# GM factory recommended Trans fluid change?



## mkwl

Does anyone know at what milage GM recommends changing the trans fluid/filter? My truck has 45,030 on it now, I think someone had mentioned 50,000 miles for the first trans fluid change/filter, but figured I'd ask to be sure. BTW- the fluid is like a deep red color- should be okay right? I'd imagine if it were brown or something there would be a problem- the fluid is red when new right?

Thanks,
Matt


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## mike33087

i change mine every october, also change all the other fluid every year too


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## mkwl

mike33087;423635 said:


> i change mine every october, also change all the other fluid every year too


Wondering- dealer told me there isn't really any need to change more frequently than every 100,000 miles (unless plowing- every 50,000 miles), as the fluid will be fine and like new for at least 45,000, hence the change at 50,000. My Dad maintains it is best not to change the trans fluid at all- maybe there is something to it- we have a 2001 Chevy 1500 Suburban, has towed a lot- has 110,000 miles on it, no trans issues at all and trans fluid never changed. What can happen if the fluid is not changed at 50,000 miles? (or 100,000 miles)?


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## B&B

Changing the trans fluid & filter is one of the best preventative maintenance item you can do for a trans in a truck that's used for it's intended purpose..I still don't see why guys refuse to change it often enough..it's such cheap insurance for a truck that you need to depend on to do the job that's expected of it..Trans fluid breaks down with heat and age, so it has a service life just like any other fluid. It will break down if left unchanged and can really cause problems in a modern electronic transmissions (like the 4L80E in your truck mkwl, for example). Guys that run them for 100,000mi or more are just running on borrowed time, and if they intend on keeping the truck are just cheating themselves. Say for example: the trans goes 100,000 and then dies because the fluid/filter was never changed...now you need a $2000 trans.. and all you saved from not changing the fluid/filter was a couple of trans services at say $80.00 each. Who made out there? 

On a truck that see's a fair amount of plowing or towing, change it every 25,000 mi or 1000 hours (Don't forget, '99-up Silverados have an hour meter.)

If it see's nothing but hard use all year round...change it every year regardless of hours or miles..


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## Mark13

My 98 has almost 152k on it and is either on the original fluid or has been changed once at the most. I notice it slipping sometimes, is it a good idea to change it now or will it cause more problems?


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## mkwl

B&B;423683 said:


> Changing the trans fluid & filter is one of the best preventative maintenance item you can do for a trans in a truck that's used for it's intended purpose..I still don't see why guys refuse to change it often enough..it's such cheap insurance for a truck that you need to depend on to do the job that's expected of it..Trans fluid breaks down with heat and age, so it has a service life just like any other fluid. It will break down if left unchanged and can really cause problems in a modern electronic transmissions (like the 4L80E in your truck mkwl, for example). Guys that run them for 100,000mi or more are just running on borrowed time, and if they intend on keeping the truck are just cheating themselves. Say for example: the trans goes 100,000 and then dies because the fluid/filter was never changed...now you need a $2000 trans.. and all you saved from not changing the fluid/filter was a couple of trans services at say $80.00. Who made out there?
> 
> On a truck that see's a fair amount of plowing or towing, change it every 25,000 mi or 1000 hours (Don't forget, Silverados have an hour meter.)
> 
> If it see's nothing but hard use all year round...change it every year regardless of hours or miles..


This is true, the point my dad makes is this- he had a 2000 Chevy Solverado 1500 a few years ago- had 43,500 miles on it and he changed the trans fluid- all went well. Waited to 65,000 miles, changed it again- Chevy dealer chaged it- trans was leaking fluid after a week of them changing it. On our Suburban- never changed fluid- no problems. I guess the rule of "if it aint broke don't fix it" applies here for him. He's convinced that if I have the fluid changed, all I'll end up with are problems. My fluid is still red (not brown), has a very faint smell to it, he's convinced it is fine.


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## mkwl

Mark13;423687 said:


> My 98 has almost 152k on it and is either on the original fluid or has been changed once at the most. I notice it slipping sometimes, is it a good idea to change it now or will it cause more problems?


What color is your fluid- does it smell burnt?

BTW- does anyone know what new ATF fluid smells like?


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## Mark13

mkwl;423691 said:


> What color is your fluid- does it smell burnt?


IIRC its brownish. I havn't looked at the dipstick in a while though.


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## B&B

Mark13;423715 said:


> IIRC its brownish. I havn't looked at the dipstick in a while though.


You don't want it in there until it's brown...


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## bribrius

i must have missed something. your tranny is slipping now? and you want to put like a 9ft v on it right? 

as far as changing tranny fluid. my opinion is it depends on how you use your truck. no matter what though i think it should be done after 75k. earlier if you fall in the severe duty category. plowing all winter and towing the other three seasons on a daily basis id say once a year isnt a bad idea. i worry about mine every fourty k give or take. i also check it frequently to make sure it doesnt smell burnt and is still nice and red..

speaking of which. im thinking of looking for a new synthetic or something for tranny fluid if anyone has any input on that.


