Please help me!!
03-20-2001, 07:49 PM
#1
OK guys I think there is something wrong with my tranny. Its been getting soft on shifts and when I checked my tranny fluid and its more black than red mostly black. Is it time to change the fluid out?? Im scared because I will be driving my car to Texas possibly this summer so I dont want to be driving with bad tranny fluid that could turn into a bad tranny. So what is it? Should it be black at all?
03-22-2001, 04:28 AM
#5
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,931
Originally posted by turbolaw99
The fluid should not be black, if it is burnt don't flush it. You may try a drain and fill, but the fluid should be red/pink in color.
The fluid should not be black, if it is burnt don't flush it. You may try a drain and fill, but the fluid should be red/pink in color.
Why wouldn't you flush the fluid? That's the only way to get the old stuff out and start off with fresh, new fluid.
03-22-2001, 05:06 AM
#6
its not black its
a red with a light mid black tint. So shouldnt I just flush it out and put the new in??? I kinda need this help fast I dont know if I will be getting a newer max this summer just yet. Might end up holding on to this one for alittle while longer, something has come up so Im going to have to keep this one up. My car has 145k miles on it and I will be driving it to Texas and Back for this summer then Back again for some important stuff. Isnt a drain and fill the same thing as flushing and refilling??? Where can I get this done at? I dont want to do it my self being if soemthing goes wrong, it wont be my fault and be screwed for it. 
I live in the atlanta/mcdonough area. Help me out!!
I live in the atlanta/mcdonough area. Help me out!!
03-22-2001, 05:43 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 755
First off, we need some clarification of terminology:
Flush - An additive is put in the transmission to help desolve deposits.
Refill - All the fluid is changed in the transmission.
On a transmission with 145k I would not start by doing a flush. If too much crud is set free into the old, dirty fluid you can block the screen and damage the internals. I would start by doing a full fluid refill. If the new fluid shows any color change in the first 500 - 1000 miles, get it changed again. Think of the first refill as a mild flush. Getting 2, or even 3, refills may sound expensive, but it is only the fraction of the price of getting the transmission changed. Soft shifts are the first sign of big trouble.
Flush - An additive is put in the transmission to help desolve deposits.
Refill - All the fluid is changed in the transmission.
On a transmission with 145k I would not start by doing a flush. If too much crud is set free into the old, dirty fluid you can block the screen and damage the internals. I would start by doing a full fluid refill. If the new fluid shows any color change in the first 500 - 1000 miles, get it changed again. Think of the first refill as a mild flush. Getting 2, or even 3, refills may sound expensive, but it is only the fraction of the price of getting the transmission changed. Soft shifts are the first sign of big trouble.
03-22-2001, 06:07 AM
#8
what do you mean by
soft shifts are the sign of big trouble? Thats what I have been witnessing going into overdrive, a softer than normal shift. I read on someones internet site that the screen on my transmission isnt serviceable or something like that. So whats the difference between a full fluid refill and a regular refill? Some tech guy said that too he suggested a full fluid refill and not just drain the old out and refill it again. What does that mean; I mean how is there two differences between a full fluid refill and a drain and refill??? What does a full fluid refill pertain to that a drain and refill doesnt?
03-22-2001, 08:09 AM
#9
A full refill uses a machine that goes inline with the transmission and gets all of the transmission out by using the pressure in the transmission system when running to get the tranny fluid out that is normally stuck in the internal parts of the transmission that doesn't get drained by the old, 'open the drainhole' technique. The drainhole technique only gets like 40% of the fluid out, while the machine gets about 90% out. The full refill gets most of the 'crud' out that the drain and refill won't/can't. You can got to most quick service places and get this done. Costs about $80.
03-22-2001, 12:37 PM
#10
ok yeah thats what I want
the machine thing. I thought thats what you meant. I wanted to go somewhere to get my whole tranny drained wit that machine and get some new fluid in there. I dont like the sound of the flush because it still uses the old fluid. Im talking I want my stuff drained out 90% or 100% whatever and put some new stuff in. And 80 doesnt sound bad I thin pepboys does it for like around 90. So Ill do it on my off days or before I go to work tomorrow and take it there. Thanks for the information and clarifications used. Now I know what I want done so lets get to it. hehe