ATX fluid...replace or not?

[TYSHO]

I've done a search on this topic and now I'm worried.

It's a 93 SHO w/131k and I believe the fluid and filter were changed a good ways back (8?k...?). Previous owner used the SHO 80% highway from city to city and owned it since 23k after buying it as a previous fleet vehicle. I've had it since 124.5k and have used it 50/50 city/highway.

Now I want to change the filter out and read about everyone's choice of Redline fluid which I'm NOT going to use. I've read that after a complete change with total new fluid, it can cause the clutches to slip as the new fluid is to slippery. So is a 50/50 change good enough to not allow slipping since it's not all fresh?

Also, I had a transmission leaking issue, now fixed. Since the leak I've added 3.5 quarts of new Pennzoil ATF 'Synthetic Blend' and .5 quarts of Lucas Transmission Fix additive. Ever since the adding of the new fluids, nothing seemed to change...no slipping nor hard shifts. So being that my tranny didn't slip on the new fluid added (4 qts.), I'd think it should be okay with just dropping the pan and topping it back off with some autostore brand type ATF (assuming it's not as slippery as top brands), right or no?

TIA and sorry for the long post.

Edit: Could it also be that the Redline is so slippery it's causing the problems members are listing?

<small>[ August 04, 2003, 05:56 AM: Message edited by: TYSHO ]</small>

 

[olympic]

It's a gamble either way. Some tranny's start to slip after a flush if they have not had regular flushes in the past. Others do just fine.

I wouldn't bother dropping the pan and replacing the filter. You only replace half the oil and it doesn't really help anything. Most of the old fluid and contaminants are still in there.

Here's what I would do: if your current fluid is clean and not burnt and the tranny acts normally, I would get a complete flush done(with regular ATF) and replace the filter. If the fluid is ugly, then just leave it alone.

<small>[ August 04, 2003, 08:56 PM: Message edited by: olympic ]</small>

 

[SHOZ123]

I'd do a complete flush and filter change.

Disconnect the line going to the drivers side of the cooler. Drop this in a 5 gallon bucket and attach a short piece of hose to the cooler and put this in the bucket too.

Start motor and run until the flow has lessened.

Take pan off and change filter.

Add 10 quarts of fluid and start car again and let run until fluid is clean or flow has lessened.

Top off system with ~4 quarts.

Be sure to check fluid level before driving. Be sure to have fluid hot for the final fluid check/addition.

 

[EHBOY]

UHHH... Personally, i NEVER Flush the ATX!!!! Throughout the transmission there are tinly little filters that do NOT get changed on a regular basis. In other words, they are not accessible to do so. When you flush the old fluid, you're flushing crap through these tiny little screen filters and risk plugging them up! Now, i'm NOT an expert, hovever, i've had several professionals explain this to me. Just change the fluid regularly w/filter.

 

[shojuan]

If you do a complete fluid change using a technique like Paul suggests I can't see how you are "flushing crap through the filters." Paul's method simply pumps old fluid out and replaces with new. Seems like a good deal to me.

Of course the best thing an ATX owner can do is regular fluid changes from day 1. How many people actually do this? I wonder if I should insist that my mom do this with her new lexus, lol.

 

[Tommy's SHO]

shojuan:
Of course the best thing an ATX owner can do is regular fluid changes from day 1. How many people actually do this? I wonder if I should insist that my mom do this with her new lexus, lol.

I drop the pan in my '95 ATX every 10-15K miles, and refilling using 6 quarts of regular Mobil's or Castrol's Dextron/Mercon ATX Fluid.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

This garbage about how flushing the tranny can damage it is complete BS unless they're flushing it with water or Pepsi or something other than the proper ATX fluid. This is an old wives' tale that just refuses to die. There are plenty of tranny 'experts' and even chains like Jiffy Lose that still think this is true. The Earth is still flat to them too... boink

The service interval for ATX fluid service is every 30K miles.

 

[shojuan]

SHOooo:
This is an old wives' tale that just refuses to die.

But it's the dirt that's holding the tranny together Chris!! wink

 

[SolidState]

Here's what I would do: if your current fluid is clean and not burnt and the tranny acts normally, I would get a complete flush done(with regular ATF) and replace the filter. If the fluid is ugly, then just leave it alone.

I second that. I do flushes every 15k on my new ATX. Old wives tale or not, I have experienced difficulties with fresh fluid after not changing it for approx. 100k.