[scott37300]

09 malibu 3.6L 6 speed with 50,000 miles on it. I was reading the owners maual and from what I understand the fluid is "lifetime" unless you fall under the severe duty catagory and then you need to change it at 50,000, is this correct?

I don't think I fall into the severe duty but I think I would like to change the fluid as a preventative maintenance thing, don't think it can hurt can it?

So if I do this do I need to flush it or can I drop the pan and drain and add new fluid? Also is there a servicable filter I need to change?

Any advice with this would be much appreciated,
Thanks,
Scott

 

[jes2]

09 malibu 3.6L 6 speed with 50,000 miles on it. I was reading the owners maual and from what I understand the fluid is "lifetime" unless you fall under the severe duty catagory and then you need to change it at 50,000, is this correct?

I don't think I fall into the severe duty but I think I would like to change the fluid as a preventative maintenance thing, don't think it can hurt can it?

So if I do this do I need to flush it or can I drop the pan and drain and add new fluid? Also is there a servicable filter I need to change?

Any advice with this would be much appreciated,
Thanks,
Scott

Scott,

I don't see a problem with changing the tranny fluid - I've never bought the "lifetime" thing, and changing the fluid is a whole lot cheaper than buying a new transmission.

But: transmission fluid flushes? Uh uh. Flushes have been known to break crap loose that eventually clog a fluid filter, and fry the tranny. I've known two people that had this happen to their transmissions within a month of a transmission flush (one is still in a court battle with the shop that did the flush). I'd go instead with dropping the pan, replacing the filter, close it up & top it off with fluid.

Better yet - let Chevy do it, and maintain your 5yr/100k drivetrain warranty.

Anyone know what service procedure Chevy recommends for a fluid change?

 

[scott37300]

Thanks for the advice jes2. Yes I have also read about the flush causing problems in transmissions, but mostly in high mile trannys that haven't been serviced.

I would like to just do a pan drop and fill since it should be pretty simple to do myself. I have to do that on my mom's civic, honda doesn't recomend flushing at all and figured I might as well do one on woman's car at the same time.

Was hoping someone had done this before and could share some advice on what all is involved.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[malibu_2010]

"But: transmission fluid flushes? Uh uh. Flushes have been known to break crap loose that eventually clog a fluid filter, and fry the tranny."

I disagree with your comment. A tranny should not have any crap in it. If there is, it is already to late for the tranny. Most people follow mfg. suggested intervals for tranny maintenance which is mostly too late IMO. You need to check your oil often to see any discoloration and smell. If it si dark and smell gas, it is time to change it regardless of your mileage. I find Chevy's 50K interval too late. I believe this should be 30K.

I also have 05 Ford Escape, which is the easiest vehicle to work on it and I do my own flushes. I ve 85K on it and I've done 3 flushes so far.

 

[chevyguy8893]

"But: transmission fluid flushes? Uh uh. Flushes have been known to break crap loose that eventually clog a fluid filter, and fry the tranny."

I disagree with your comment. A tranny should not have any crap in it. If there is, it is already to late for the tranny. Most people follow mfg. suggested intervals for tranny maintenance which is mostly too late IMO. You need to check your oil often to see any discoloration and smell. If it si dark and smell gas, it is time to change it regardless of your mileage. I find Chevy's 50K interval too late. I believe this should be 30K.

I also have 05 Ford Escape, which is the easiest vehicle to work on it and I do my own flushes. I ve 85K on it and I've done 3 flushes so far.

I agree with this. Here in Indiana when I check fluid on almost every vehicle at 50K it is brown and should have been changed a while ago. 30K is a good interval for almost anywhere. It won't hurt to do it early anyways.

The 6 speed for the 6 cyl and same for the 4 cylinder does not have a trans pan to drop for changing fluid. There is a drain plug on the bottom and a fill hole on the top, in your case with a dipstick. According to GM a drain and fill will require 5 quarts of fluid to fill it up afterwords. Total fill is 9.6 quarts, so it changes a decent amount of it.

