I searched on here and couldn't find a whole lot of help so I figured I'd ask. The situation, I just turned over 50,000 miles last month and checked in my Chilton manual and it says to change the ATF fluid every 30,000 miles. I've read around on the camarov6 forum and apparently doing an ATF flush is better than draining the ~5 quarts of fluid, is this correct? My question is is do I need to change my ATF fluid at this interval, and if I do is there a way that I can flush it myself, about how much ATF fluid would I need, and do I need to change the transmission filter too? Hopefully pete will get around to checking this out

 

no you need a special machine to flush all the fluid out, see what happens when you drop the pan and only get about 5 qts out the rest sits in the torque converter.You will need a new transmission filter, thats the most important part besides the new fluid, included with the filter is a new trans pan gasket also.Im not sure exactly how much you will need but 5/6 qts will get the job done.I dont think you need a complete flush especially with that many miles, id say it would be different if you were in the 1xx,xxx mile range.

 

Thanks alih. So 5 quarts of Dexron III and a new oil pan gasket and trans filter should do the job? Would an oil pan gasket and trans filter from a place like autozone be good, or should I get them from the chevy dealer?

 

just asked for a trans filter and you should be good, if you ask for an oil pan gasket they might get confused, just check the box to make sure it has the trans pan gasket and filter before you leave.You can just get it at a parts store, usually they have either fram or mr. gasket stuff so its good, if you go to a chevy dealer they will most likely give you the gm part and it will be expensive.

 

I always prefer to do a complete flush. The only bad thing about a "pan drop and replace" is that you're getting only half the fluid. So the old fluid contaminates the new. Yes, it's better than the old was, but not as good as all new. From my last one,the complete transfusion took 11.2 quarts. I always do my own work, but I have an oil change place near me that does it for $99, and it's worth it to me. Especially on the last one I had done, he flushed 14 quarts through instead of only 11 because I didn't like the fact that it was still coming out a little dirty looking.
If you're concerned about changing the filter (which I don't see as a huge deal to worry about quite yet), have the fluid transfused, clean real well around the pan, then drop the pan and catch the fluid into a clean catch pan. Change the filter, and install a drain plug in the pan (if you don't already have one). Then you can reuse your new fluid that you just drained by pouring it through a paint strainer just to be on the safe side.
Or, it would still be cheaper than taking it in if you were to do the above change yourself with installing a drain plug. Drive it for a short while,drain it again and fill with new. By then, the bad stuff will be greatly diluted.

 

The second way you described sounds like a good idea I think I'll go with that and do a flush later down the line. What brand of ATF would recommend getting? I think I also read in my Chilton manual that you should clean the inside of the pan once you drop it, what type of solvent should I use for doing that? And just out of curiosity would I need some type of GM additive like the LSD additive? I'd like to get this right because I think I'll get the supplies tomorrow and do it this weekend. Thanks for all the input guys.

 

I wouldn't worry about using a solvent on the inside of the pan, you can wipe it downwith plain rags. Butbrake cleaner works well on the gasket surface. Your pan probably has a magnet mounted on the inside too, and there will be some metallic sludge hanging on to it that you'll want to clean off.Any name brand fluid will be fine, but I'm sold on using synthetic oils for anything I put in my cars. And no additives are needed, or wanted.

 

[sm=thanx.gif] First time I've used that smiley.