To change black tranny fluid or not to change that is the question!

The Shape · Nov 1, 2004

Here's the deal I bought a '93 4 popper notch for a beater. It runs great. It shifts a little hard sometimes , but nothing to bad. The tranny fluid looks like 5W-30 motor oil though. I have heard a few horror stories about changing old fluid and the tranny going south shortly afterwards. The car has 122K on it and most likely the original fluid. What do you guys think? Should I change it and risk it or just drive it till it drops? I only have about $500 in it.

shttygtstang · Nov 1, 2004

hard to say the new detergents in the new oil clean out stuff so were there was not a leak there could be one and your screwed(but i would just so you no where you stand with the car)

Daggar · Nov 1, 2004

Change it... if the old fluid is masking big problems then it's a whole lot better to find em in you neighborhood than it is 20 miles down the road. hehe

90mustangGT · Nov 1, 2004

Leaks are the least of the worries. I would think it would be safe unless you are having a problem. Right now, the dirt is only builing up worse, but if you change it you risk having some of the existing dirt break loose.

I work in a shop and do a lot of tranny flushes. When someone wants a flush or before we even recomend one, we will test drive the vehicle first and see if there are any tranny issues, if there are any problems, we don't flush or recomend it.

Henceforward · Nov 1, 2004

Don't drain and refill with new fluid!!!

Automatic Tranny right? Well in that case, if you haven't changed the fluid every 30,000-50,000 miles, or don't know if this interval has been maintained, then be careful. After 80,000-100,000 miles (with no fluid changes) the fluid becomes a varnish like gooey stuff. When you add new fluid, it acts as a detergent and loosens up all that gook and grime, and then you are up *hit creek, because all that stuff gets into the small nooks in the tranny, it will clog it up, and you won't have power. Really screws with the flow. Don't even mess with the fluid at this point, because you might just ruin the thing if you add new fluid.

HISSIN50 · Nov 1, 2004

J, im with the others - is it an automatic? i had the feeling no.

if a stick: i would change it. the fluid is not stressed like it would be in an automatic (so it lasts longer). but it still gets old, congealed and gets some debris in it.

and since winter is coming, a syn might be a good idea (my preference) - it can help with shifting on cold mornings.

if a slushbox, Jason and hence are right. i might leave well enough alone. a filter change and topping up with the 3-4 quarts it takes to top off should be alright (it probably holds more than 10 quarts). otherwise, be careful or prepared.

you are auto savvy; you know how it works. good luck and let us know which trans you have and how it goes.

willys1 · Nov 1, 2004

DONT CHANGE IT!!! That dirty fluid is keeping it together!! As soon as you change it,your gonna have problems,,,fatal problems

90mustangGT · Nov 1, 2004

If you decide to do so, do a filter change afterwards as well. Of all the disel oil looking trannies I have flushed, I never saw one come back with an inop tranny, but I have heard of it happening.

Your taking a chance, right now your tranny is headed towards destruction due to neglect, but flushing it does take that chance of problems showing up. How many miles on the tranny??? If over 100K, maby leave it alone, they usually don't last that much longer anyways.

bottom line: Flushing the transmission will not cause any problems, but the cleaner fluid might wash the makeup of the masked exisisting one's.

The Shape · Nov 1, 2004

Hey HISSIN yeah it is the A4LD slush box. My gut feeling is not to change it. I do change the fluid in my GT's AOD a regular intervals though. I guess maybe I should leave well enough alone on this one. It actually shifts fine right now, the only time it ever shifts a bit hard is with the A/C on, but I just figure that is from the extra load on that mighty 2.3 engine . The tranny has 122K on it by the way. The car has already lasted me about 4 months so if it makes it another 6 months to a year I will have driven my 500 dollars worth out of it which is all I paid for it. I actually only bought it so I would have something to drive while my GT is getting the 1/4 panel replaced and repainted ( I dropped it off at the shop this morning ). I actually like the little 4 banger though it is nice to have a gas friendly quiet car to drive ever now and again as an alternative to the 5.0.

89MustangGX · Nov 1, 2004

From what I understand, when you get to that point it's a 50/50 shot the car will make it out of park again, and then it's a 50/50 shot it will make it 25 miles. If you make that, you're fine.

CManT1914 · Nov 26, 2004

Hmmm........ bump.

I think I need to change the tranny fluid in my T-5, I'm sitting right at 99,500 miles right now. Yall were saying if it's a stick then it's safer to change it out than an auto at this mileage? Should I change it?

gaslight · Nov 26, 2004

Oh just keep it in there until it turns into tar. lol
I would change it quickly. Its definitely not helping you any.

wake · Nov 26, 2004

If its a t-5 go ahead and change it.Wont hurt anything.

CManT1914 · Nov 26, 2004

Ok, here's a real dumb question: where is the drain and fill hole at? I don't need to drop the tranny to change the fluid do I?

The Shape · Nov 26, 2004

Passenger side of the T-5, two plugs the top is fill the bottom drain.

CManT1914 · Nov 26, 2004

The Shape said:
Passenger side of the T-5, two plugs the top is fill the bottom drain.

Awesome, thanks bro.

HISSIN50 · Nov 26, 2004

and drop the fill plug before you drop the drain plug (if you drain it and cant get the fill plug out, you are up a creek).

a 3/8" ratchet male plug fits the drain and fill plugs.

good luck.

CManT1914 · Nov 26, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
and drop the fill plug before you drop the drain plug (if you drain it and cant get the fill plug out, you are up a creek).

a 3/8" ratchet male plug fits the drain and fill plugs.

good luck.

Good point, thanks.

dastang2 · Nov 26, 2004

don't change that auto's fluid. i had an aod in a 91 5.0 tbird and it had over 200,000 miles on it. i just got it and probably put about 6000 on it. the fluid was turning brown and smelling burned. i decided to put a filter in it and change the fluid. i didn't think it would have hurt anything since i only heard not to flush it if it hasn't had it changed in a while. well the first gear sucked. it slipped if i put a decent amount of throttle to it. so i just pulled the engine out.

RsStanG1987 · Nov 26, 2004

I was thinking of doing the same thing im having problems at low rpms when i let off the gas it feels like a miss my friend said its the tranny but im not sure i heard it could be the coil. The plugs wires cap and rotor are all new. i dunno when the tranny fluids were changed because i bought the car used it has 135k should i change it or not? It looks clean.

To change black tranny fluid or not to change that is the question!

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