This is where a flush has it benefits. Where I work we flush 14 quarts of trans fluid after running the flush chemical through the trans. The main benefit I like of the flush is it gets to the fluid that will contaminate the new fluid in just a drain and fill. Also, it gets to the fluid in the torque converter. I have flushed trans fluid when it was very dark with no negative effects later down the road.

 

[scott37300]

Most people follow mfg. suggested intervals for tranny maintenance which is mostly too late IMO. You need to check your oil often to see any discoloration and smell. If it si dark and smell gas, it is time to change it regardless of your mileage. I find Chevy's 50K interval too late. I believe this should be 30K.

From what I understand of the owners manual reading the maintenance schedual chevy only recomends a 50,000 interval if you fall under the severe duty catagory. Otherwise they don't have any recomendation of tranny service, lifetime fluid. I thought I was doing good wanting to do something at 50K.

Well I'm around 50,000 and I would like to do some kind of maintenance, either a fluid drain and fill or a flush. I will check the color of the fluid tomorrow to see how it looks.

So there is no filter that needs to be replaced? I see one listed at parts stores. Can I flush the tranny at home by unhooking a cooling line? Or is a drain and fill good enough?

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[chevyguy8893]

From what I understand of the owners manual reading the maintenance schedual chevy only recomends a 50,000 interval if you fall under the severe duty catagory. Otherwise they don't have any recomendation of tranny service, lifetime fluid. I thought I was doing good wanting to do something at 50K.

Well I'm around 50,000 and I would like to do some kind of maintenance, either a fluid drain and fill or a flush. I will check the color of the fluid tomorrow to see how it looks.

So there is no filter that needs to be replaced? I see one listed at parts stores. Can I flush the tranny at home by unhooking a cooling line? Or is a drain and fill good enough?

Thanks for the advice guys.

There may be a filter for it, or they listed the filter for the 4 speed trans I am not sure. GM does not list anything for changing filters in the 6 speed transmissions. If there is it would not be very easy to do since the pan is on the side of the trans not on the bottom like the 4 speed trans is.

Personally I wouldn't go over 60K on a fluid change, I prefer 30K just for piece of mind. It really isn't that much to do it when compared to pulling a trans.

I would not flush a trans on your own. You will run a risk of overheating and damaging components. I would only have a flush done with a machine to keep trans fluid flowing. If you are doing it yourself just do a drain and fill, but pay close attention to fluid level afterwords so you don't have any problems.

 

[scott37300]

Looks like a drain and fill it is then! I will start doing a drain and fill every 20-30K miles to keep a little fresh fluid in there.

On a side note, my mom has a honda civic with 30K and honda does not recomend a flush ever, just a drain and fill and no filter to change.

Thanks for all your help guys!

 

[jes2]

"But: transmission fluid flushes? Uh uh. Flushes have been known to break crap loose that eventually clog a fluid filter, and fry the tranny."

I disagree with your comment. A tranny should not have any crap in it. If there is, it is already to late for the tranny. Most people follow mfg. suggested intervals for tranny maintenance which is mostly too late IMO. You need to check your oil often to see any discoloration and smell. If it si dark and smell gas, it is time to change it regardless of your mileage. I find Chevy's 50K interval too late. I believe this should be 30K.

I also have 05 Ford Escape, which is the easiest vehicle to work on it and I do my own flushes. I ve 85K on it and I've done 3 flushes so far.

Well, you're certainly entitled to your opinion...

But, reality is reality. The flushes were done by shops, the trannys burned up on both cars within about 30 days, and that is that. Game over, and one person's opinion doesn't pay for another person's new transmission.

And a tranny for a RX300 is pricey, indeed. I don't think 65k was that bad (I wouldn't do it, though) for the first fluid change. That one is in court.

I agree with you on the frequency of the transmission fluid changes. I used to change out some of my F150's fluid every 25k by disconnecting the output line, and let it drain a few quarts.

