Change Trans Fluid or Leave Alone 58K '06 4T65E

[Fallguy]

Bought used car. I know after a while if trans fluid has been ran a long time you really should not change it.

I am kind of in that grey area. Bought a use 2006 Pontiac G6 3.9L with a 4T65E 58,000 miles GM trans with Dexron VI being the factory fill.

(1.) Leave it alone

(2.) Cycle new fluid in and old out on trans machine. No cleaners, no new filter, no pan drop. Just new fluid in.

(3.) Get the works with cleaners, flush, new filter.

(4.) Get the works but done but no cleaners.

I am fond of option #2 as it midly invasive.

Thoughts?

 

[exranger06]

It is NEVER too late to change trans fluid. I vote for #2. There's no need to cleaners, and the filter should have little to nothing caught in it, so no need to change it.

 

[TallPaul]

I just got a 2005 Mountaineer with 110,000 miles on it and don't know the tranny maintenance history. I am having the filter replaced and then the entire fluid changed by the cooler line. Am having Redline D4 ATF put in.

 

[The Critic]

Dexron-VI is rated for 150k. What's the problem?

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
It is NEVER too late to change trans fluid. I vote for #2. There's no need to cleaners, and the filter should have little to nothing caught in it, so no need to change it.


+1


Should be fine...

 

[Letter_K]

I'd say 4 if you do it yourself. Dropping the pan is a nice way to get a look at the transmission to see what the magnet picked up. Most likely, it will be nothing but clutch dust on the magnet and bottom of the pan.

If you have someone do it for you, number 2 should probably we fine.

 

[Oregoonian]

Change it....

Replace filter....and entire fluid through cooler line.

Suggest you use a synthetic that meets your specs (Mobil, Redline or Amzoil).... order and install a Magnafine filter. Should be good for another 50K.

 

[sciphi]

Change it. 4T65's like fresh fluid.

 

[scurvy]

Casting my vote for #4.

Drop the pan, clean it out, change the filter. Break open the old filter to see what you're dealing with. Refill the pan and infuse fresh fluid through the cooler line if possible, otherwise do a drain & fill for the following 3 oil changes as well.

Don't use any cleaners, MMO, Kreen, Brylcream, kerosene, acetone, etc... just fresh Dex 6 ATF and a new filter.

 

[walk23]

Change out the fluid and filter, #3.

 

[hhu168]

Originally Posted By: Fallguy
I know after a while if trans fluid has been ran a long time you really should not change it.


It's not the same car, but last year I changed the filter and all fluid via the cooler line on my 2000 Taurus at 153K miles. I am the original owner so I know that was the only tranny fluid change. I am at 176K miles now and the tranny is smooth as silk.

So I say it's a myth that tranny fluid shouldn't be changed if it's in there for too long.

 

[dnastrau]

Originally Posted By: hhu168
Originally Posted By: Fallguy
I know after a while if trans fluid has been ran a long time you really should not change it.


It's not the same car, but last year I changed the filter and all fluid via the cooler line on my 2000 Taurus at 153K miles. I am the original owner so I know that was the only tranny fluid change. I am at 176K miles now and the tranny is smooth as silk.

So I say it's a myth that tranny fluid shouldn't be changed if it's in there for too long.


+1. If a transmission fails after a fluid change, it was about to fail anyway.

 

[unixguru]

Originally Posted By: scurvy
Casting my vote for #4.

Drop the pan, clean it out, change the filter. Break open the old filter to see what you're dealing with. Refill the pan and infuse fresh fluid through the cooler line if possible, otherwise do a drain & fill for the following 3 oil changes as well.

Don't use any cleaners, MMO, Kreen, Brylcream, kerosene, acetone, etc... just fresh Dex 6 ATF and a new filter.


+1


I would also go with the pan drop and filter change + fresh good quality Dex VI. I would avoid universal fluids (like castrol or valvoline multi-car atf) since Dex VI is available almost everywhere. I, personally, would probably also add a bottle of Lubegard Red, but that's really optional.

 

[JOD]

I don't know anything about your specific transmission. I will say though that "lifetime fluids" seem to make for a shorter life than necessary...

'06 isn't that old, and 58K really isn't that many miles. I'd replace all of the fluid, or have it replaced. I don't know if this car has a filter or a drain plug, or if a cooler line flush is/isn't recommended? It there's no problem doing a cooler line flush, that's probably what I'd do.

FWIW, I just helped a buddy do the transmission fluid on his '98 Volvo with 150K on it. His transmission was shifting fine, but it was (most likely) the original fluid. We just drained the pan, re-filled, then did a cooler line flush. The new fluid isn't going through at any higher pressure than the old fluid, so I don't really see how it's going to "break free old dirt" or anything?

My take is that the internet lore of it being "too late" to change involved people changing fluid on a transmission on its last legs, in hopes the new fluid will fix it;shortly after, the transmission stops working and they think the transmission flush is the culprit.

Which ever method you chose, I'd get the fluid out of there.

 

[T-Keith]

Don't bother with flushes, on this transmission you will not get much more fluid changed than a pan drop. Definitely change the filter, and replace with DEXRON VI. Perhaps you could wait a while before changing, but usually 60,000 is the recommended change for severe conditions.

 

[hattaresguy]

I'd wait to 100k miles, what does GM recommend?

 

[EricF]

Definetly drop the pan!

I had brass shavings in my pan.. apparently there's 2 brass bushings that get worn out in the 4T65's and it's a known issue. only repair is a remove and teardown.

I'm HOPING that the shavings in my pan are from the original wear in. I left the dex vi in for 60k on factory fill.
I'm now running Redline D6 and hoping everything will be good to go.

Here's my source of info:
http://tripleedgeperformance.com/New_Home_Page.html

 

[Trav]

+1

These units don't like neglect.
As far as GM 100K recommendation goes forget it. We are talking about a company that knew these things had all sorts of bum parts OEM like weak 4th gear input shafts, dodgy internal seals, duff clutch drums, etc and still kept tossing them out for years and years knowing full well they would fail at an unbelievable rate.

Preventive maintenance will go a long way in keeping the unit healthy, do a line off exchange, pan drop and filter.
+1 on the lubeguard red, 2 bottles works very well in these and provides a noticeable drop in temp.

 

[Jim Allen]

I vote for #4.

Drop the pan to change the filter because all the break in and built in grunge is still there. No cleaners but by dumping the pan, you will find the fluid exchange goes much faster. You could skip the pan drop the next time.

Additionally, if you want to extend trans and oil life, install a cooler line filter. If you don't work the trans hard and fry the fluid, you are about as close to "lifetime" on the oil as you can get, with only an occasional inline filter change necessary every 60K or so. What's "lifetime?" In an easily used car, that's up to 100K with a good oil. If the fluid doesn't get oxidized quickly by heat, then fluid contamination by wear metals and clutch lining materials is the main condemnation element and the extra filtration addresses that. A hard worked or hot running tranny would need a more frequent interval. If the car is driven in a rural area or mostly freeway, 100K is very doable. Lots of short hops and in town driving would dictate a shorter interval on fluid and filter changes.

This will likely elicit some negative comments. To do it, you are required to hold your natural BITOG "tinkeritis" instincts at bay, but it's a formula that works. Monitoring is required but if you see the fluid staying red year after year, you can keep going.

 

[benjamming]

Definitely get the filter changed - either yourself or pay someone. Getting the initial wear out is worthwhile. The sooner the better.

"I know after a while if trans fluid has been ran a long time you really should not change it."
Not true.