Should I Change My Transmission Fluid?

[BackOff]

Firebirdguy towards the end of this thread nails it.
Easy Peasy transmission fluid exchange V6

 

[Jubsz]

^I did pretty much that method on my new to me 08 V8 with 161k miles. Much prefer to use the cooler's return line than trying to pump under the truck past the exhaust. I exchanged 14 quarts. I never had records of it being changed prior to my ownership but it shifted fine. Kinda slow but no shutters or anything. It's been about 3k miles and still going strong.

I did one thing different to that method. I did start under the truck and drained the contents of the transmission pan. I drained it into a measured container which was about 3 qts. I filled the same amount through the cooler's return line before starting the truck to flush the next sample. IMO, it was best to get clean fluid in the pan to start off instead of continuously mixing things up. There was a clear point at the end that my fluid became red and new.

 

[AuSeeker]

Does your method use the trans pump to pump the old fluid out. I have an 04’ non sealed tranny and trying to understand process so I can be clear with my mechanic, so please pardon my lack of knowledge. If my mechanic can’t do the exchange in a non-pressurized method, I guess I’ll have him drain and fill and do that 3 or 4 times. Do you know if the drain and fill done several times will eventually get the old fluid out of the torque converter? Thank you!

Firebirdguy towards the end of this thread nails it.
Easy Peasy transmission fluid exchange V6

^I did pretty much that method on my new to me 08 V8 with 161k miles. Much prefer to use the cooler's return line than trying to pump under the truck past the exhaust. I exchanged 14 quarts. I never had records of it being changed prior to my ownership but it shifted fine. Kinda slow but no shutters or anything. It's been about 3k miles and still going strong.

I did one thing different to that method. I did start under the truck and drained the contents of the transmission pan. I drained it into a measured container which was about 3 qts. I filled the same amount through the cooler's return line before starting the truck to flush the next sample. IMO, it was best to get clean fluid in the pan to start off instead of continuously mixing things up. There was a clear point at the end that my fluid became red and new.

With the non-sealed 4 speed and 5 speed transmissions, you refill the fluid via the dipstick tube, there is no refill hole on the side of the transmission that the sealed transmissions have and no reason to use the return line to refill, so it's a much easier process to refill the fluid, simply insert a funnel into the dipstick tube and pour in the fluid, also checking the fluid level is a breeze since all you have to do is check via the dipstick, otherwise the above linked method to exchange the fluid is the same.