how do you service an auto (vs)

[Pete284]

as the title says. basically, the auto transmission oil is really low (below cold low), and the colour aint that flash either, so i thought i could bleed it and refill it with new stuff. i know how to do an oil change, water flush etc. if that's any help, but as far as i know you've gotta get some sorta kit... i'm sure someone's done it before, so any suggestions would be great. Thanks,
Peter.

 

[TheForgotten]

if it's just a service, then it's new oil, new filter new gasket. that's it. any more such as new clutches is considered a rebuild

 

[Pete284]

nah nah, i just need new oil. but i don't really know how to do it.

 

[TheForgotten]

neither do I. sorry

 

[hako]

In simple terms all you need to do is buy a filter and gasket kit (short filter tube one) for about $30 and 5 litres of Dexron 111 for about $25. Then you need to safely raise your car so you can work underneath. Place a BIG drain pan under the auto trans sump and undo all the pan bolts except for the ones along the front edge.....these get undone last so that the oil can drain out as the rear of the pan drops. Then with the pan removed, scrape all old gasket remains off, remove and replace filter, instal new gasket and bolt up. Add 4 litres of oil via the dipstick and then run engine and check fluid level. This will not change all the oil as some is still left in the convertor but is what a normal 'service' covers. Also have a look at what is in the bottom of the oil pan....if there are bits of steel flakes or lumps of clutch facings the trans may be buggered. The oil change is best done with the oil warm or cold because you will spill lots of oil and it can burn!. Also get yourself a workshop manual if you can (cheap on Ebay). Good Luck.

 

[Raging Bull]

Hako pretty much covered it all, only thing is I always thought it was 5 litres for a service. Also do not do it if car is hot, you will burn yourself, the auto fluid is insanely hot. When I had my auto service done I had the auto guy pump brand new 5L of Penrite oil, open up one of the return lines and continue pumping the penrite oil watching the oil coming out of the return line, eventually you'll notice it goes from dark to a nice new colour, by that stage you have drained all your auto fluid(5L in pan + 4L in converter) and all the fluid in the cooler lines is now new and clean. So basically you replaced all the fluid in the transmission, definately worth it, my auto shifted so much better after that.

 

[Patrio7]

also in the bottom of the pan there will be a sludgy square, wipe that clean with a rag, its a little magnet designed to catch micro grains of metal before they try to enter the filter.

 

[charged6_vsacclaim]

thats pretty much it except for two things when all the oil is out of the pan u will notice a magnet in the bottom of the pan what it does is collects all the bits of metal that flow through the trans take that out and remove the metal and excess oil. when all is completed drop the car back down start the car and run through the gears from park to first then first to park allowing each gear to engage properly before shifting down. this gives the fluid a chance to circulate through the gear box.

 

[maginoodle]

Hi, I always weld a sump plug into my sump pans. It dont help this time but next time it will be a lot easier and cleaner to replace the filter and gasket.

 

[hako]

The pan 'may' take 5 litres of oil but it is always best to add 4 litres and then run the engine and check the dipstick then. It is pretty difficult to remove the oil if you overfill.