Tranny fluid change?

[rndsommer]

First time poster and new to this site. I have a 2001 Tahoe 5.3 4x4 with 108k. Had the front and rear diff fluids replaced during last oil change. My question is regarding the trans fluid. I have read not to do the flush and replace as it will cause a ton of problems. I'm fairly sure it still has the original fluid in there as did the rear and front differentials. The trans fluid looks good no burning smell and truck shifts perfectly. Should I just leave it alone or have preventative service done (drop the pan, new filter, new fluid etc). Heard a lot of different views on this but none from other Tahoe owners.

 

[drakon543]

At 108k you should be fine to do a pan drop fluid and filter change

 

[mizzouguy]

On my 04 Tahoe with the 4L60E, I did my first tranny fluid change at about 100K, per the owners manual. Don't go have it done at some jiffy lube place that just sucks up whats in the pan with a machine. I would really consider doing it yourself. Reason being; is that its the only way to ensure most of the fluid gets changed. You'd want to drop the pan and change the filter/seal/pan gasket as well. Comes as a kit in wix, ac delco, and powertorque that i know of, I'm sure every store has their own brands. You'll need to know shallow (flat) or deep (stepped) pan. Then refill the pan with new fluid, remove the return line (top line on coming out of radiator) screw in the appropriate fitting (563953BP Dorman, available at most parts stores), run a hose from the fitting down to a bucket for waste, start the truck and let it pump out about 4 qts, shut off, refill pan with new, start and let it pump out another 4 qts, etc. Continue that until fluid coming out looks like new. On mine I went through about 4 gallons. Whole system capacity is 11.2 qts, so yeah I wasted a little but I was confident that all of my fluid was changed, including whats in the torque converter.
My plan is to continue to do this maintenance every 50K from here on out. Im approaching 150K and my fluid still looks like new.

 

[abishoff]

there are tons of people that say only do a fluid change the not a flush. But i have done many flushes at Midas and never had an issue. when i did my Denali at 160k, i went to Midas with a Mag-Hytec Deep transmission Pan which included the gasket a transmission filter for a deep pan. I also supplied the transfluid which was AmsOil. The process does a forced flush with a machine.

 

[rndsommer]

Thanks for the replies. There is a top notch trans shop lp to v

 

[pnwdan]

On my 04 Tahoe with the 4L60E, I did my first tranny fluid change at about 100K, per the owners manual. Don't go have it done at some jiffy lube place that just sucks up whats in the pan with a machine. I would really consider doing it yourself. Reason being; is that its the only way to ensure most of the fluid gets changed. You'd want to drop the pan and change the filter/seal/pan gasket as well. Comes as a kit in wix, ac delco, and powertorque that i know of, I'm sure every store has their own brands. You'll need to know shallow (flat) or deep (stepped) pan. Then refill the pan with new fluid, remove the return line (top line on coming out of radiator) screw in the appropriate fitting (563953BP Dorman, available at most parts stores), run a hose from the fitting down to a bucket for waste, start the truck and let it pump out about 4 qts, shut off, refill pan with new, start and let it pump out another 4 qts, etc. Continue that until fluid coming out looks like new. On mine I went through about 4 gallons. Whole system capacity is 11.2 qts, so yeah I wasted a little but I was confident that all of my fluid was changed, including whats in the torque converter.
My plan is to continue to do this maintenance every 50K from here on out. Im approaching 150K and my fluid still looks like new.

this is the best way. your pan only holds a fraction of the fluid. do a search and youll see a more in depth DIY about it. you will get 99% of the fluid swapped and not back flush contaminants through.