Servicing an automatic transmission...

Lusos · 12/18/2008, 09:19 PM

I feel really stupid for asking this... In the past, I've done a couple of engine swaps, complete brake jobs (both disk and drum), and even rebuilt a turbocharger. Hell, I'm an undergraduate Mechanical Engineer. However, I have never serviced an automatic transmission. When I changed the fluid in my Isuzu, it was a pretty easy thing. Just drain from the bottom plug, then refill through the speedometer cable. But then again, that was a manual transmission.

I have been wanting to change the fluid in my GS, being that the car has 85,000 miles (had the car since 59,000 miles) and has never had the transmission drained as far as I know. Is it just as simple as draining then refilling? My father keeps advising against me doing this because he claims there are all kind of filters and I need to "flush" the fluid out. Personally, I think he's just overemphasizing it due to the fact that he's never serviced an automatic either. (He claims that we should keep the stock fluid because, I guess out of luck, his Chevrolet with 235K miles has never had the 700R serviced).

What would be the procedure? Just drain and refill. Any help would be appreciated.

Bitter · 12/18/2008, 09:36 PM

pretty much, drain and refill. adjust the level when hot and in park...

heres how we do it.
drain
fill to cold marks on dipstick with engine off.
start engine
recheck fluid level and add till at cold marks again.
let engine warm up fully and recheck level
add fluid till trans is in hot range
take the vehicle out on the road and let it shift itself through all gears
park on a level surface with the trans in neutral and check fluid level, add if needed.

iirc these transmissions take a specific fluid specification, not dexron/mercon.

and to the 235K mile trans on original fluid, i guarantee his trans will shift alot better with new fluid. that trans is VERY easy to change the fluid and filter on, just drop the pan, put in a new filter, new gasket, put the pan on, and fill up. use the same procedure to obtain the correct fluid level.

5dollapizza · 12/18/2008, 10:18 PM

if you have another person handy, after you drain out of the plug, disconnect the lowest fitting on the passenger side of your radiator. have someone start the car for about five seconds at a time. this will get the remaining couple quarts out of the tranny. oh and make sure to have that drain pan under there the whole time.

Special_K · 12/19/2008, 08:34 AM

I believe if you go to tearstone.com, Russ still has the service manual for the 00-05 Eclipse. I used that for my tranny flush and it made it super easy. There are a few steps in the service manual where they have you start the car for 10-15 seconds to drain the fluid out of the torque converter. Let me find the linkie for ya.

Special_K · 12/19/2008, 08:37 AM

http://tearstone.com/eclipsefsm/GR00003500-23A.pdf

Page 23A-347. Good luck.

Bitter · 12/19/2008, 09:29 PM

no need to goto all those lengths, just drain and refill is fine. do that every 30-60K miles and you'll be fine. its a mitsu automatic...its not going to last that long anyways

5dollapizza · 12/20/2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bitter

...its not going to last that long anyways

mines got 218k on it. bought it with 190k, although they are all freeway miles and the lady i got it from had a HUGE stack of receipts for all the maintenance she had done..

Lusos · 12/28/2008, 02:11 PM

Thanks guys. I appreciate all of the help.

To the bat cave! erm.. I mean, my garage!

qnz · 01/01/2009, 08:48 AM

well with old cars like your dads chevy, the old oil is probably holding his transmission together.

Lusos · 01/07/2009, 10:42 AM

Quick question...

From what I have found, I'm going to need to use Kia/Hyundai/Mitsubishi Diamond III fluid or whatever the hell Chrysler equivalent. Does anyone recommend an equivalent brand? All I can find that matches the standard is Redline, Motul, and AMSoil, each being around $9 per quart. At 8.1 quarts (lets say $9), that's about $85 including tax without the filter and gasket.

Cliff notes: any recommended fluids?

EDIT: Dealer just gave me a quote of $6.75 per quart! Time to see what Kia will charge.

EDIT: Kia ATF SP-III runs at $7.25 per quart. Time to check Hyundai

EDIT: Hyundai wants $6.47 per quart, which is my cheapest route yet.

Lusos · 01/07/2009, 04:41 PM

Wow, I guess looking around does pay off... About an hour after typing the above post, I went to Autozone to see what kind of fluid they had. Low and behold, for only $3.99 per quart they had Costal ATF which "meets and exceeds" Diamond SP-III Mitsuhishi rating.

Yay!

03DMeclipse · 01/07/2009, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lusos

Wow, I guess looking around does pay off... About an hour after typing the above post, I went to Autozone to see what kind of fluid they had. Low and behold, for only $3.99 per quart they had Costal ATF which "meets and exceeds" Diamond SP-III Mitsuhishi rating.

Yay!

have you gotten the filter and gasket yet?

Bitter · 01/07/2009, 07:13 PM

coastal is sort of the bottom barrel fluid...

Lusos · 03/08/2009, 11:14 AM

Sorry for the late follow-up, but some things came up and I had to put the Eclipse on hold.

