tranny fluid
10-21-2008, 07:24 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 72
tranny fluid
i get oil changes every 3,000 miles. how often should the tansmission fluid be replaced. had a transmission flush at 60k now i have 109k. is it time to at least change the transmission fluid. its nenver mentioned to me.
10-21-2008, 07:38 PM
#2
All depends on what fluid you have in there now...
10-22-2008, 05:47 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 604
From everything I've read, the biggy is the regular fluid changes. It seems as though you can't change it enough, and it's really more important to keep up on the trans fluid than engine oil (if you had to pick).
I've read from mechanics that say poor trannys last a long time and good ones fail prematurely (primarily) because of lack of fluid changes, for the most part. That said, I'd do it and never regret it.
Sure, you could have synthetic which will hold up better but since you are not sure if it needs a change then whomever did it before probably put in regular grade of fluid because if they had put in synthetic at 60K miles then your wallet surely would have felt it and you would likely know for sure how long the fluid would last until the next needed fluid change. BIG diff between synthetic and regular grades $$. Pull the records to find out what fluid is in it and go from there. IF you can't find the records then I'd go out asap and get it changed for sure. And, not just a drain/fill since you've gone quite a few miles since last change and if that is all you get done, there is 1/2 of the fluid left in it and it is old stuff that will just keep getting older until the next change a long ways down the road.
Bottom line: Find the records or get it changed asap. Look on this website for info on drain/fills vs flush, too. (in the maintenance section)
I've read from mechanics that say poor trannys last a long time and good ones fail prematurely (primarily) because of lack of fluid changes, for the most part. That said, I'd do it and never regret it.
Sure, you could have synthetic which will hold up better but since you are not sure if it needs a change then whomever did it before probably put in regular grade of fluid because if they had put in synthetic at 60K miles then your wallet surely would have felt it and you would likely know for sure how long the fluid would last until the next needed fluid change. BIG diff between synthetic and regular grades $$. Pull the records to find out what fluid is in it and go from there. IF you can't find the records then I'd go out asap and get it changed for sure. And, not just a drain/fill since you've gone quite a few miles since last change and if that is all you get done, there is 1/2 of the fluid left in it and it is old stuff that will just keep getting older until the next change a long ways down the road.
Bottom line: Find the records or get it changed asap. Look on this website for info on drain/fills vs flush, too. (in the maintenance section)
Last edited by MichMaxFan; 10-22-2008 at 05:49 AM.
10-22-2008, 05:11 PM
#4
I'd change it.... I've done 3 complete flushes with mine so far at about 86k. I prefer doing a total flush rather that the drain & fill. My fluid is clean and the dipstick doesn't have any balck residue you get from not replacing the fluid. Once you've done it, it's really not to hard. Search for the how to's and good luck.
10-22-2008, 05:27 PM
#5
I'm about to change my trany fluid its the first time I've done it in this car does anyone know about how many quarts it will take. I bought it with 97k and now I'm at 120k it had all the service records and was done per factory maintence scedule so I know the fluid is still in decent shape but I'm gonna do the mini flush drain fill twice over 200 miles but before I go to nissan to get the fluid I just need an idea of how much I'm gonna need.
10-22-2008, 10:31 PM
#8
Just a drain and fill is about 3.5 quarts of ATF. I've been using the convential Penzoil Dextron III ATF and since the first times I did drain and fills (3 times in 3 weeks, the ATF in the car was very dark brown but didn't have a burnt smell to it), I do a drain and fill every 15,000 miles.
10-23-2008, 04:58 AM
#10
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 72
it was done by nissan. they "suggested "a major tune up and trans flush with bfg product. total was about 400 bucks.
From everything I've read, the biggy is the regular fluid changes. It seems as though you can't change it enough, and it's really more important to keep up on the trans fluid than engine oil (if you had to pick).
I've read from mechanics that say poor trannys last a long time and good ones fail prematurely (primarily) because of lack of fluid changes, for the most part. That said, I'd do it and never regret it.
Sure, you could have synthetic which will hold up better but since you are not sure if it needs a change then whomever did it before probably put in regular grade of fluid because if they had put in synthetic at 60K miles then your wallet surely would have felt it and you would likely know for sure how long the fluid would last until the next needed fluid change. BIG diff between synthetic and regular grades $$. Pull the records to find out what fluid is in it and go from there. IF you can't find the records then I'd go out asap and get it changed for sure. And, not just a drain/fill since you've gone quite a few miles since last change and if that is all you get done, there is 1/2 of the fluid left in it and it is old stuff that will just keep getting older until the next change a long ways down the road.
Bottom line: Find the records or get it changed asap. Look on this website for info on drain/fills vs flush, too. (in the maintenance section)
I've read from mechanics that say poor trannys last a long time and good ones fail prematurely (primarily) because of lack of fluid changes, for the most part. That said, I'd do it and never regret it.
Sure, you could have synthetic which will hold up better but since you are not sure if it needs a change then whomever did it before probably put in regular grade of fluid because if they had put in synthetic at 60K miles then your wallet surely would have felt it and you would likely know for sure how long the fluid would last until the next needed fluid change. BIG diff between synthetic and regular grades $$. Pull the records to find out what fluid is in it and go from there. IF you can't find the records then I'd go out asap and get it changed for sure. And, not just a drain/fill since you've gone quite a few miles since last change and if that is all you get done, there is 1/2 of the fluid left in it and it is old stuff that will just keep getting older until the next change a long ways down the road.
Bottom line: Find the records or get it changed asap. Look on this website for info on drain/fills vs flush, too. (in the maintenance section)
10-23-2008, 05:33 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 604
Since the dealer did it you probably had regular nissan fluid in it and so it should be changed out. Follow the how-to's on this site and read up on it so you know how to do it yourself or what you do & do NOT want done by somebody else that you might pay to change it for you.
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