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## Mark13

bribrius;423790 said:


> you want to put like a 9ft v on it right?


No it was an 8.2  I'm running a western now.

Any suggestions for my trans? Change the fluid and hope it helps and doesn't make it worse or wait for it to break then build it stronger?

If I should change it, any suggestions of what brand fluid to run?


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## B&B

bribrius;423790 said:


> im thinking of looking for a new synthetic or something for tranny fluid if anyone has any input on that.


Amsoil makes good stuff.. and switching over to synthetic is a smart idea but it can be a little expensive to do a switch over, as to get the full benefit from it you need to get all the dino oil out of the trans, which can take several drain and refills, or you need buy extra synthetic fluid and run it through a flush machine to flush all the dino oil out first..


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## B&B

Mark13;423792 said:


> Any suggestions for my trans?
> If I should change it, any suggestions of what brand fluid to run?


 If the fluid doesn't look too good, or you have no idea when it's been changed last, I would change it now..

Any name brand fluid is fine Mark.. Pennzoil, Castrol, Valvoline...just make sure it's at least Dexron 3 or higher on the label..and stay away from the store brand stuff if at all possible.


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## T-MAN

Not changing your fluid in the trans is foolish. Why bother changing your Motor oil ?
We do every 30K or every fall, which ever comes first.

You dont need anything fancy to switch over to synthetic either. Trans fluid is much improved, but filters Allways need to be changed with every service. If you change your filter, and flush the trans you will get everything out and can run synthetic safely. It is cheap insurance changing your trans fluid.


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## Mark13

My auto teacher thought that if I just changed my filter and fluid it would be ok but a complete flush might be the end of the trans. My dads 02 has 130k on it and he had his trans flushed at 100k and about 1-2k later it died. I don't want that to happen to mine. I have the money to have it rebuilt but of course I would rather spend it on other stuff.


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## B&B

Mark13;423822 said:


> My auto teacher thought that if I just changed my filter and fluid it would be ok but a complete flush might be the end of the trans. My dads 02 has 130k on it and he had his trans flushed at 100k and about 1-2k later it died. I don't want that to happen to mine. I have the money to have it rebuilt but of course I would rather spend it on other stuff.


Don't flush it Mark..just change the fluid and filter... doing a flush on a high mileage or poorly maintained trans usually spells death..


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## bribrius

B&B;423841 said:


> Don't flush it Mark..just change the fluid and filter... doing a flush on a high mileage or poorly maintained trans usually spells death..


if the trannys that bad im still wondering how hes going to push snow.... i just hate to see him broke down in someones driveway. thanks for the advice on the synthetic guys.


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## PremierLand

MKWL. I would change it, its not to much, also get the T-case and Diff fluid changed.

Like others on here I get my fluids changed before Nov. 15th each year.


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## mkwl

PremierLand;423851 said:


> MKWL. I would change it, its not to much, also get the T-case and Diff fluid changed.
> 
> Like others on here I get my fluids changed before Nov. 15th each year.


No-one thinks it will cause leaks etc? That's my (and my Dad's) biggest worry. He's thinking I should wait until it has 50,000 on it, as GM recommends it be done at 50,000 for severe duty.


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## mcwlandscaping

Drain pan, drop pan, pull out filter, put in new filter, gasket, replace pan, and your done!! Do it now, doing this crap in the cold SUCKS!!!..actually, today is a beautiful day to do that


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## lawnMaster5000

according to what I read on some other forums from guys that seemed to be techs 
if you dont know when the last time your tranny fluid was changed and it does not look new or clean you should not get a tranny flush. It is best to change the fluid the old fashioned way of pulling the pan.

If you flush an old and dirty transmission you will stir up a bunch of dirt that was previously settled in the tranny. The dirt will get moved from the safe places and into places where it can harm your transmission. You will more often than not experience transmission problems in the future, even if you werent before the flush.

A drain and fill is good, just dont do the power flush thing your tranny shop will try to sell you.

When I took my old truck in with 100K miles and no record of tranny fluid change the dealer told me I needed to flush the trans fluid. When I mentioned what I had read about it he was kinda unsure of himself and asked one of the master mechanics in the garage. He said I should probably just drain it out, change the filter, and refill and not take the chances with the purge. I decided to do nothing. Drove the truck for another 10K miles and sold it.

Hope this helps.


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## Mark13

bribrius;423843 said:


> if the trannys that bad im still wondering how hes going to push snow.... i just hate to see him broke down in someones driveway. thanks for the advice on the synthetic guys.


I'm only going to do my family's driveway and my grandmas driveway and maybe a few others. Since my trans is messed up and my school schedule next semester starts early in the morning I'm going to keep it simple this year with just a few driveways at most.


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## T-MAN

Mark13;423822 said:


> My auto teacher thought that if I just changed my filter and fluid it would be ok but a complete flush might be the end of the trans. My dads 02 has 130k on it and he had his trans flushed at 100k and about 1-2k later it died. I don't want that to happen to mine. I have the money to have it rebuilt but of course I would rather spend it on other stuff.


