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Transmission Service, Need Advice

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bjornbjorn

New member
I always get my transmission serviced at 80,000 kms at the dealership. It has been 50,000 kms since I have done it last and it is turning a burnt color, meaning it needs to be exchanged. Should I still get the full service done? Also does it matter if it goes to the dealership or one of those oil change places? Is there a difference?

2004 Grand Prix GT
240,000 kms
 


You just have to make sure when they mean a transmission service, they really mean drop the pan, and replace the fluid in it and the filter. No machines.

Honestly if you have a driveway, a jack, and a 10mm socket, you can do it yourself and know it was done right.
 
do it yourself for under 50 bucks. wanna know how? just ask, its to damn easy to pay some one to do it.

and yes pan drop and filter change is the safe thing to do. lube place is ok, would be cheaper then a dealer. dont let them talk you into a flush.
 


bjornbjorn said:
I always get my transmission serviced at 80,000 kms at the dealership. It has been 50,000 kms since I have done it last and it is turning a burnt color, meaning it needs to be exchanged. Should I still get the full service done? Also does it matter if it goes to the dealership or one of those oil change places? Is there a difference?

2004 Grand Prix GT
240,000 kms
Click to expand...

bjornbjorn--

Agreed with everyone else here that you can do it yourself with a 10mm wrench and an hour of your time for under $50, although it doesn't really matter where the job is done so long as it's a drain and refill.

The burnt smell is almost certainly a result of the trans fluid overheating. Can you say what your driving style is like - whether it's in town a lot or on the road, how much of a lead foot you have, etc.

The cheapest permanent solution to this is to install a cooler thermostat and have the car tuned to kick the fans on sooner. The stock T-stat doesn't open until 195 degrees (91C) and the fans don't come on until something dumb like 215 (102 C). Anything above 175 or so shortens the life of the trans fluid by half for each 20 degrees above 175.

So put a 180 T-stat in there (82 C) which may be enough to keep the motor cooler by itself with winter coming on. If not, then get the car tuned.
 
hensleya1 said:
bjornbjorn--
The cheapest permanent solution to this is to install a cooler thermostat and have the car tuned to kick the fans on sooner. The stock T-stat doesn't open until 195 degrees (91C) and the fans don't come on until something dumb like 215 (102 C). Anything above 175 or so shortens the life of the trans fluid by half for each 20 degrees above 175.

So put a 180 T-stat in there (82 C) which may be enough to keep the motor cooler by itself with winter coming on. If not, then get the car tuned.
Click to expand...

What you leave out is how little the engine temp has to do with the trans temps. Yes.. the trans goes through a cooler in teh side of the rad. But that has very little effect most of the time. I have a stock 195 stat and typical trans temps of 170-180. Until I get in stop and go traffic for prolonged time.
 
BillBoost37 said:
What you leave out is how little the engine temp has to do with the trans temps. Yes.. the trans goes through a cooler in teh side of the rad. But that has very little effect most of the time. I have a stock 195 stat and typical trans temps of 170-180. Until I get in stop and go traffic for prolonged time.
Click to expand...

BillBoost37--

This is interesting and completely different from my experience, which is the coolant rises to 180 quickly, and the trans temperature rises to that point more slowly. If I'm sitting in town, it quickly goes to ~186 where the fans kick on, and it'll bounce around there indefinitely. Before that, it would go to 215 and sit there unless I got on the highway, when it would slowly drop.

The coolant rose much, much more quickly past 180 when sitting still and the trans temp was already that high, than when it was lower, making me conclude that they were linked. A rad upgrade from the stock 3/4" to 1" helped, but did not solve the problem on its own.

I haven't ruled out a trans cooler, and I would encourage the OP to do that if he can't get his trans fluid to stop burning.
 


BillBoost37 said:
Are you the dude that broke everything you touched this weekend?
Click to expand...

Nope, I'm the dude who watched it all hit the fan. :D

I didn't even have a chance to tear apart my engine yesterday, even though I have a whole grab bag of goodies and gaskets that need to go in.
 
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