Complete Auto Trans Oil Change - Howto

[ronwest]

COMPLETE AUTO TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGE

I'll assume that your car is on a level surface and you've drained the transmission oil, replaced the filter, reinstalled transmission sump and new sump gasket and filled with oil (to filler hole level).

johnydepp has an excellent howto for the above:- http://tinyurl.com/yh4akjg


Article relocated to the Tech Portal.

[cougermoon]

Nice job mate

[JMO]

Nicely done! Thanks

[Mr Hardware]

well done ronwest, good writeup
the job would be made even easier if you have one of these beauties:

A lot of transmission specialists i have spoken to actually discourage the practice of full flush of transmission oil through the torque converter etc, i can't remember why now....

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

A lot of transmission specialists i have spoken to actually discourage the practice of full flush of transmission oil through the torque converter etc, i can't remember why now....

I'm not a transmission specialist - in fact I know very little about automatics - but from what I read, "passive" oil exchange (as I've done) is ok whereas "active" oil exchange (eg externally powered flushing machine) or heaven forbid "reverse solvent flushing" is an emphatic no-no. It's to do with spreading debris through the system and/or blowing seals and possibly other damage as well.

I've done various cars over the years and my AU with the method described each year for the last four years with no ill effects.

It would be easier with a dipstick. Where did you get yours?

[Mr Hardware]

ah yes, i believe you're right. a passive oil change would have no real difference in flow to simply just the oil circulating around the transmission. but a flushing machine is terribad.

as part of the deal when i bought my AU one of the conditions was a reco trans - and i specifically requested a dipstick be added. IMO everyone who replaces their trans should have the dipstick added - it should have been a factory standard in the first place.

[lofty]

I was told the casting had changed and a dipstick couldn't be added. Could yours have an earlier case, Mr H?

[Mr Hardware]

I wouldn't be at all surprised lofty.

[The Monty]

Trans places will put one in any AU for around $100.

[saber]

ronwest, fantastic write up! I'll be doing a tranny service at the end of the year (when I rack up 100000km in my BF).

I too wish I had a transmission dipstick. It would make the job of refilling the tranny so much easier!

By the way, for a BF falcon with the heat exchanger, which hose is the supply line and which is the return line. A pic would be fantastic!!!

EDIT: This thread should be made as a sticky!

[syco26]

Sorry for awakening an old post but great write up Ron. Going to give it a go on my BA. Im so thankful to this forum and the many people like you that take the time to make tuts like these, saves us all thousands of dollars over the years. Thanks for sharing.

[rowan194]

I hadn't seen this thread before either, definitely interested in a flush rather than just draining whatever's in the sump then refill; bookmarking this for later use.

I see the OP has a separate trans cooler, but what about those with a stock rad? From memory the trans tubing ends in a screw type connector rather than a barb?

[BHDOGS]

Doh didn't read it properly ignore question

[ronwest]

Rowan, I'd get something like this http://tinyurl.com/84mk3ut and screw it onto the threaded connector and the plastic hose onto the barb.
(This connector is for illustrative purposes only. You'll have to check the thread type on auto pipe)

[BHDOGS]

the plastic tubing looks similar to the windscreen washer tubing which is 1 dollar a meter from motormate a cheaper option.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by BHDOGS

the plastic tubing looks similar to the windscreen washer tubing which is 1 dollar a meter from motormate a cheaper option.

May be a bit thin, you'll be sitting there all day waiting for it to drain. I'd go for 5/8" nylon air hose or just cut up the garden hose to speed things up. They should fit into the filler plug, from memory.

[rowan194]

Bunnings sells a wide range of clear plastic tubing in the irrigation section, from 3 or 4mm right up to the 20s of mms. Just remember to check whether the tubing measurement is the inside or outside diameter.

[BHDOGS]

I just did a transmission fluid change on my g/fs au was easy as thanks to this thread the best advice i can offer is the spring clip i couldn't work it out stupidest thing to get stuck on i know but took the longest for me the frontest part of clip pull outwards towards drivers side wheel then pull down DOH easy as after that to put back on

[falconboy]

Originally Posted by BHDOGS

I just did a transmission fluid change on my g/fs au was easy as thanks to this thread the best advice i can offer is the spring clip i couldn't work it out stupidest thing to get stuck on i know but took the longest for me the frontest part of clip pull outwards towards drivers side wheel then pull down DOH easy as after that to put back on

No, its not the stupidest thing to get stuck on, and its not easy to get back on unless you have a photographic memory. The clip on the filter is a damn nightmare. Most ridiculous design. Its not obvious looking at it, especially upside down laying on the driveway with trans fluid dripping in your friggin eyes, and no diagram makes it clear exactly where it clips in.

Did anyone guess that I hate that damn clip?

Rant over!

Carry on......

[Bobman]

Will be doing my AU soon. I know when you turn the car on, oil comes out of the bottom line which runs through the radiator oil cooler.

It does suck that there is no dipstick. What kind of transmission oil did you guys use?

[BHDOGS]

Tq 95 castrol is wat I put in

[ronwest]

I use oils from a small local company who blend their own additive packages.

They're very competitive on price and their oils seem ok (I was put onto them by a guy who runs taxis).

Anyhoo, this is their Ford auto oil

http://www.prolube.com.au/automaxf4.shtml

[FG Brake]

The Taxi places always put a dipstick in their cars and will do yours as well.
Just wish I was close to one as I cant even find the filler plug for my G6!!

[rowan194]

Originally Posted by John J Gray

Just wish I was close to one as I cant even find the filler plug for my G6!!

If it's anything like the AU transmission it will be somewhat hidden by exhaust piping, and virtually impossible to get at unless you've raised the car.

Removing the dipstick was the blow that felled us, having the piping obscure the plug is the extra kick in the teeth while we're down...

[BHDOGS]

ive done a change on an au 6 and a ba 6 and will be doing my au v8 on weekend easy as thanks to this thread ive found that the trans filter kits are the same from ea-bf with the 4 speed trans and im fairly sure the oil is the same tq 95 castrol to make it easier if anybody has any confusion while purchasing.

[Chewy]

Anyone notice much of an improvement in tranny feel after doing this?
Great write up btw.

[BHDOGS]

Yeh I noticed The trans was alot smoother on shifts and acceleration seemed to be faster to but I found metal fillings and bigger bits of metal pieces in the sump pan which is never good!

[matty5L]

can anyone tell me do i need a pump to get the fluid back into the gearbox?

[Evgeni]

You can use a hand pump or just buy some tubing from Bunnings. I picked up some tubing from an aquarium shop - funnel on the end and fill it up from the top.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by matty5L

can anyone tell me do i need a pump to get the fluid back into the gearbox?

If you go back to the top post and click on "Tech Portal" it's all there with pics