I just purchased a ’95 3.4L V6 auto transmission and just about everything checked out well, I just had all the fluids serviced, except the transmission. The tech said that the fluid is old and warned me that it’s a 50/50 if servicing it will fix it, e.g. give me more miles, or could cause the transmission to fail requiring replacement.

I did a substantial test drive; increased/decreased speeds up and down hills and the transmission did not slip. I also checked the dipstick and there were no particles in the fluid. I didn’t have the transmission serviced, couldn’t afford it this month, however, I’m nervous after what he said if I should do, but if not, the outcome could be far worse for the budget.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated; tip/tricks/techniques to extend the life of my transmission are much needed.

Thanks,

JNA

 

That service agent is full of ****... Of course replacing the fluid and filter can not hurt the tranny. Leaving the old stuff in there could cause issues if it is worn too badly though.

 

No...the service guy isn't full of ****. Changing trans fluid that has never been, or rarely been changed, can be a crap shoot. As the transmission wears, grit and grime can embed itself into the clutch pack linings, which can actually act as a traction enhancer. The detergents in the old fluid breaks down with age. So now you replace the old fluid with new fluid (with nice strong detergents) and some of that grit can get washed away. That's where the crap shoot part comes into play. If your clutches are still good with minimal wear, no harm will come to the trans. But, if the clutches are worn to the point of almost slipping, that old grit and grime that was embedded was acting as a band-aid, you just didn't know it. Some mechanics will tell you if the trans fluid has never been changed, then leave it alone at this point. But, if you think the transmission may have been serviced more regularly, there's less of a chance of creating a problem.

 

Camaro 69 is correct. At least the tech is aware of that, it seems to be rare but the only time I've had issues with such a thing was on a car where the transmission was already slipping. Low and behold, the fluid change was the right stuff and slowly but surely it did actually get worse. I wanted to light that car on fire and push it down a cliff. I hated that POS so bad.

Especially on an automatic where it slips when it's cold outside is a good sign something is bad. However if the car is on low miles, has been driven nice and serviced on time then that is a much better sign.

This is why it is important to keep on top of fluid intervals, or even be proactive a little in them, since letting it go so far to the point where it's a gamble is no good.

Did the car come with any paperwork showing the last time it was flushed (if at all?) and how many miles are the car at?

 

I had both of my 700r4 trannys flushed and filter change, and both are in excellent condition. The 4L60E in your car is about the same transmission as the r4.

If you are having hidden issues with yours that the flush or introduction of new fluid will bring out, you will probably have them soon anyway, so I would service yours if I were you to prevent future problems which is what you are inviting if you don't get rid of bad broken down fluid.

The 50/50 chance the mechanic gave you is definitly not accurate.

 

hmmm,interesting argument.with equally valid points,it would do us all some good to try and resolve this one.i wonder if GM ever did any long term tests?? is there any data? lets have the experts chime in on it.anyone???

 

Concur with Camaro 69. I'm not a mechanic, but I've been reading up on a similar scenario with my daily driver- 96 Accord. Basically draining/replacing is either going to prolong or expedite my slipping/slamming tran. I'm going to gamble on the drain and fill because my symptoms seem to get worse. I figure, as said, it's a crap shoot.

 

there is a reason the trans shop warns you when flush changing the trans fluid on an older trans, a good shop will also look at the fluid and maintance record if there is one. 69 hits it on the button