Transmission Longevity Tips

[Jesda]

I thought I'd combine some of the great things I've learned on this forum into one thread.

1. Dennis suggests putting the Q into neutral when stuck in traffic on a hot day with the AC on. This prevents heat from building up due to the torque converter. May barely improve fuel economy.

2. Drive around town in third gear (or when climbing) to reduce the load on the transmission, prevent TC lockup, prevent unnecessary shifts, and increase ATF flow. May barely reduce fuel economy.

3. Flush annually or every 15-30k using BG flush equipment and Mobil 1, Amsoil, or Redline ATF. Replace the filter too.

4. Install an external transmission cooler.

5. Never tow. Towing is bad for subframe bushings anyway.

6. For 90-92 Qs, swap with a 93-95 TCU in the summer to prevent second-gear starts and reduce off-the-line load.

Any other ideas?

[elwesso]

I think thats a fairly good list......

You might add, whenever the pan is out be sure to clean the pan. This is more important than replacing the internal filter because the internal filter only really "filters" major chunks. if you have pieces that big, you got serious transmission issues!

Another thing is to allow it to warm up on cold days. not only does it help the engine but it helps the transmission as well.....

[szh]

5. Never tow. Towing is bad for subframe bushings anyway.

Definitely use a flatbed, yes!

But, if in a no-choice situation (only thing available is a standard tow truck), either get the truck operator to use a wheel dolly for the rear wheels, or do the tow with the rear wheels off the ground (i.e, tow backwards, lifting rear wheels and rolling the front wheels).

Z

[maxnix]

This should be an article! I practice all except the TCM swap because fo the later year G50 had first gear start.

[RobertsnewQ]

.. And from talking to transmission guys, a shift kit to speed up the 2-3 shift will result in less wear on the clutch plates and bands. But they told me it shouldn't be done on a transmission with more than 20,000 miles so it can only be done with a rebuild.

Oh well.

[maxnix]

.. And from talking to transmission guys, a shift kit to speed up the 2-3 shift will result in less wear on the clutch plates and bands.

I wonder if that is true, if Nissan just backed it off for smoothness, which would weem to also lessen wear from shock.

My 2 -3 shift is pretty crisp on >50% throttle.

[RobertsnewQ]

Yep, hard shifts spill coffee...

They also tend to wear u-joints and rubber couplings a bit faster, but in this case I'm talking about a minor change. There is a LOT of overlap between releasing the band and applying the clutch that wears the trans. THe particles from all this wear are what plug the cooler and further reduce lubricant flow to the planetary gearset...

[vicQ45]

also don't forget the TSB on the 91 TCU. too much slippage for it's own good :P

im not making this one up right? someoen should verify this

[Q45denver]

I think Q45Tech has recommended the Lubeguard red additive or the black in smaller quantities. I haven't gotten around to installing a transmission cooler on my "95 since it has the extra, external filter, 1st gear start and I use Mobile One and Lubeguard. I would like to install a temp gauge however and was wondering as to the best way to do this?

[maxnix]

also don't forget the TSB on the 91 TCU. too much slippage for it's own good :P

im not making this one up right? someoen should verify this

You mean this one?

[maxnix]

I think Q45Tech has recommended the Lubeguard red additive or the black in smaller quantities. I haven't gotten around to installing a transmission cooler on my "95 since it has the extra, external filter, 1st gear start and I use Mobile One and Lubeguard. I would like to install a temp gauge however and was wondering as to the best way to do this?

From TexasOil:

Lubeguard Red vs. Black

Red is synthetic sperm oil (can't kill whales anymore) and is used to smooth out the final engagement shock (lock-up.) It is a friction modified that lowers the coefficient of static friction relative to the dynamic friction. Dynamic is when the clutch faces are slipping past each other--static is when they are stationary.

Black lubeguard increases static friction and dynamic friction coefficients, raising the locked-up torque handling capacity of the clutch unit (results in 'firmer' feeling shifts)

The Q45 TCU/ECU backs off on torque during the shift to give smooth shifts. For a given transmission condition/temp/oil condition, one can 'tune' the fluid characteristics somewhat. Factory settings are a compromise between smoothness, durability, and performance.Ideally you would get a continuous flow of driveshaft torque under all throttle and speed conditions, with no noticeable jerk or sag. Hard to achieve in this world.

You want to be careful with harsh shifts--they stress the metal parts and clutch faces (and driveline parts) more than intended. This is not to say they will fail (right away), but incremental wear/damage is unavoidable with hard shifts.