There are 2 ways to flush a trans, the right way and the wrong way. You need to drop the pan to do it right, and change the filter. 
MOST trans flush's do not drop the pan, and change the filter. Why bother if you still have a dirty filter ? Thats like changing your motor oil and not changing the filter, why bother.

Dropping the pan and changing the fluid is fine, especially when you do it every 30K. Most REPUTABLE shops dont reccomend a flush, its not in any Owners/Maintenance manual I have ever seen either.

As far as leaks go that is usually from over tightening the bolts. Dont let Jiffy Lube touch your trans ! You dont need 150 ft #s on them. They do have specs, and tightening patterns.


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## B&B

lawnMaster5000;423930 said:


> according to what I read on some other forums from guys that seemed to be techs
> if you dont know when the last time your tranny fluid was changed and it does not look new or clean you should not get a tranny flush. It is best to change the fluid the old fashioned way of pulling the pan.
> 
> If you flush an old and dirty transmission you will stir up a bunch of dirt that was previously settled in the tranny. The dirt will get moved from the safe places and into places where it can harm your transmission. You will more often than not experience transmission problems in the future, even if you werent before the flush.
> 
> A drain and fill is good, just dont do the power flush thing your tranny shop will try to sell you.


 Exactly! That's why I mentioned it to Mark...

Flushes are actually ok if you do them at every service interval from an early age in the transmissions life. Don't wait until it's got 100,000 mi on it and then do it..


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## Mark13

B&B;424049 said:


> Don't wait until it's got 100,000 mi on it and then do it..


Dad did that with his truck, bye bye trans about 2k later.


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## scottL

Mark13;423822 said:


> My auto teacher thought that if I just changed my filter and fluid it would be ok but a complete flush might be the end of the trans. My dads 02 has 130k on it and he had his trans flushed at 100k and about 1-2k later it died. I don't want that to happen to mine. I have the money to have it rebuilt but of course I would rather spend it on other stuff.


tick, tick, tick, tick .... pop ( new trans :crying: )

Old school says if the fluid and age are where your claiming then any change may set the final timer to a few thousand at most. I think the best you might do is a basic filter and 5 quarts and add a full bottle of the lucas trans fix. Either way save your money and figure what your going to replace the current trans with.


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## Mark13

scottL;424539 said:


> tick, tick, tick, tick .... pop ( new trans :crying: )
> 
> Old school says if the fluid and age are where your claiming then any change may set the final timer to a few thousand at most. I think the best you might do is a basic filter and 5 quarts and add a full bottle of the lucas trans fix. Either way save your money and figure what your going to replace the current trans with.


I'm already planning to replace this 4l60e with a beefed up version. I'd like to swap in an 80e but I think its about a $2500-3000 swap.

Any suggestions of stuff for my next trans to make it better/stronger?


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## nicksplowing

i own my own a transmission/auto repair shop trust me the more often you change your fluid the better the chances are you wont have problems with your trans just make sure you use mercon 5 fluid or synthetic fluid and duraprene gaskets because the cork ones always leak good luck


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## scottL

Mark13;424583 said:


> I'm already planning to replace this 4l60e with a beefed up version. I'd like to swap in an 80e but I think its about a $2500-3000 swap.
> 
> Any suggestions of stuff for my next trans to make it better/stronger?


Honestly, with the older truck I'd conserver your money. The 60e is plenty strong for your engine. I believe it is just the electronic version of the 400r which was a hugely popular rock crushing trans for street racers and tow trucks. Do a google search for your trans, Jasper and the local shops. Get you info, check for your service ( cheapest does not mean best ).


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## B&B

scottL;427648 said:


> The 60e is plenty strong for your engine. I believe it is just the electronic version of the 400r which was a hugely popular rock crushing trans for street racers and tow trucks.


Not quite, the 4L80E is like the electronic version of the venerable Turbo 400 as far as strength goes.
The 4L60E like that's in Marks truck is basically an electronic version of the old 700R4..which isn't the toughest trans out there by any means in stock form. They can be made to handle a decent amount of abuse but it takes money..


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## Mark13

To bad you can't get an ally behind a 350 small block.


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## Rcgm

What is a ballpark figure to have pan dropped drained new filter ?I have 110 thousand on my truck I purchased it with 80 thousand and don't know when they did it.Also anybody know a good tranny shop that will do it in Indianapolis?


RCGM
Brad


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## B&B

$80-$120 is about the going rate here....but I'm sure the prices are different depending on location.


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## elshauno

I was reading a car craft the other week and they were talking about upgrading a 4l60e to a much beefier 4l65e for just under 2 grand *Not quite, the 4L80E is like the electronic version of the venerable Turbo 400 as far as strength goes.
The 4L60E like that's in Marks truck is basically an electronic version of the old 700R4..which isn't the toughest trans out there by any means in stock form. They can be made to handle a decent amount of abuse but it takes money..*


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