Thread: Flush or pan drop? Help needed

I have a 2006 Grand Prix GT with the 3.8 S/C. The car has 120,000km. There is no shift issues, its smooth shifts through all gears, even at WOT. There isn't any slipping that I know.

The trans had a pan drop oil change done in May of this year at 110,000km. The time of that fluid change, it was discolored brown. On the pan magnet there was some metal particles, looked like sludge. The tech said the trasmission might be starting to wear. After the pan drop, the fluid was still discolored, just a little less discolored.

At time of writting, the transmission has 120,000km on it and everything seems fine, but the fluid is still discolored.

Should I do a complete transmission flush? (and ask them to hold any flushing chemicals if they use them) Or do another pan drop now, and continue to do the pan drops until fluid gets better coloring?

Flush it. With no chemicals added.

Originally Posted by toolguy

Metal/sludge stuck to the magnet is normal for the first time the pan has been dropped.

If you drop the pan now and see more metal/sludge, then I would be concerned.

Yeah, when I did a pan drop in May, as far as I know, it was the first time done.

edit - When a flush is done, do they still remove the pan and change the filter?

Originally Posted by toolguy

Generally no, a machine does the flush and transfers old fluid out until all the fluid is new.

Your advice to see if there is now particles on the magnet is really solid, but then if the pan is dropped, I can't flush. Any sugestions?

For me personally, I do pan drops and change the filter everytime. The reason is that it is cheaper than paying a garage to flush/fluid exchange by doing it myself. Plus I get the satisfaction of knowing the filter was changed as well (you don't change your engine oil and leave the old filter on there, do ya). So that is what I would recommend.

If you cannot, or do not want to do your own work, then by all means have the fluid exchanged out. But don't overlook the fact that the tranny filter still needs changed at some point.

I would just do the filter every other time.

The filter was done in may and has 10k KM's on it

The oil in it right now smells abit burnt, not uber burnt tho

Originally Posted by gahris

The filter was done in may and has 10k KM's on it

The oil in it right now smells abit burnt, not uber burnt tho

Burnt fluid does not lubricate hardly at all. The longer you leave burnt fluid in your tranny, the more damage you are doing. Change the fluid and filter ASAP.

So i booked it for for a flush with Ontario Transmission

Ontario Transmission Services - Welcome

The mechanic I talked to only does "fluid exhange"

He said my car doesn't require Dex6, but he can use Dex 6 for an extra $40

This mechanic does drop the pan, clean the pan + magnet and puts a new filter on before doing a flush

This guy does cost abit, which will be around $240 with dex 6, but he seems to do a good job.

I could still just do a pan-drop in the end, but only changing 50% of the fluid may not solve any issues.

I done a flush today and the fluid looks like I stabbed someone and drained there blood into the transmission, LOL

It took 12 liters to flush it. Cost 180$ before taxes, including dex6, and filter

Originally Posted by matt5112

Deep red? Isn't it supposed to be more of a translucent red?

It looks like blood, serious. Maybe its just the brand of oil, or how they did the flush. They actully used more fluid so I got a 100% change. Could be more dye since thats all the red color is ((most automotive oils are all that same color))

It shifts fine which is a life saver!


BTW, should I take it easy to allow the transmission to adjust shifts?