Changing AT Fluid

[hwayne1]

I need some input. I have a 2005 G35 with 37K miles. I'm kicking around the idea of changing my transmission fluid. I'm 54 and am fairly competent on my tools.Is this something I could do myself without getting my stress level up or spilling much blood? Have any of you done it yourself? What is the downside?

-Wayne

[awdjdmtalon]

I would take it to the dealer and have them flush the trans. Changing the fluid will only get about 1/3 of the old fluid out. A flush will get about 98% of the old fluid out.

Plus it will save the stress level and blood loss.

[SteveTheTech]

Doing it yourself you may be able to get 4 qts at most out of the pan. There is a defined procedure in the book which involves filling it while draining is through the lines into the radiator. Personally I have never tried that, we use a diaphram style fluid transfer device that cycles out the original 12 qts of Matic J and directly replaced it with virgin fluid without coming into contact and without making a mess.

Dropping the pan and replacing the filter is not really done on this car. There is really no filter median that requires replacement, there is a metal screen that (if maintained correctly) should never need to be cleaned. Plus under normal operation and even pretty vigorous driving is still designed to last ~60k or ~5 years. That is just a rough estimate and early maintenance are always great.

May be one of those things to take in, if something goes wrong you may be up a creek and out a transmission.

[tollboothwilley]

When I drain my transmission I get 5-6 quarts out. If its not your daily driver and you can let it drain for longer than the 30 min that I did you will get more out.

Otherwise, I would drain and fill. Drive around for a couple days and do the same thing again.

Its not too much different from changing your own oil if you do it this way...just more expensive fluid.