We will see....I'm glad you were sitting down too Nancy pants and didn't hit your pretty little head.

 

I'll be sure to keep you informed....

I'm not saying mine will last forever, but at least to 250,000 miles which is 25% of 1,000,000 miles right? Basically what you said....

 

Since this is the analytical thread, I can add more matter to the subject.

My A32 tranny is/began failing with, as I stated 230k. And, let's keep in mind, I'm @ 5500' elevation, which brings my power down roughly 25-30% according to dynojet numbers. I was the 3rd owner according to Carfax, it was purchased in AZ, move to TX, and I got it in NM. Both AZ and TX have slightly 'higher' (less power) elevation than typical states, given east AZ and west TX.

So, what does this mean for people @ sea level making, again, roughly 27.5% (avg) more power than me? And this is to say that power has a slight effect on slipping/friction/wear/longevity?

 

Predicting when an auto trans will fail is like trying to predict an earthquake.
Will it last longer if you change the fluid every 30,000 miles? Probably.

But for instance, I drive 30 miles each way to work and 26 of those miles my trans in in one gear. With lots of folks, their trans shifts as much in 5 miles as mine does in 30 miles.

Plus I rarely have my tach over 2800 rpms, so shifts are easy on the clutchpacks in my automatics. A shift at 5500 rpms probably is rougher on your trans that 5 shifts at 2500 rpms, it's the nature of friction and heat.

Then there is the variable of consistent operating temps, based on how long the car is driven and warmed up. I bet 10° temps are harder on a trans the first few miles than 70° ambient temps.

Add all that up and you still have the unknown variable: production tolerances. Who knows how much difference there is between parts and between assembly tolerances?

Just drive the thing until it dies, and hope for the best!

 

Tranny temps are far different than ambient air temps. In fact, the tranny fluid temp takes a lot longer to reach operating tempo than the ECT does.

This is noted for me because the lockup TC will not lock up until the tranny fliud temp has reached operating temperature, which is far later than the ECT, but is the same actual temp.

 

It looks like my original analytical post is generating some GREAT comparable info, opinions and feedback.

This kind of participation and input is exactly what I had hoped for, so thanks very much to all who have participated.

I see some varying opinions here on the use of a tranny cooler.

Is there an optimum operating temperature for one of these transmissions?

Can a tranny cooler possibly have a negative effect in Florida, or anywhere by keeping the tranny to cool for to long?

Still, not much input on extra magnets...

Thanks again..

Also, as I post this reply I cannot remember which participant has the pics of the three maximas presumably in his collection. I think it was an '87, 97 & a 2002.

I just wanted to say that is VERY nice collection, very nice sampling of Maximas.

 

My car was originally bought in Texas and I'm the 2nd owner so it has always been here. Elevation mean is 670 feet in the DFW metroplex. 191,400 miles on my original automatic. Made it at least 2000 more miles than the original transmission in my '90 Accord which had half the power and was also an original Texas car (and which I was also the 2nd owner of).

 

As far as your magnet idea, shoving foreign objects down the filler tube is fraught with potential disaster, ESPECIALLY when it's a magnet that could just stick to something and not come out. (Besides, isn't the filler tube itself made of steel?)

Of you are so concerned with maximizing the life, then spend the few dollars on the gasket kit and crack open the pan.

 

Even if the filler tube was 100% non-ferrous, there are still a million little parts and pieces down there for the magnet to latch on to where the OP's little fabricated tool idea may not be able to get it back out through the filler tube intact. IMO, that's just a flawed idea from the start.

---

Also, thanks to the manuals/TSB link in the G5 stickies, I learned that there is a technical service bulletin on back flushing the trans cooler in the radiator with a special can of pressurized spray cleaner to remove particulates that may settle down in there and then contaminate the fresh fluid after a service.

http://maxima.theowensfamily.com/tsb/NTB00-056b.pdf

I am betting that the average corner garage or Jiffy Lube have no idea that Nissan recommends this as a part of the trans service.

 

Naw, nobody owned anything.

I think you may have been looking to closely at one aspect of the overall statement.

Ultimately, I bet we are in agreement that the OP's idea of shoving magnets through the filler tube is not a good plan.

 

Isn't their something else you could be pointing out over hear?

 

I have looked through the transmission threads, and need clarification on the amount of fluid required to do a drain and fill in a 2001 Max . . . some claim 3 quarts, some 4, and some say 5 quarts. I think it would be the same on all cars.

How many quarts of ATF are needed to drain and fill a 5th generation Maxima? The owner's manual does not say.

 

lol'd

 

Okay, wait a minute...

I was never considering sticking anything in the filler hole where the dip stick goes.

The idea was to stick something in the hole that you see when you remove the DRAIN PLUG...

Sheese, you guys are right, I believe sticking something in the filler tube is a bad and useless idea.

Sticking something in the DRAIN hole gets you much closer to the stock magnets with less risk, ummm, agreed?

 

POS Accord still runs, saw it a month or so ago, last time I stopped by to look at it (owner works about 6 miles from me) it had 311,000 miles on it.

No idea where my Chevelle is, the guy who bought it lived in Fort Worth. Love to find that car again, or my '74 Z/28.

