How to: Flush your ATX fluid and change your internal filter

[sanyamo]

Yes it is...I added fluid to bring it back to the appropriate level.

An old mechanic told me to not flush the transmission and as absurd as it may sound he thought I should replace the filter but save the old fluid and re-use it...something about transmissions going bad after replacing/flushing the fluid.

[Caffinated Soap]

Originally Posted by sanyamo

An old mechanic told me to not flush the transmission and as absurd as it may sound he thought I should replace the filter but save the old fluid and re-use it...something about transmissions going bad after replacing/flushing the fluid.

I can kinda see where he's coming from. As our clutches wear down, the friction materials wear off the clutches and begin to free-ride through the tranny via the fluid. As your tranny gets older, there can be a lot of clutch floating through your fluid. The friction material floating around actually helps the older/more worn clutches to grip better.

But yeah, always change your fluid. If some of your clutches are getting old, replace them.

[sanyamo]

I have an automatic transmission...does it make a difference?

[Caffinated Soap]

We still use clutches in our trannies.

[golfpro]

*subscribed*

Nice write up, Josh. My Eclipse is ATX, and it shares so much DNA with our 3000's I'm sure much of this will apply.

Good job.

-golfpro

[JoshAnker]

Originally Posted by golfpro

*subscribed*

Nice write up, Josh. My Eclipse is ATX, and it shares so much DNA with our 3000's I'm sure much of this will apply.

Good job.

-golfpro

Thanks! That means a lot coming from a "pro" like yourself

Jen, yes I have a DOHC. Also, I edited the second half of the walkthough (post #2) with your comments that you wanted to add.

[ProwlerGT]

Originally Posted by JoshAnker

Add some until you can do a flush.

The "you can only change half the capacity" is because the torque converter stays full. There are shops that will actually change that, too, but they cost money. Your best bet is to add fluid to bring up to the full mark(Provided you're using the correct method for checking the level) and then just doing a fluid change when you have time. Even though you'll only be changing half(A bit more than half) you'll be able to clean the pan, those three magnets, and most of the crud that causes problems sinks to the bottom of the pan, or sticks to the magnets anyway.

What about: Draining old tranny fluid, putting in an EL cheapo tranny fluid and also adding Sea Foam Trans Tune, drive 5 or 10 miles, shifting thru all gears a few times during drive, and then remove el cheapo tranny fluid and sea foam trans tune, refill with high quality fluid. Wouldn't this be a more effective way to remove the fluid that is sitting in the torque converter? You may not get ALL of it, but you will probably get MORE of it out than you would on ONE pass of a fluid change and + having the sea foam trans tune in there would loosen up even more stuff right?

Tell me if my logic is right. Do you think the fluid in the torque converter that was sitting there during the "cleaning drive run" will have MOVED out and circulated thru the tranny after 5 or 10 miles while shifting? This is more towards a real FLUSH, but more like a DOUBLE DRAINING of the fluids while throwing in the sea foam trans tune.

If this is no good, is there a way to pressurize OUT the fluid from the torque converter? Could you pressurize thru the tranny fill hole and have it exit thru the drain plug/pan if the plug/pan were just open slightly enough to allow oil to come out, but not loose enough so that pressure would be lost?

What ya'll think about both ideas? I'm about to do all this so your opinions are awesome to have here.

[JoshAnker]

Personally, I won't be using sea foam, since I don't believe in putting in any additives in my car's fluids.

As for cleaning out the torque converter, you mentioned a fluid swap, driving some, and then another swap. That sounds to me like It would work. Or at least better than a single fluid swap. Don't forget to change filters, too, though.

[ProwlerGT]

I heard a rumor that the torque converter fluid is separate from the rest of the fluid in the ATX case meaning that if you drain it doing the procedure I suggested above then you are really never touching/draining any of the fluid out of the torque converter because its sealed off from the rest of the tranny fluid. It doesn't make sense to me that the torque converter fluid would be separate from the rest of the tranny fluid over the rest of the tranny.
Is this MYTH or TRUTH?

[BigTyla]

It is the truth. No matter how long you let the fluid drain out, there is always going to be some left in the torque converter. Some of it may come out, but there will always be some that you will never find unless you pull the trans. This is because the torque converter sits vertically (against the crank) and the fluid trapped at the bottom of the converter cannot escape.