Sealed 100K Mile Transmissions with No Dip Stick (ATF Change) ?

[ripcord]

They're making them sealed to prevent owners from putting MaxLife in them, LOL.

 

[ripcord]

Here's my (aftermarket) magnetic transmission drain plug after 34,732 on the fluid. Car has ~179K on it, runs like a kitten; trans fluid has been changed 3 times; ~90K, ~144K and now. Transmission is a 4t65e behind a 3800 in an old Lesabre. Factory square magnet was also saturated. I added 4 magnets to the pan area; 2 glued to the pan and 2 more on the filter near the intake. In my mind, I just thoroughly convinced myself to do 30K transmission fluid changes forever, regardless of manufacturer claims otherwise. Thoughts? Criticisms?

The stuff on the end of that bolt looks like my kid's haircut

 

[tblt44]

The whole no dipstick thing is stupid.
They don't want you to maintain it

 

[martinq]

I would never, nor would I wait until 100k. 50-60K Max, if not before depending on the ease of doing drain and fills.

Unless I planned on getting rid of the car, then I wouldn't bother.

Pretty much this. You want to get the fluid "cleaned up" in the first years of use and then move toward longer service intervals. I would never trust the initial fill for more than 10K without a test or pulling the pan/magnet for inspection.

 

[TumblrDucks]

For my car, every owner who believe lifetime fluid end up having a jitter/slip trans past 100k. I would use vehicle-specific fluid and do it once a year/20k miles.

 

[burbguy82]

i would not go past 30k

 

[oil pan 4]

For those who own sealed 100K mile transmissions with no change ATF - how many don't believe it and will change out ATF anyway ?

Nissan tried this with the leaf. Said the transition oil was good for 110,000 miles.
Ones tested by black stone were getting "change now" results back at 70,000.
It is an easy way to sell more cars.

 

[PandaBear]

I have 1 car like that (IS250). It is a pain to drain and refill and I don't drive that hard or much. The tranny was also designed for a truck with like 3.5 V6 and mine was a 2.5 V6 with only 200lb ft torque, so it is so weak it will likely never wear out the tranny.

I'm just leaving it alone. 15 years and 120k miles now, maybe another 10 years and 80k miles?

 

[ripcord]

I have 1 car like that (IS250). It is a pain to drain and refill and I don't drive that hard or much. The tranny was also designed for a truck with like 3.5 V6 and mine was a 2.5 V6 with only 200lb ft torque, so it is so weak it will likely never wear out the tranny.

I'm just leaving it alone. 15 years and 120k miles now, maybe another 10 years and 80k miles?

Knock on wood!

 

[paulo57509]

I have one of these Toyota 8-speed gearboxes. I don't think I could get myself to ignore fluid changes.

I've never done a fluid change on a dipstick-less unit, but just reading the procedure it doesn't appear to be too difficult except for the fluid temperature requirement to determine proper fluid level.