 

If you get a good drain (bouncing the car up and down a few times after it stops draining and you can get more fluid out) it takes a little less than 4 quarts to refill on a drain and fill. Don't know how much more you may get out if you actually drop the pan.

 

It's your car... but I am quite certain that I will not be inserting ANY foreign objects into my ANY holes on my transmission.

Just drop the pan and clear the magnet! That way you can clean the screen too.

 

I am thinking you are giving good advice. I am leaning towards dropping the pan right away and cleaning everything.

Any insight on putting extra magnets in the pan?

 

I have a 2k, so I have an extra consideration for my next service.

I found an additional TSB in the site mentioned earlier that I found in the stickies.
I have been experiencing some mushy shifts when the trans is ice cold, and the 2000-01 A/T slipping TSB outlines the replacement of the solenoid valve assembly and (if needed) the Trans Control Module (TCM).

So my next service will be undoubtedly more complicated.

I will also have the cooler backflushed per the bulletin I linked earlier in this thread, and then a 100% fluid change to Mobil1 ATF via a T-Tech machine.

If anyone has any additional tips on making the automatic in the '00 as bulletproof as possible, I would be happy to listen.

 

The price you paid for the 4th gen gasket is interesting. IIRC, the gasket part number search at Infinity of Scottsdale came back saying it fit 95 to 06 Maximas and a bunch of other models, such as Altima and others.

 

I think the 4-spd trans gasket (4th gen) is way different than the 5-speed that the 3.5L uses in the 2002+ Nissans..

 

I think you mean 2004+.

My 2002 certainly isn't a 5-speed auto.

 

1 Collision Catalog - 2003 - Nissan - Maxima
, Gasket - 3.5 liter - 3.5 liter
$0.00 $13.61 21 Collision Catalog - Nissan
Bolt - 3.5 liter 2002 - 2003
$0.00 $11.34 1 Collision Catalog - 2003 - Nissan - Maxima
, Strainer - 3.5 liter - 3.5 liter
$0.00 $28.42 Sub Total: $53.37 Tax $0.00 Shipping $9.50 Total: $62.87

 

There's a dealership in Texas called Southpoint Nissan, and a Parts guy there who sells Nissan parts to Org members at prices noticeably lower than elsewhere. His name is Dave Burnette, which is the "Dave B" you may or may not have seen yet on the Org. He's been doing it for years. "Contact Dave B" is a pretty common statement here.

I have no idea whether his prices are better than what you've found, but usually he can beat whatever you find for OEM parts. On top of that, he's really skilled at customer service... which is nice.

 

If you can find a valvebody mod somewhere it will certainly help in improving the life of the transmission. Just make sure it is a stage I or stage II...don't want to do a stage III because that will tear up the transmission.

They are quite hard to come by because the one company I got mine from isn't even doing them any longer. Heck I can't even remember the name of the company.

 

Oh, and if you are lucky and find a valvebody, check and see if it comes with the solenoid pack. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.

 

Hey Tony, I used to own a '98 Quest that I bought with 4K miles and an '03 maxima with 22K miles respectively. I changed the tranny fluid just by removing the drain plug the very next day after I bought'em and I always used Mobil one ATF ever since in both vehicles. After that, I continued to change it once a year regardless of the mileage without ever having to drop the oil pan. When I got rid of the Quest, it had more than 215K miles and the tranny never failed. I still own the '03 maxima and it has 173K miles and it's still running strong and up to this day, i've never dropped the pan at all.

 

Thanks very much for your contribution. If I may ask, what are your driving habits / style with the maxima? How often do you kinda 'get on it'?

Also, please clarify your drain & fill.. You just drained out whatever was in there? Any idea what was in there before you put in the Mobil1? It was most likely the OEM dino I presume?

So you mixed the regular OEM dino with the Mobil1?

I presume you have no plans to drop the pan and clean the magnets and everything?

If you do, now that I know the history of your car, I'd love to see some pictures of the magnets. Some video of the magnets maybe with someone giving them the finger treatment to demonstrate the depth and amount of magnetic sludge.

Thanks again.

 

I drained whatever came out through the drain plug (if I remember right it was about 5.25 qts in the Quest and about 4.75 in the Max.). At the beginning, I mixed Mobil 1 with whatever was in there but since I continued to change it once a year, I assume that eventually all the oil became synthetic with every change and no, I never used a magnet but I guess it won't hurt if you want to use one. And every once in a while I punch the gas pedal all the way down where it says "made in Japan" and the Max responds very strong.

 

What is the oil consumption on your Max? When you first got it? Now? What are you using for motor oil? How often you change it?

 

I've been using Mobil1 5W30 ever since I bough it and I change it about every 12K miles and I change the filter once in between with a top off. The car almost does not use oil in between oil changes, maybe 1 quart every 4K miles and I'm still using 5W30 with about 173K miles. I'd say that the engine is still very tight probably because it was properly broken in. I have been the second owner ever since I bought it and it was a fleet car or leased car before that.

 

Like a mosquito to a bug light, I'll reply...
It's only got 40k on it. Don't fret. You don't have to think about changing the fluid for another 20k or so if it looks, smells and tastes good.