How To Change Transmission Oil And Filter

Change Your Auto's Transmission Fluid

Updated: Jan. 05, 2022

Make $200 an hour and add years to you transmission's life

FH07APR_TRAFLU_01-2 how to change transmission fluid change transmission fluid change transmission fluid Family Handyman

Extend the life of your engine by irresolute transmission fluid. Information technology's much easier by using a special transmission fluid pump, and you'll salvage $100 in shop costs when you do it yourself. We show you what you lot need and how to do it.

Overview: How to alter transmission fluid

Purchase a special transmission fluid pump

transmission fluid pump

Manual fluid pump

This manual fluid pump is the key to saving you time and money when y'all modify transmission fluid.

You should change your automatic manual fluid co-ordinate to the manufacturer's recommendation— whether that'south 30,000 or 100,000 miles. A transmission fluid change will add tens of thousands of miles—which could be years of service—to a transmission's life expectancy and preclude repairs costing thousands down the route. Read on to learn how to change transmission fluid.

A transmission flush-and-fill up from a shop will cost y'all $149 to $199. But you can practise it yourself and save about $100. Draining the old fluid has always been a messy, ugly job. That'due south because it has meant lying under the machine, "dropping" the pan—and and then getting drenched in fluid. But hither'due south a new way to modify your fluid without going under the machine and without spilling a drop. The procedure takes less than 30 minutes.

How to Supercede Transmission Fluid

The play tricks on how to drain transmission fluid is to work from the acme, sucking out the old fluid upwards through the filler tube. So refill with fresh fluid. A paw-operated vacuum transmission fluid pump makes the job elementary and clean. You can remove one-tertiary to one-half of the fluid from the transmission at a fourth dimension. The rest will remain in the torque converter and the transmission cooler. So exercise the procedure three times at one-week intervals to replace nearly all of the old fluid. The little leftover former fluid will be diluted with plenty of fresh new fluid.

Some manufacturers recommend replacing the filter every time yous change transmission fluid. Go with what your dealership recommends. Note: But if your transmission pan is leaking, you lot should either "drop" the pan and replace the gasket, or have information technology in for service.

How to Recognize Old Fluid

New fluid is bright red. Old manual fluid turns dark-brown every bit it degrades—time to change.

How to alter the fluid

Photo i: Insert the vacuum tube

Remove the dipstick and insert the vacuum tube until yous feel information technology "bottom out" on the bottom of the transmission pan.

Photo 2: Pump up the tank

Shut the latch on the vinyl hose and pump up the transmission fluid pump'south vacuum tank with 30 to 50 strokes of the plunger.

Photo iii: Draw out the fluid

Release the latch on the hose and wait while the vacuum draws the old fluid out.

Photo 4: Refill with new fluid

Read on the tank the amount of fluid you withdrew and refill the manual with that amount of new fluid.

Follow the photo series for complete stride-by-pace instructions.

Purchase the Right Stuff

Carmakers have made major improvements to transmission fluids in the past two years. Contact the dealership parts department to see if your automobile requires a newer fluid. Then phone call automobile parts stores until you find one that stocks it. If yous strike out, bite the bullet and buy information technology from the dealer.

Video: How to Check Transmission Fluid

Rick Muscoplat, an editor for Family Handyman, volition show you how to check your transmission fluid to foreclose damage to your transmission in our video tutorial. Brand certain you are not driving effectually with low transmission fluid.

Required Tools for this Projection

This project requires a special fluid pump. Plus, wear plastic gloves.

When should yous downshift automatic transmissions?

Originally Published: October fifteen, 2019