Transmission needs servicing

[Chernobyl]

My car has roughly 103xxx miles on it, and I have no idea when the transmission fluid was last serviced. The fluid is an awful brown color, and obviously needs replacing.

Should I have it flushed, replace the filter, and the fluid replaced with Dexron VI? Or should I just drop the pan and change the fluid and filter out there?

It shifts rather smoothly still, but it shudders when moved into reverse.

I've just heard legions of horror stories about flushes and the like.

[Lawngoose]

Pan drop and replace the filter. It wont get out All the fluid in the torque converter... but will replace alot of it. While your at it look into a DIY shift kit.

Its very easy, you can reuse the same tranny pan gasket as well. I stuck with dexron III or whatever the stock fluid was.

[Iron Indian]

I'd stick with a pan drop and filter, I still don't trust the T-tec because you don't replace the filter. How I see it, its like changing your motor oil without changing the filter, why?

[The Chad]

Yeah, don't have it flushed. There is a way to safely flush IF the person doing it knows how to do it right, but anyone you take it to won't know how to do it right so don't risk it.

Anyway, do like they said above and drop the pan, replace the filter with a GM filter (sometimes the little ring that the filter fits into gets stuck and needs manhandled), and I personally use Dexron VI as do lots of others. Dexron VI is a higher quality fluid, many have had great success with it. When you drop your pan, look at the magnet that sits on the bottom of the pan. You'll see a layer of metallic dust stuck to it. Hopeully it's not a major amount, and hopefully it's just dust without anything sizable in there. Clean it off real well before reassembly.

[The Chad]

One more thing, it will take several pan drop/fluid changes to get most of the old fluid out. Lots of it is in your torque converter, so several changes over time will get you about 90% new fluid in there.

[Chernobyl]

Another thing that I've heard is that my burnt transmission fluid means that my tranny is fubar. If I change the fluid, filter, and the like, and go easy on the car, and keep the fluid clean, will it be alright? So far, at 103xxx it shifts very smoothly.

[Swash]

Another thing that I've heard is that my burnt transmission fluid means that my tranny is fubar. If I change the fluid, filter, and the like, and go easy on the car, and keep the fluid clean, will it be alright? So far, at 103xxx it shifts very smoothly.

Replacing the fluid/filter isn't going to repair any worn parts. It can help with any components that are sticking (ie; valve bodies, etc, where applicable) - but it isn't going to "fix" anything that is broken, so to speak. As others have said - avoid getting it flushed - more damage can, and usually caused by this. Drop the pan - look very closely for any shrapnel and clean the magnet, as previously stated. Change it again when you do your next oil change - and you should be in as good of a shape as you can be without getting it fully serviced. A shift kit would be nice, but I personally wouldn't add anything that will possibly put any more strain on high-mileage stock components that are prone to failure - ie the 4th gear hub.

Good luck

-Swash

[Chernobyl]

Replacing the fluid/filter isn't going to repair any worn parts. It can help with any components that are sticking (ie; valve bodies, etc, where applicable) - but it isn't going to "fix" anything that is broken, so to speak. As others have said - avoid getting it flushed - more damage can, and usually caused by this. Drop the pan - look very closely for any shrapnel and clean the magnet, as previously stated. Change it again when you do your next oil change - and you should be in as good of a shape as you can be without getting it fully serviced. A shift kit would be nice, but I personally wouldn't add anything that will possibly put any more strain on high-mileage stock components that are prone to failure - ie the 4th gear hub.

Good luck

-Swash

Right. I wish fluid changed would repair worn hard parts. :P That'd put a lot of mechanics out of business. Thanks much for the advice. I'll try and keep it as clean as possible. At least I can prevent hurting it any more.