Do you know how to change your transmission fluid? We do, but if you wish to try it yourself, here are some things to know.
How Often Do You Change Your Transmission Fluid?
How often do you change your transmission fluid? Well, according to the site HOWSTUFFWORKS.COM: “Most cars on the road today have automatic transmissions and henceautomatic transmission fluid, or ATF. Pressure changes within the ATF cause the transmission to switch gears. Even on a relatively simple drive, from your house to the office, let’s say, the transmission and the fluid do quite a bit of work. Fluid temperatures soar to 175 degrees Fahrenheit (79 degrees Celsius), which seems hot to us but is perfectly normal for ATF. In fact, if fluid temperatures remained at 175 degrees Fahrenheit, ATF would mimic the Energizer Bunny and keep going and going for 100,000 miles (160,934 kilometers) or so. Unfortunately, fluid temperatures rarely stay in the optimal range. Numerous driving conditions — stop-and-go driving, hauling a heavy load, driving long distances or up and down mountains — can heat transmission fluid beyond acceptable limits. At these higher temperatures, ATF begins to break down, and your transmission begins to shift gears roughly, slowly or both. This is why most manufacturers recommend that you change your ATF and filter every 20,000 to 25,000 miles (32,187 to 40,234 kilometers). [READ MORE]
When you’re changing your transmission fluid, you’re going to need the right tools as well as a way to safely lift up your car. Don’t try to work on your car without elevating it. When it is hotter than 85 degrees, if you are under your car, you could potentially lose consciousness. Make sure you know what you are doing and read up both in your car’s owner’s manual as well as any information from the manufacturer’s website so that you’ll know what you’re going to need as far as tools are concerned with your transmission repair.
Changing Your Transmission Fluid
The first way to change your transmission fluid is to flush out the old fluid. This is recommended in a lot of ways because it takes out all of the old fluid. It is more complicated however. The other way is to put a drip pan underneath the transmission and let it run out that way. You get less of the old transmission fluid out, but it is easier. To do this, you’re going to need a tool called a transmission flusher.
Part two of this series will explore more of the procedure for changing transmission fluid. If you have any questions, be sure to call your local transmission repair shop.
For more information on how to change your transmission fluid, be sure to read part two of this series as well.
For more information on transmission fluid, be sure to read one of our previous articles here.
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