I have two vehicles that are way past time to do transmission fluid changes.
One is a 93 S10 Blazer 4x4 with 101k miles and a '03 Town & Country with 133k miles.
I bought them both used and have had the Blazer 1 yr and T&C 3 years.As far as I know the transmission fluid has never been changed on either.
I want to get it changed asap but the AT+4 fluid for the T&C is so expensive should I wait until I can order Auto-RX and then put another 1k miles on the old fluid?I'm on borrowed time as it is but the fluid is not too dark and transmission seems to be ok but has a shifted 'funny' (meaning not normal) a couple of times over the last couple of weeks.
The Blazer runs like a new one but it gets run in a harsh condition, delivering mail 1-2 days a week which really puts the trans. through it's paces.I hate to put another 1k on it as well.
I plan on trying to replace all fluid myself by unhooking the transmission line to the cooler and running it all out.
If I change the fluid now and then put in Auto-RX, after 1k miles is just dropping the transmission pan and replacing the 4qts or so enough or does a full 9+ qt change have to be done again?
-- Edited by rastoma on Saturday 21st of August 2010 01:38:07 PM
You could either add autorx to the fluid right now, but what would be better is to siphon a few quarts out the filler tube, and then replace it and also add autorx.
Then after your 1k-3k miles with arx in there, drop the pan and replace the filter, replace the pan, then do the full fluid replace using the transmission cooler line. You will want to replace the filter after the arx treatment, not before.
I wouldn't sweat it, myself. I'd just add the auto-rx to the current fill and run it the prescribed mileage. Then do a fluid exchange. You an interrupt the cooler line fluid exchange and drop the pan (which will be almost empty at that point) and clean it out and change the filter if you feel need (sounds like you do).
One side note. The mail carrier probably doesn't need as high a mileage number. You're cycling fluid at a much higher rate with something like mail/paper delivery. Let me restate that so that I'm understood. You don't put on mileage in the same way a normal daily driver would. The "use" is compressed into fewer miles. I would probably try and figure a hour of operation figure or some composite of the two if it's mixed usage. Auto-Rx works faster in a transmission. The lack of combustion byproducts degrading the fluid and forming deposits is not a factor. I'd say that the most demanding component would be the torque converter due to the high heat generation there. The rest are (most likely) relatively light and are removed easily.
I had figured I wouldn't worry about any partial fluid replacement after taking another look at the dipstick. I didn't think it was that dark, a medium red color but could see through it, and it didnt' smell burnt.
I got the auto-rx on Wednesday the 25th and put in half a bottle. I left Thursday for Indiana (from TN) and came back today. 1240 miles in 48 hours. So it was good timing to go ahead and get it done since I had to take that trip and can get the miles in and fluid changed quickly.
I should be able to get it changed tomorrow (Saturday) and won't need to drive it again until I do.
I can tell a difference though already. I could tell it after only about 150 miles into the trip and making a pit stop, it had smoother shifting heading back on the hwy. And has slightly improved even more toward the end of the trip.
As originally mentioned the trans wasn't acting up 'badly' just a couple of stutters that it had never done before, but now I can see that it was shifting a little hard. It happened gradually with time I suppose and just didn't notice it until it starting shifting smooth as silk into the cleaning process. Also better downshifting when passing traffic.
So far so good.... looks like another ARX success :)
I'll reply back when the fluid gets exchanged and I do some test driving afterwards.
-- Edited by rastoma on Saturday 28th of August 2010 01:32:01 AM
It happened gradually with time I suppose and just didn't notice it until it starting shifting smooth as silk into the cleaning process.
That happens to most of us. The change is so gradual that we don't know anything is wrong. When you get it cleaned up or corrected (whatever the condition is - be it dirty fuel injectors or something like your trans) we're somewhat shocked that it escaped our notice.
