Elantra trans flush or drain.refill?

[flinter]

Hi,
Im sure this question has been asked and answered many times,
but I just would like some advice, preferably from other Hyundai
owners. I realize everyone seems to have their own opinion on
this and there just seems to be no consistency as to the right
method form one shop to the other....

As I am now at about 293000 miles on my 2005 Hyundai Elantra,
I will be doing the 30K maintenance shortly. The car runs
flawless and the engine is super smooth.
For the transmission service, im debating between using a shop
that dues the complete flush/exchange or another shop that
does just the drain and refill.

My goal is to run my Elantra to 200,000 miles on pretty easy,
conservative driving, while doing all the maintenance.
Im wondering if there really is any evidence that a flush
will really be more benificial than the drain and refill?

I was told that so long as you catch the fluid when its still
clean and not oxidized, a drain and refill would be no different than doing the flush/exchange as far as longevity
of the car goes.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[hate2work]

Did you mean 29,300 miles? I'm sure you did

Doing drain and refills is definitely beneficial, and as long as you do them on a regular basis, I think they are just as efficient in keeping your tranny in top shape for a long time.

 

[saberz]

293,000 miles!! Great Scott!

But, I think you mean maybe 29k with the 30k maintenance? Or you do the trans every 30k?

Either way, in all of my vehicles I always did a flush at 30k intervals. If the vehicle never had a trans pan drop/flush in over 100k, I refuse to do a flush. I just pan drop and refill and keep doing that every 10-15k till the vehicle explodes.

 

[DieselTech]

At my shop we do exchanges but do not use any chemicals. It's just a complete fluid exchange. We have a pretty tight network of customers and every other exchange the pan gets dropped and new filter installed and magnets cleaned.

 

[flinter]

Yes, my typo. have 29,300 miles.

 

[saberz]

Hehe np, was like

Don't know to many people who tack on mileage that fast, except maybe 1 guy. had a 2000 Silverado brand new, and in one year he put 145k on it. Driving between North NJ, Western PA and Boston MA throughout the week. Was a paper sales man.

 

[Ursae_Majoris]

Do drain and refill, and you can do it your self. I have a 2008 Kia Spectra (same car as Elantra). I did two drain and refills last fall (18K miles on the odometer at the time), over a course of one week. Needed 4 qrts and 8 oz of SPIII fluid.

PS D NOT drop the pan, it will void the warranty on the transmission, even dealer can not do it.

 

[Tempest]

Drain and fill is easy on the Elantra. Wastes a little oil but is cheaper than possibly breaking something (hose, fitting...) when doing a flush.

I use Amsoil ATF in my father's 03 Elantra.

 

[flinter]

Ursae Majoris....
How do you know when to stop filling? Do you pour into the
dipstick hole?

 

[hate2work]

Originally Posted By: flinter
Ursae Majoris....
How do you know when to stop filling? Do you pour into the
dipstick hole?


Exactly, just drain out all that will come out and then replace the same amount through the dipstick hole.

Some people prefer to do back to back drain and refills, it gets even more fresh fluid in there. Be sure to drive several miles between drains though.

 

[BovineScapegoat]

Originally Posted By: Anies
Hehe np, was like

Don't know to many people who tack on mileage that fast, except maybe 1 guy. had a 2000 Silverado brand new, and in one year he put 145k on it. Driving between North NJ, Western PA and Boston MA throughout the week. Was a paper sales man.
\\

Does he work for Dunder Mifflin?

 

[Ursae_Majoris]

Originally Posted By: hate2work
Originally Posted By: flinter
Ursae Majoris....
How do you know when to stop filling? Do you pour into the
dipstick hole?


Exactly, just drain out all that will come out and then replace the same amount through the dipstick hole.

Some people prefer to do back to back drain and refills, it gets even more fresh fluid in there. Be sure to drive several miles between drains though.


I measured drained fluid,(it was warm). It came out to be about 2qt, 3 oz. I added the same amount back in thru the dipstick using a funnel. Took it for a drive, heated up the tranny to operating temperatures, then measured level, with engine running, tranny in Neutral, and parking brake on. Added up another ounce. MAKE SURE THAT THE CAR IS LEVEL WHEN YOU MEASURE THE LEVEL. It will affect reading a lot. I stuck a magnetic torpedo level on the rocker panel under the driver door to check for front to back, and on the valve cover to check from side to side.

I reused a crash washer after the first D&R, and put a new one on after the second one. You will need a 22MM socket to get the drain bolt out, I found one in NAPA.

My ATF D&R were a week apart--gave fluid some time to mix in, plus I ran out of time on the 1st D&R when I had to go get a socket.

I kept copies of the ATF and washer I purchased from the dealer as a proof of maintenance, along with the mileage and date.

Total ATF capacity is 6 qts, IIRC; two D&R of 2 qts each time replace 50% of fluid, 3 D&R about 60%.

If you are really concerned about the warranty, have a dealer do one ATF D&R, and you can do another, then you have a paper trail at the dealer. Again, make sure that NOBODY opens up your tranny. It WILL void your warranty. Elantra/Spectras have a pick up screen, no change is necessary.

I did a D&R on the radiator and oil change at the same time.

PS if you add too much, you can suck it up thru the dipstick. Buy a 2 oz measuring syringe at W-M and 3 feet of 1/4 tubing at Home Depot. Make sure car is OFF when you do it.