6 spd here..I drain and fill every single winter regardless of mileage (amsoil) ...now @ 5 yrs 48 k...fluid is like brand new ...won't Drop pan till 100k...

 

replaced the original front brake pads and they still had life in them at 95,000 miles,

Nice! I did my fronts complete at 8 years / 85,500 miles.

At 102k, the transmission is still untouched. I'm due, and am gearing up for the process -DEXRON-VI, filter, gasket. You mention "drain"; I think the 4-speed can only be drained by dropping the pan; wish it did have a plug on it.

 

Get one of these....

Suction Gun

I had the 4L60E and used this to get most of the fluid out so when I dropped the pan there wasn't much left in the pan and made the job much less messy. The only reason it was messy was because of the residual fluid dripping off the internals of the transmission. Just go to Home Depot/Lowe's and get a 4-5' section of clear tube and you're set.

You can also get a pan with a drain plug. I had one at one point but ended up going back to the stock pan and just sucking the fluid out. I could never find a drain plug that didn't drip slightly.

 

Most owner's manuals say it isn't necessary. Yeah, right. That's why transmission shops are making a fortune replacing burned out automatic transmissions. For optimum protection, change the Transmission Fluid and filter every 50,000 miles. An automatic transmission creates a lot of internal heat through friction: the friction of the fluid churning inside the torque converter, friction created when the clutch plates engage, and the normal friction created by gears and bearings carrying their loads.

If you think this is propaganda put forth by the suppliers of ATF to sell more fluid, think again. According to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association, 90% of ALL transmission failures are caused by overheating. And most of these can be blamed on worn out fluid that should have been replaced.

 

Most owner's manuals say it isn't necessary. Yeah, right. That's why transmission shops are making a fortune replacing burned out automatic transmissions. For optimum protection, change the Transmission Fluid and filter every 50,000 miles. An automatic transmission creates a lot of internal heat through friction: the friction of the fluid churning inside the torque converter, friction created when the clutch plates engage, and the normal friction created by gears and bearings carrying their loads.

If you think this is propaganda put forth by the suppliers of ATF to sell more fluid, think again. According to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association, 90% of ALL transmission failures are caused by overheating. And most of these can be blamed on worn out fluid that should have been replaced.

Agreed. Replacing the fluid and filter in accordance with the manufacturer's maintenance schedule is cheap insurance. Sure, it's kind of a messy job to drop the pan, especially if you're doing it without a hoist, but it's worth the effort.

 

Let's see $6k to $7k to do a rebuild or $50 to $100 to change the fluid...hhmmm what to do???

 

I can't and don't depend on prior owners (or dealers) to do their PM Inspections and changes on schedules. Every car I buy (except for Factory fresh NEW), I treat as an UNKNOWN Quantity. It gets New Coolant, thermostat, Engine Oil, Filter, Trans drain, filter (plus I put a drain plug in against future drain and fills), front and rear diff's , transfer case fluids within a week of purchase. Then I put it under a severe duty maintenance schedule, whether it's my truck or her traverse. Coolant every 2 yrs or 40K, Oil change and filter 5K or twice a year, Trans 30K or once a year(whether towing or not), Diff's and transfer case 50K or 2 years, rotate tires every oil change. I'm ex Navy (Corpsman) and a Vol fireman (Co. Engineer) so I do all our fluids, maintenance, and tire rotations in house on apparatus (except tires and brakes on the ENGINES). Everything else is done in house. It's a PITA when it gets below 50*F (I'm 67 and on Thinners) but the engineering bay is heated, plus I can do my vehicles there.

Mark. Change the fluid max miles every 50K if 95% is interstate driving. Va. Bch area (especially south of Dam Neck is a lot of back roads and some stop and go stuff. Short trips don't help it either as what moisture that gets in never really dissipates unless you drive up I-64 to Richmond and back. If it's all local and the fluid looks and feels good you can probably go 30-40K as long as you PM check the hell out of it. Once it starts feeling thin, slightly gritty, or darkens start buying some more ATF, Filter and a gasket.

 

I have a 2012 Sierra SLE 4x4 Crew Cab with 101,000 miles on it. It sounds and drives like its new. I've changed the oil every 5,000 miles, but this question is about the transmission fluid. I don't tow anything and the truck has had an easy driving life. I just replaced the original front brake pads and they still had life in them at 95,000 miles, as an example.

I drained and filled at 50,000 miles about 5 years ago or so. At that time, the fluid was bright red, didn't smell and was at the right level. I'm at the 100,000 mile point now and know it's time to drop the pan, change the filter, etc......

But I looked at the fluid yesterday and it's beautiful.....bright red, smells good, right level, etc....

Do I leave it alone or go ahead and do the pan drop?


Automatic service maintenance guidance is so confusing. So many opinions on it too. I know what the owner's manual says and I'm usually a "follow the owner's manual" guy. Rules and maintenance schedules are something driven into me by spending 24 years in the Navy too. But this is one of those times I'm thinking it might be prudent to leave "good" alone.

Thanks.

Mark

The fluid is dead by 45K, that's why you should be changing it every 45K, at the latest, on the severe service schedule.

 

Ordering my PML trans pan for my 6speed comes with drain bolt holds 2 extra quarts plus has a step so you don’t have to jack the exhaust or loosen exhaust 😄 not a bad deal for 375 bones 💀

 

Do you mind to tell me or share the link about the pan? And what is the vantage of getting a larger pan. Thanks!

 

2011 OM (likely the same as 2012?)

First Engine Oil Change After Every 80 000 km/50,000 Miles
. Automatic transmission fluid change (severe service) for vehicles with Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) over 3 901 kg (8,600 lbs) or mainly driven in heavy city traffic in hot
weather, in hilly or mountainous terrain, when frequently towing a trailer, or used for taxi,
police, or delivery service.

First Engine Oil Change After
Every 160 000 km/100,000 Miles
. Automatic transmission fluid change (normal service).

So, recommendation is every 50,000 for severe service and every 100,000 for regular service.
- which is also the recommended intervals when they started adding the charts to the manuals

I'm thinking that time factors into this too.
I'd be changing it.

 

Both Transmission oil analysis included so you can read the notes.

 

This might do it more justice there’s also an upgraded stick version both are same price can have it powder coated in black too 😍

 

Going to order this weekend Ben way to busy 😂