How often do you drain-fill with new ATF ?
What other things do I need to do to keep my tranny lasts ?
Thanks All.

 

100k for the fluid refills... the filter is non-serviceable

 

Nissan does not include replacement of the automatic transmission fluid in any scheduled maintenance. However, it is cheap insurance to do so. Many owners like to make it part of their 60K service. You might want to change ATF even more often if you race, tow a trailer, or drive in mountainous terrain.

Install an auxiliary transmission fluid cooler. Refrain from abusive driving practices.

 

i thought our fluid type lasts 100k per manufacturer spec...

 

87?! i see... you are right but i rather let a tranny tech do this... is replacement necessary, ever?



was going by the fluid life... with a normally sane driver like myself shouldn't have a problem... inspect inspect

 

I can't .. thas the problem ..
i empty whatever fluid comes out of the tranny pan during every other oil change..

loosen the screw on the bottom of the pan... about 4-5 quarts come out.. i figure if i do that every time eventually it will all get flushed..

Ant

 

This is a good practice. You are driving on cleaner ATF than most cars on the road. Keep up the good work!

 

I get my ATF drained and refilled (3 qts) every 15k. It's pretty cheap (adds like $20 to the service) and good insurance for keeping your transmission in good shape. I recently had a full flush and refill with Redline D4 ATF, but for most people that's overkill. Expensive too ($200).

As for Nissan's interval, I don't think there is one. Every 30k should be more than enough if you don't beat your transmission.

 

I drain my tranny pan every 5000 miles, which includes put in a new filter and cleaning out the pan to remove the excess dirt. I put in about 6 quarts every time. It just a safety issue for me.

Hey it is not so hard to remove the pan. Most people don't want the trouble.

 

Get a tranny cooler. Heat kills the fluid. Bad fluid leads to tranny break down. With a tranny cooler, you will get more out of your ATF.

I flush my ATF every 30K miles. It's overkill, but Maximas are notorious for auto tranny failure. Better spend $60-$100 get a flush every so often than paying $1K for a new tranny @ 100K miles.

 

Doing a drain-fill on a 5spd is as flushed as it can get because you can't really pump it, right? Also, any ATF fluid will work for a 5spd? (is there some issue about zinc or something damageing the clutch...i was reading another post about that)

 

The previous posts in this thread relate to automatic transmissions. You have introduced the topic of a 5-speed. Nissan recommends API GL-4 SAE 80W-90 gear lubricant for the 5-speed transaxle. There are some manual transmissions which use ATF, but the 4Gen Maxima is not one of them. The clutch is a "dry" mechanism. It does not come in contact with the transaxle lubricant, so the presence or absence of zinc in the lubricant has no effect on the clutch.

 

So, Daniel, you recomend just getting the fluid from the dealer? Or should i try to find some aftermarket/sythetic fluid? And drain/fill will do a good job since it is a 5spd?

 

i recommend redline for manuals

 

Drain and fill is the right way to replace the lubricant in a 5-speed.

I do NOT recommend buying the gear oil from a dealer. You should be able to buy this product anywhere you buy motor oil. Any name-brand product will do. Just make sure the container says API GL-4 SAE 80W-90.

Some Nissan owners praise synthetic gear lubes such as RedLine. Others have reported axle seal leaks which started immediately after switching to synthetic. My own Maxima 5-speed is still running on the factory fill.