ATF recommendation for 2002 buick century

[901Memphis]

Well i finally got around to getting some of the old fluid out.

Some of you guys might not approve of the methods i use, but i am limited because my apartment has a no car maintenance policy that was recently implemented so i had to ninja change it in the darkness.

My method involved using a vaccum pump to suck 4 quarts out of the dipstick and then i added 4 fresh quarts and drove the car a little while to mix it up. Rinse and repeat and i ended up adding a total of 12 fresh quarts and the 3rd batch i sucked out looked much better.

The first 4 quarts i sucked out looked even darker than i had thought and would rate it as dark brown.

I plan on doing a proper change and a filter change sometime in the future when i can get a place to work on it.

It shifts much softer now with the limited time i had to warm it up and drive it. Before it was shifting much too firm, but now it seems better.

Here are some pictures. I only paid $2,500 for the car and the transmission was the only part my father in law neglected because his mechanic told him since he didn't change it to just leave it in.

Glad i got "most" of the junk out. All pictures are of the first stuff i took out which was in for over 100k miles and 10+ years.

 

[martinq]

That's some good work you did there and I'm sure the car appreciates it. What fluid did you end up using?

If you get a chance in the future try to do a pan-drop so you can clean the magnet and maybe add some extras. If there's a filter accessible I would probably change it at that time as well.

 

[901Memphis]

11 quarts were supertech dex 6 (everything Walmart had) and 1 quart was valvoline dex 6.

 

[901Memphis]

What is the opinion on lubegard red with DEX 6? Is it unnecessary? I keep getting mixed opnions.

 

[Whitewolf]

The extra 'additive' is not needed.

 

[martinq]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
What is the opinion on lubegard red with DEX 6?

Some people just can help themselves and like to add things. It's definitely not needed unless you're specifically trying to 'fix' something that isn't addressed by the fluid.

 

[901Memphis]

So far I'm very pleased with the new fluid it is making a noticeable difference in shifts under all load ranges.

 

[GreeCguy]

Old fluid looks better than the junk I pumped out of my Taurus about a month ago. Did it the very same way you did, (hand pump via filler tube - so easy I did 15 quarts just for the fun of it). The big difference between yours and mine is mine didn't come with a packet of skittles - your car must really like you.

 

[901Memphis]

I did 15 quarts on my 99 Taurus too the same way except you get much more out of the Ford pan per fill m.

I had to really try to get 4 quarts out of the buick where I was easily pulling 5 from the Taurus.

The skittles were for color comparison so you could more easily see the darkness.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: martinq
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
What is the opinion on lubegard red with DEX 6?

Some people just can help themselves and like to add things. It's definitely not needed unless you're specifically trying to 'fix' something that isn't addressed by the fluid.

True some people cant help but bash things they either don't use or understand.
Have you tried it? Done any temp comparison with a scan tool?
More than one OEM has recommended this product by name. Not snake oil.

 

[martinq]

Originally Posted By: Trav
More than one OEM has recommended this product by name. Not snake oil.

So you're saying that this is needed to fix or correct something?

 

[cchase]

If Lubegard has the ability to improve the heat transfer of a hydraulic fluid, I'd be inclined to say that it's a good thing for a transmission.

 

[martinq]

Originally Posted By: cchase
If Lubegard has the ability to improve the heat transfer of a hydraulic fluid, I'd be inclined to say that it's a good thing for a transmission.

'If' it does then I'd agree unless the trade-off is not worth it. I'm curious why an additive would be required unless it's there to 'fix' something. So what needs to be fixed? How is it fixed?

 

[901Memphis]

Anyone have pan magnet recommendations? I have used filter mag in the past.

 

[martinq]

Here's what I'm using. Have about 10 in the pan and 4 in the PS reservoir of the Subaru. Quite strong, cheap and I'm surprised how much they pull out of the fluids.

Note that ceramics should have better high-temp stability than most neodymiums.

http://imgur.com/qpclWBp

 

[901Memphis]

Ceramic magnets do have a higher temperature resistance than neodymium but i would worry about them breaking or chipping off in the pan right?

 

[martinq]

Nothing to worry about as there's nothing to chip. If they were to move it would either be due to a severe impact to the pan (or direct location) or a catastrophic vehicle collision. Even then they're not likely to move and you've got other important things to worry about.

If they were to chip or break somehow, the pieces will stick together and/or re-attach to the metal. Like I said, nothing to worry about. If the pan is steel then there's a similar magnet in there already. If it's aluminum then you will have some figuring to do.

If you do get at it then post some pics!