the dipstick tube, and refilled it with new fluid and added some Wynns. I plan on getting under when it's warmer to drop the pan and change the filter. It shifts smoother now from 1st to 2nd (it was shifting pretty hard).

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Whatever the owner's manual recommends, do. I don't recall reading about flushing the transmission, just changing the fluid/filter.

I think changing the filter is important along with removing all the metal filings. While it's nice to have new fluid in there, like changing your engine oil, change your filter too.

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Whatever the owner's manual recommends, do. I don't recall reading about flushing the transmission, just changing the fluid/filter.

I think changing the filter is important along with removing all the metal filings. While it's nice to have new fluid in there, like changing your engine oil, change your filter too.

Well no matter what I do I am going to change the fluid and filter. I just wasn't sure about the flush.
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I wouldn't chance flushing it. If the fluid is bad enough that a flush would be needed, it would do more harm than good. You have a better chance of the trans reacting ok to a partial fluid change and filter, which a pan drop would do.

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Does GM reccomend to have the trans flushed on their cars? I need to change the trans fluid on both my dad's cars (02 Envoy and 01 Sonoma), and I want to know if this is basically the same procedure.

 

The best place to look is in your glove box.....or at least it should be. The owners manual has everything all spelled out for you......both in severe and normal driving coniditions.

 

For your dad's Envoy every 50k if it meets the criteria for severe, 100k if its normal. If he has the automatic transfer case (A4WD) the fluid in the transfer case (called AutoTrac II) needs to be changed every 50k no matter what.

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Are you sure, I thought it's 50k no matter what? And I can't seem to find the owner's manual for the Sonoma, but I thought its the same as the Envoy. I thought that the trans needed to be at 50k and the transfer case at 100k, IIRC. Also, I can tell on both cars that the shifts are harder, so that's why I think they need to be changed.

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I have access to your Envoy's owners manual.....remember.....I work for a dealership. On the newer cars, GM publishes the owners manual with the service manual on their online source.

 

I looked it up.

 

For the transmission......you can 100k miles before it needs service under normal. Thats the nice part about Decron/Mercon (III ?) ATF. Most people don't drive by GM's *normal* conditions.

 

On the manual and 3 button (4H, 2H, 4L) transfer cases (I was referring to the 4 button [4H, 2H, 4L, A4WD])..........service is different......I don't remember what it is and don't feel like looking it up.

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