Spring is here and been looking at my work car, an 04 Buick Regal, with the durable 3800. 258k miles and climbing. Checked the transmission oil, and it is more of a brownish color than the nice red.
The car was my wife's, she bought it with 80k on it. Dealer serviced since, with exception last few years. I have not called them to inquire if it has ever been flushed...

Years back I had a 91/92 cutlass that had bad trans oil, but with lower miles. I pulled the pan, changed the filter, new oil. And in a few hundred miles the transmission went, wasn't shifting...

From my past experience, not a good idea of flushing this transmission and risk having it go.. What are your all thoughts. Work car, goes 20 miles a day, occasional trip to nearest local town for groceries...

 

It would depend. If I knew the transmission was still pretty tight and I knew it operated with no problems and I wanted to keep the car for a long time, I would chain the fluid and filter. I don't think I would flush it with anything because that can dislodge more particles than you'd like. If I only was going to keep the car for a few more years and it was already doing weird things I'd probably leave it alone or maybe just change the fluid and see how much stuff was in the pan.

 

This is an aged old question that doesn't have an exact answer. I've had transmission only pros say leave it alone. That is what I'd do this late in the game. If it shows a problem I'd change the filter and fluid. I definitely would not do a "flush" of any type unless a problem already existed and a fluid and filter only didn't help.

Good luck!!!

 

This is getting into apocryphal knowledge here, but, this is what I know.

1. Never, ever flush. This is a dumb thing always.
2. Ideally, one should service at prescribed intervals. If the thing has a drain plug, a fluid swap is often enough, especially if the filter is just a metal screen.
3. If it has high miles, and is ok, often times "leave it alone till it dies" is good advice.

If it has a drain plug, I would drain the fluid, when car is still kind of warm, let it drain for a good hour, put the plug in, then put new fluid of the same type of the same amount back in.

 

Its about due for an overhaul. Generally brown fluid means the transmission is getting hot due to worn components. Don't waste your money on a flush. You may or may not get by for a while longer with a fluid and filter change.

 

If you decide to flush it here's a good video:


I had a 93 Buick LeSabre with the same transmission, a 4T60E. The transmission started to die around 150k miles so I sold it before it got bad. It really is a roll of the dice flushing the transmission. You already have over 200k miles on the car. If you flush the transmission I would at least put some "slick shift" in it at the same time.

 

Drain as much as you can replace the filter, otherwise leave it alone.
Do budget for a transmission rebuild sometime soon unless the cost of overhauling the transmission is more than the car is worth to you.
if so drive it until it dies,
if you want to keep the car I suggest when you have the funds get the transmission overhauled when it suits you. Much better than stranded on the highway when you need transport.
Get it done properly and the transmission will outlast the rest of the car.

Roger.

 

 

I'd skip the flush. Replace the fluid with the correct type. Drain the torque converter if possible. Change the filter.

 

 

I used to change my fluid, but it seems like overkill when the fluid I drain out is just as clean and fresh as the new fluid I pour in, and always finding a pretty clean pan. This is with 30,000 miles on it, never towing anything. So I'm going to try leaving it in longer to see what happens. I'm guessing that if I leave it in there for 60,000 it'll still be clean, or be barely changed. Maybe I'll change it then. By the way, I'm talking about two 2007 Chevys.
I've heard opinions ranging from don't change fluids, just get a new car every so often, to if the fluid is turning from red/pink then damage is already done so forgetaboutit. Since I like a well oiled machine, I like to change fluids periodically. I guess I just need to find the right interval for modern transmissions. By the way, a family member has a 2012 Jeep Patriot, bought new, adult driven, now has 48,000 miles on it, CVT transmission fluid is still clean. What do you think about changing the fluid in those, and how often? I can't remember what the owner's manual said, I think it might have been a 60k or 100k interval. The Jeep is in central Florida.

 

missing 2 cylinders huh? I have run the truck a few times at the track, 14:30 for a basically stock 7200lbs 4x4 truck is pretty respectable in my opinion. I remember when I swapped the 455 in my car back in the late 80s I was pleased with the 14:00, and annoyed I was so close to the 13s. Other than a programmer, shift kit, and tone wheel mod, stock. There is plenty of potential in the 5.9 Cummins.


As for the CVT trans, I know nothing about them. Once again, I don’t think there is anything wrong with routine fluid and filter changes. If nothing else, you will have a baseline to examine wear.

 

I don't think anybody said anything about CVT transmissions.

 

Oh yeah!

 

How do you post and highlight certain parts of conversations? Anyway, the CVT trans was mentioned in a previous post.

 

Just quote it and use the cursor to edit it down to the part you want to highlight.

Yeah, I found the post with CVT reference in it. Still don't know how blakes7 thought that would be relevant to the topic at hand.

 

Since the man I quoted was a transmission expert, or at the very least knows a heck of a lot more than I do, I was asking his opinion.

 

I never bother to just "pan dump" fluid on my own vehicles.

Oh, sure...it starts with a pan dump and filter change. Reinstall the pan. Then drop the cooler tube on the return side of the cooler. Add fluid to the trans pan, install a short "temporary" tube at the cooler, directed into a drain pan. Start engine, dump more fluid down the dipstick tube until fluid blowing into the drain pan is clean. Shut off engine. Reconnect trans cooler tube. Start engine, top off fluid as needed.

Done.

If a fluid change "harms" the trans, the trans was on it's last legs anyway. Nothing to fear.