I have a question for you and the rest of the group:

Exactly how do you check the trans fluid on the 'bu? Anyone notice that there is no transmission fluid level stick?

Is there a service plug or port that can be accessed underneath during my next oil change?

 

[chevyguy8893]

Well, you're certainly entitled to your opinion...

But, reality is reality. The flushes were done by shops, the trannys burned up on both cars within about 30 days, and that is that. Game over, and one person's opinion doesn't pay for another person's new transmission.

And a tranny for a RX300 is pricey, indeed. I don't think 65k was that bad (I wouldn't do it, though) for the first fluid change. That one is in court.

I agree with you on the frequency of the transmission fluid changes. I used to change out some of my F150's fluid every 25k by disconnecting the output line, and let it drain a few quarts.

I have a question for you and the rest of the group:

Exactly how do you check the trans fluid on the 'bu? Anyone notice that there is no transmission fluid level stick?

Is there a service plug or port that can be accessed underneath during my next oil change?

The 6t40 6 speed trans and 4 speed trans on the four cylinder is checked by warming the trans to operating temp and removing a plug on the trans. Then the trans is filled from the top till the fluid drips out of the hole. The 6t70 6 speed on the v6 has a dipstick and is checked at operating temp. The operating temp is between 180-200 degrees or drive the vehicle for about 15 miles to warm it up.

I do trans flushes at the dealer I work at. Everyone there uses common sense and doesn't flush a trans when the fluid is black and burnt or when there is high mileage and never done before. Brown fluid is as far as I will go with flushing because it doesn't indicate there is a problem. I know of shops that have burned up transmissions because of it being done when it shouldn't have been. No matter how it is done, albeit drain and fill or flush, it is good to just maintain the vehicle.

 

[PCweber]

I just did a drain flush on my 3.6L/ 6T70 trans today. Very simple, took about 5 mins of total effort. You just need an 11mm socket to take the drain plug out. Let it drain while finding soemthing else to do for 10-15 mins. Put plug back in and add approx. 5.5qts.

 

[JasonZ34]

I just did a drain flush on my 3.6L/ 6T70 trans today. Very simple, took about 5 mins of total effort. You just need an 11mm socket to take the drain plug out. Let it drain while finding soemthing else to do for 10-15 mins. Put plug back in and add approx. 5.5qts.

That would be a drain and fill.

I've never done a flush, never been a fan.

 

[PCweber]

you are right. I was drinking Xmas Cheer when I typed that!

 

[scott37300]

Is there a washer or seal on the drain plug that I need to replace when I do this? I am also going to be changing the trans fluid in mom's civic and there is a crush washer that needs to be replaced so this is why I ask.

Thanks

 

[PCweber]

nope, no crush washer that leaks. And you are right. Honda uses those dam things and if you change engine oil and keep re-using the same crush washer it will leak after 3-4 times.

 

[PCweber]

If anyone does a DIY filter change please post the feedback of how tough it was. For those wondering the conver that needs removed is not on bottom of trans but front side. Looks to be a pretty large job to me. For the record I have changed probablt 25 trans filters in my lifetime and never once had a noticable result from doing so. I know it is a proactive action but this looks to be way different that dropping the pan on your Turbo 350 trans in your chevy pickup folks.

 

[GM_6T40 Trans_Engineer]

It's not recommended to flush the transmission or change fluid. The filter is not a general service item and not accessible for general service.

 

[calirider]

I hate to resurrect a thread but I can not find the type of ATF these trannys take?

Thanks

 

[chevyguy8893]

I hate to resurrect a thread but I can not find the type of ATF these trannys take?

Thanks

The trans fluid is Dexron VI.

 

[PCweber]

I sure wish there was a way to make the trans hold a geat a little longer and shift a bit more crispe. If anyone finds anything on that, please post here or PM me.

http://www.chevymalibuforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6620