[Shop-talk] Changing transmission fluid

[Eric Murray]

On Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 12:37:34PM -0500, eric at megageek.com wrote:
> A few of the posts I've been reading elsewhere mentioned that some cars 
> advise AGAINST using the machines.  They say to just drain, refill, drive 
> a little bit and repeat.  Is there a reason to NOT use a machine to flush 
> it?

Yea, it stirs up the crap that's settled in the bottom of the oil pan
and sends it back through your tranny.  I've heard of VW eurovan transmissions
dying not long after a flush.

I just change my fluid and clean out the pan, and replace the filter.

The drawback is that a simple fluid change doesn't change all the oil.
In the Eurovan about 40% is still in the torque converter.

So I change the fluid more often.  That's useful for a eurovan
anyhow because their transmissions are a known weak point.

Eric