Best oil for transmission service and oil for normal service

[Jasonjohn]

Hi all, what does everyone use that is premium quality for transmission service? Along with filters & pricing?

For VF commodores what is the KM range to give your car a transmission service?

 

[vr304]

Penrite for auto trans fluid with a filter too naturally and Penrite hpr 5 for engine oil

 

[Phillbo]

I have my transmission serviced every 12mths. Last years service was around $350 from memory.

 

[Ginger Beer]

Penrite to suit

Service or flush?

A service is typically just dumping the pan and fitting a new filter and gasket, which replaces about 1/3 of your trans fluid

A flush is "all" fluid and filter and gasket

If it just a stock daily that doesn't get a hard time a yearly regular service will probably do

If it gets a hard time and you have a high stall with a built and tuned transmission a yearly flush is optimal

A regular full flush, or service is cheap insurance for your transmission, fluid is cheap compared to needing a new transmissions

I always go full flush yearly in my weekender VX SS that is PD boosted with a built and stalled Craigs 4l60e transmission with a trans cooler, that has been seeing PD torque for a few years now, and quite a few runs down the strip, for piece of mind.

 

[Phillbo]

Mine was flushed 18mths ago when I had the new stall fitted

 

[Jasonjohn]

Penrite to suit

Service or flush?

A service is typically just dumping the pan and fitting a new filter and gasket, which replaces about 1/3 of your trans fluid

A flush is "all" fluid and filter and gasket

If it just a stock daily that doesn't get a hard time a yearly regular service will probably do

If it gets a hard time and you have a high stall with a built and tuned transmission a yearly flush is optimal

A regular full flush, or service is cheap insurance for your transmission, fluid is cheap compared to needing a new transmissions

I always go full flush yearly in my weekender VX SS that is PD boosted with a built and stalled Craigs 4l60e transmission with a trans cooler, that has been seeing PD torque for a few years now, and quite a few runs down the strip, for piece of mind.

I’ve got 162000 and have never done a trans service the mechanic said the oil is for the life of the car which I find hard to believe

 

[Phillbo]

Mechanic needs to go back to mechanic school

 

[Ginger Beer]

I’ve got 162000 and have never done a trans service the mechanic said the oil is for the life of the car which I find hard to believe

The mechanic might say that because the service manual says that, the service manual says that because it makes the initial servicing costs low, which appeals to new car buyers and the manufacturers marketing division, and the manufacturers and marketing division don't give a damn about the car once the warranty period is over.

But, the fluid does break down over time, typically it will last past the warranty period, which makes the manufacturers and marketing happy, but how much longer it lasts depends on alot of variables, is the car driven gently, has the car been driven hard, has the car been used for towing, and such, your miles may vary

In the end it is up to the owner, who should do their due diligence with some engineering based principles

In the end it is up to the owner, and their budget, how they want to roll the dice

For me, some servicing costs is better than the cost of needing a rebuilt the transmission because it lunched itself due to poor maintenance

A few hundred a year is better than the thousands it cost to rebuild a transmission

My advice is fine a "good" performance transmission joint and ask them, I would even throw in a transmission tune and cooler, that only costs and additional couple of hundred dollars each, if you have any power mods, a higher stall and/or give the car a hard time or tow

Opinions may vary

 

[Jasonjohn]

The mechanic might say that because the service manual says that, the service manual says that because it makes the initial servicing costs low, which appeals to new car buyers and the manufacturers marketing division, and the manufacturers and marketing division don't give a damn about the car once the warranty period is over.

But, the fluid does break down over time, typically it will last past the warranty period, which makes the manufacturers and marketing happy, but how much longer it lasts depends on alot of variables, is the car driven gently, has the car been driven hard, has the car been used for towing, and such, your miles may vary

In the end it is up to the owner, who should do their due diligence with some engineering based principles

In the end it is up to the owner, and their budget, how they want to roll the dice

For me, some servicing costs is better than the cost of needing a rebuilt the transmission because it lunched itself due to poor maintenance

A few hundred a year is better than the thousands it cost to rebuild a transmission

My advice is fine a "good" performance transmission joint and ask them, I would even throw in a transmission tune and cooler, that only costs and additional couple of hundred dollars each, if you have any power mods, a higher stall and/or give the car a hard time or tow

Opinions may vary

Thanks for that reply. Very informative. Well I have a clunk in my gearbox going from reverse to drive, like something has let go, and a metallic clunk while driving letting go of the throttle and also pushing down on it a clunk everytime. If I had of known this information sooner I would of definitely serviced it at less than 100,000 but I’m very late now

 

[RevNev]

Mechanic needs to go back to mechanic school

Then someone will claim the mechanic is trying to rip them off recommending a trans service, when Holden state that the initial trans fluid fill is good for the life of the car. Some mechanics will run with manufacture recommendations like the bible and technically, they're right. Realistically, there's no way trans fluid will retain it's original properties indefinitely.