Anyways, I changed the fluid just like the manual said and everything works great. The car shifts at lower revs (like it did when new) and the shifting is overall much smoother than before. When I changed the fluid it was straight black and there was gunk built up around the drain plug, so apparently an oil change was in order.

I do have a bit of warning to anyone who is about to change their fluid. HAVE TWO OIL PANS. You will need one to place under the disconnected cooler line and another one placed one foot back from the oil cooler nipple. Trust me when I say that it will shoot fluid two feet back under the car. Better yet, have someone there to help you when it is being changed.

Thanks Club3g, you guys have been a toon of help.

kmfdmz3 · 03/09/2009, 10:14 PM

got a question for you guys. my girls 01 eclipse rs has about 140k miles on it. its an automatic. she's never changed the tranny fluid. would it still be safe to drain the fluid, pull the pan and replace the filter? or is the fluid keeping the tranny together?

rmbootsman · 06/15/2009, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmfdmz3

got a question for you guys. my girls 01 eclipse rs has about 140k miles on it. its an automatic. she's never changed the tranny fluid. would it still be safe to drain the fluid, pull the pan and replace the filter? or is the fluid keeping the tranny together?

Just change the tranny fluid, my car has 170k and I changed the fluid, so no the fluid is not holding the tranny together!

12/18/2008, 09:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bitter am cat Join Date: May 2004 Location: South of Chicago Vehicle: 2007 Camaro Posts: 35,621	pretty much, drain and refill. adjust the level when hot and in park... heres how we do it. drain fill to cold marks on dipstick with engine off. start engine recheck fluid level and add till at cold marks again. let engine warm up fully and recheck level add fluid till trans is in hot range take the vehicle out on the road and let it shift itself through all gears park on a level surface with the trans in neutral and check fluid level, add if needed. iirc these transmissions take a specific fluid specification, not dexron/mercon. and to the 235K mile trans on original fluid, i guarantee his trans will shift alot better with new fluid. that trans is VERY easy to change the fluid and filter on, just drop the pan, put in a new filter, new gasket, put the pan on, and fill up. use the same procedure to obtain the correct fluid level. __________________ 2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar' 1993 Geo Prizm 7A-FE/A245E

12/19/2008, 08:34 AM	#4 (permalink)
Special_K N my Flippy Floppies Aqua Slug Champion! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Mentor, OH Vehicle: 2001 Eclipse GT PP Posts: 14,209	I believe if you go to tearstone.com, Russ still has the service manual for the 00-05 Eclipse. I used that for my tranny flush and it made it super easy. There are a few steps in the service manual where they have you start the car for 10-15 seconds to drain the fluid out of the torque converter. Let me find the linkie for ya. __________________ JIC Muellerized... Secsiness 2001 GT PP A/T 205whp/203wft-lbs *Tuned by LogicGate, Sponsored by Tearstone*

12/19/2008, 08:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
Special_K N my Flippy Floppies Aqua Slug Champion! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Mentor, OH Vehicle: 2001 Eclipse GT PP Posts: 14,209	http://tearstone.com/eclipsefsm/GR00003500-23A.pdf Page 23A-347. Good luck. __________________ JIC Muellerized... Secsiness 2001 GT PP A/T 205whp/203wft-lbs *Tuned by LogicGate, Sponsored by Tearstone*

12/19/2008, 09:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
Bitter am cat Join Date: May 2004 Location: South of Chicago Vehicle: 2007 Camaro Posts: 35,621	no need to goto all those lengths, just drain and refill is fine. do that every 30-60K miles and you'll be fine. its a mitsu automatic...its not going to last that long anyways __________________ 2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar' 1993 Geo Prizm 7A-FE/A245E

01/07/2009, 07:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
Bitter am cat Join Date: May 2004 Location: South of Chicago Vehicle: 2007 Camaro Posts: 35,621	coastal is sort of the bottom barrel fluid... __________________ 2000 Celica GTS 'slowest gts evar' 1993 Geo Prizm 7A-FE/A245E

12/18/2008, 10:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
5dollapizza def jukie Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: sacramento, california Vehicle: '00 eclipse gs Posts: 186	if you have another person handy, after you drain out of the plug, disconnect the lowest fitting on the passenger side of your radiator. have someone start the car for about five seconds at a time. this will get the remaining couple quarts out of the tranny. oh and make sure to have that drain pan under there the whole time.

01/01/2009, 08:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
qnz Galant-Turbo Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: QueeNZ, NY Vehicle: 2003 Galant Posts: 252	well with old cars like your dads chevy, the old oil is probably holding his transmission together.

03/09/2009, 10:14 PM	#15 (permalink)
kmfdmz3 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Vehicle: 2006 Mazda3s Posts: 8	got a question for you guys. my girls 01 eclipse rs has about 140k miles on it. its an automatic. she's never changed the tranny fluid. would it still be safe to drain the fluid, pull the pan and replace the filter? or is the fluid keeping the tranny together?