Siphoned ATF today!!

[TmanP]

So after doing quite a bit of reading around, I decided to use a cheap $10 siphon pump (yes, the orange one!) to suck as much ATF as I could out of the 4t65-e in my Lacrosse. I drove it around for about 10 minutes to let the transmission warm up, but not get super hot. Then I dropped the hose down the dipstick tube and put the other end into a big jug (on which I measured out and marked 1 thru 8 quarts of water). Then I started pumping and within 10-15 minutes had drawn out over 6 quarts. The trick is to keep the hose just below the level in the transmisson-- don't bottom it out or it'll suck slower. When I had all that I could get out, I added 6 quarts of Castrol Dexron 6 and drove it for 20 minutes (per the manual's instructions on checking level), then let it idle, cycled through each gear, then let it idle a bit more. Then I checked it and it was exactly on the full line.

A bit of history- I bought the car a year ago and 10,000 miles ago. (at 136k, and the transmission had never been serviced, to my knowledge). I had the pan dropped, ATF changed and filter changed. So I wanted to change out some more fluid now, and what I pulled out was fairly dark, in comparison.

All in all, it took less than an hour, including the time it took to drive around. Cost $30, $5 per quart for the Castrol Dexron 6 at Advanced. It was really easy and I was skeptical of that pump but it really was pretty easy.

Hope this helps everybody.

 

[sprite1741]

Great move. That's exactly how I change mine when the filter does not need changed. I use the harbor freight $5 hand pump. http://www.harborfreight.com/multi-use-transfer-pump-66418.html I always keep fresh fluid in my transmissions. Much easier than getting under the car and smelling like transmission fluid for the next few hours.

 

[TmanP]

Exactly the pump I used! Got mine at Menards for $7 and change.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Changing ATF with a fluid extractor is so easy and fast. I have Mityvac 7201 to do oil change for my MB E430, I use it to do ATF and brake bleeding too.

I paid around $60-65 for it more than 10 years ago, but using it few times every year for more than 10 years is worth much more than its cost.

 

[standardrichmond]

Fancy pumps. I use a length of tubing, like I have done for 35 years with A/T's.

 

[RooflessVW]

 

[Nick1994]

Wow, I didn't think the hose would fit down a dipstick, I have a harbor freight siphon pump too. . Never thought of that. But my car has a drain plug.

I'll do this on the Trailblazer if I can get the hose down the tube(4L60E).

 

[TmanP]

There's a smaller included black hose which fits with plenty of room to spare... smaller than icemaker line. It's probably a bit slower but it works well.

 

[69GTX]

I have the Harbor Freight pump and the supplied red hoses won't fit down my dip stick tube. I appears it gets stuck just below the top of the fluid level, which is likely the "clip" attached to the lower tube that keeps items from falling into your transmission pan by mistake. I was able to get a bit less than half a quart out and that was it. Possibly adapting a thinner hose to fit in there would work. Since I'm done with the trans fluid for at least 4 years, that's for another time.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: TmanP
So after doing quite a bit of reading around, I decided to use a cheap $10 siphon pump (yes, the orange one!) to suck as much ATF as I could out of the 4t65-e in my Lacrosse. I drove it around for about 10 minutes to let the transmission warm up, but not get super hot. Then I dropped the hose down the dipstick tube and put the other end into a big jug (on which I measured out and marked 1 thru 8 quarts of water). Then I started pumping and within 10-15 minutes had drawn out over 6 quarts. The trick is to keep the hose just below the level in the transmisson-- don't bottom it out or it'll suck slower. When I had all that I could get out, I added 6 quarts of Castrol Dexron 6 and drove it for 20 minutes (per the manual's instructions on checking level), then let it idle, cycled through each gear, then let it idle a bit more. Then I checked it and it was exactly on the full line.

A bit of history- I bought the car a year ago and 10,000 miles ago. (at 136k, and the transmission had never been serviced, to my knowledge). I had the pan dropped, ATF changed and filter changed. So I wanted to change out some more fluid now, and what I pulled out was fairly dark, in comparison.

All in all, it took less than an hour, including the time it took to drive around. Cost $30, $5 per quart for the Castrol Dexron 6 at Advanced. It was really easy and I was skeptical of that pump but it really was pretty easy.

Hope this helps everybody.

 

[Lolvoguy]

notice any difference in performance OP?

 

[TmanP]

It's never shifted harshly or roughly but it may be a bit smoother. I'm glad that it wasn't so bad that I did notice any difference! I plan on doing the exact same thing again in a week or two... any thoughts on that?

 

[Lubener]

You are probably good. You did a pan drop 10k ago and a siphon job.There's very little old stuff left. I would use that $35 fluid money on a filter kit for the next future change. I wonder if that siphoner is the same as the Harbor Freight one?

 

[John_Conrad]

I agree the pumps are great, but like lubener, i would do a filter change on the next with one, caveat: i would have added a transmission flush like Sea foam Trans Tune and run for a week. From personal experience I have done an ATF fluid change, and then added the sea foam trans tune run it for a week and saw the difference it made. In both cases I dropped the pan so that I could visually see the difference.

the problem with today's ATF is that it may not contain as many dispersants and detergents as the ATF of older days...

see post #4181611 by Molakule in the following thread:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4171526/2

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: TmanP
I drove it around for about 10 minutes to let the transmission warm up, but not get super hot.


How did you know it wasn't too hot? I'd worry about melting the siphon hose!

That and is this transmission similar to the one in my V6 Alero where it has no dipstick?

 

[TmanP]

I have the 4t65-e, which does have a dipstick. And I let it cool for a while prior to siphoning the fluid. I was a little worried about melting the hose as well, but the fluid was just quite warm, not hot.

 

[Lolvoguy]

I wouldnt' be too worried about the hose melting as there's usually electrical wiring around the valve bodies/solenoids that's constantly exposed to hot ATF with no/little damaging effects.