[maxnix]

Finally, a comprehensive post by Transdude(what happened to him?):

Extending Automatic Transmission Life

Here are some suggestions that will help to extend the life and increase the durability of your automatic transmission.

These things are especially important for severe duty applications, but are also applicable to almost all vehicles.

1) Check your fluid level regularly- although fairly obvious, many people neglect to do this- or do this wrong.

Consult the vehicle's owner's manual if you are unsure as to how to do this correctly, as it can vary between different vehicles.

If you need to add fluid, it is always indicative of a leak. Unlike motor oil, your transmission fluid level can only go down if you are losing it somehow.

2) Service your transmission regularly- transmission fluid breaks down in the same way that motor oil does, but this is a step in preventive maintenance that is often ignored.

I've rebuilt countless transmissions over the years that clearly were never properly maintained- many of them had never had a single fluid and filter change.

Many manufacturers have different recommendations on the service intervals, but I recommend that this be done once a year or every 15- 20,000 miles.

3) Install an external transmission cooler- you've all heard the cliché that heat is the number one cause of transmission failure, well it's true.

A reduction of 40 degrees in your transmission fluid temperature can double the life of the unit.

When shopping for a cooler, a stacked plate design is far superior to a "tube and fin" type. If you're going to go through the trouble of installing one, you may as well put on the best kind.

On this same subject, it is also always a good idea to insure that your vehicle's cooling system is in optimum condition- most automatics utilize a fluid to antifreeze heat exchanger that is built into the radiator.

4) Install a transmission temperature gauge- with a gauge you will be able to tell when your trans is getting hot before it's too late.

5) Add a friction modifier- there are a few excellent products that can be added to your automatic trans that will significantly increase the life of the transmission. I recommend the products that are made by LubeGard.

On the same subject, avoid at all costs the auto parts store "mechanic in a can" and "stop leak" type products- they are mostly seal swelling agents and will usually harm the trans rather than help it.

6) Install an in line cooler filter- most automatics have some type of filter, however, there is always room for improvement.

Factory filters vary in effectiveness; many transmissions use something that isn't much better than pouring the fluid through a screen door.

The idea is to eliminate contaminants such as small metal particles and loose debris as effectively as possible.

In line filters are inexpensive, easy to install, and are highly effective in removing damaging contaminants from the transmission fluid.

I recommend the ones made by Magnafine and Filtran- in addition to their filter element, both of these products have a bypass valve in case they become clogged and also an internal magnet to further aid in trapping ferrous debris.

7) Use a synthetic based fluid- automatic transmission fluid serves many functions. It provides cooling and lubrication, it is the hydraulic fluid that applies the clutches and bands, and it even "drives" the car through the fluidic coupling that occurs in the torque converter.

It stands to reason that a synthetic fluid is much less susceptible to breakdown, a better lubricant, reduces friction and also has the capability of reducing operating temperatures.

More importantly, in cases of extreme cold and extreme heat, fluid made with a synthetic base stock is much more stable from a viscosity standpoint. If you don't believe me, try to pour "dinosaur" oil out of a container at -10 Fahrenheit- it's not exactly going to serve very well as a lubricant when it's the consistency of Jell-O.

8) Check transmission problems promptly- most transmission problems start out small and will get worse over time. Often times, major repairs can be avoided by taking care of a problem early on.

If you see a warning light on the dash, see a few drops of fluid in the driveway or even just have a feeling that something isn't quite right, there is no better time than the present to get it checked out.

9) Install a shift kit or modified valve body- while normally thought of as a "high performance" modification, almost any vehicle will benefit from shortening the shift time, reducing overlap and "cleaning up" the shift quality. This in turn reduces heat and also reduces wear on the clutches and bands.

Many of these modifications also address certain factory design shortcomings and eliminate common drivability complaints.

Most of the better engineered products have shift quality settings that are adjustable to achieve a result that is appropriate for the intended usage. The person with an 11 second rocket will have different needs than the person who occasionally tows a trailer with his SUV.

[szh]

Also need to be careful about using any ATF or additive that has ash or a high Zinc content. See this Infiniti TSB for more info.

Z

[maxnix]

Also need to be careful about using any ATF or additive that has ash or a high Zinc content. See this Infiniti TSB for more info.

Z

To make it short, only consider Lubeguard and BG for ATF additives.

Now can we condense this and make it an article to help all the newbies and members?