Ok, so I used my old fashioned method of getting as much ATF as I could out.
Drain from drain, about 4ltrs out, then disconnect both pipes from cooler on radiator, use cable ties to point them downwards into a bowl. Then start car and run through the gear positions, this put out another 3.25L of ATF - This won't harm the box, indeed the procedure for filling a new box is to start the car and then pump the oil in as it's running. After that, removing the drain plug again grabbed another 750ml or so that had pumped back around the box. I then removed the sump from the box and cleaned the filter in brake cleaner as Euro didn't have the filter.. Also cleaned the magnets in the sump, but nothing of any interest there.
Anyway, my car is on approx 64k miles, and the fluid was VERY thin and black compared to new;
I used Euro's fully synthetic ATF, which meets the requirements of Esso lifetime fluid, LT71141, bought 10Ltrs of it.
Reconnected cooler, new gasket on the pan, and then start and refilled using this bad boy;
Filled until fluid started coming out, filler plug back in and ran box through the gears. Launch connected as you can only perform the level check when the ATF temp is between 30 and 50 degrees C otherwise the level will be incorrect due to fluid expansion. Then topped fluid back up until it starts to seep out of filler.
Out for a run..
Box wasn't causing me any gearchange issues before, but I recently got a pending code for the TQ lockup not executing when requested so I wanted to change it, as I don't believe in "lifetime filled" for gearboxes. Had a good long hoon yesterday and the pending fault coded hasn't returned once.
SUPER smooth now, changes are imperceptible apart from exhaust note.
Also, torque converter is doing it's job better now, as in multiplying the torque, as I can now hoof it away in the dry (sport mode) and leave a little "11" on the road, whereas before in the dry, I would have to hold the car on the brake and build up the revs before coming off the brake in order to make both wheels lose traction in a straight line. Cruising at motorway speeds also shows a slight reduction in RPM compared to before, indicating that the converter's variable lock up is now performing better too.
All in all, a productive few hours, and one less thing to worry about.
Mike
Drain from drain, about 4ltrs out, then disconnect both pipes from cooler on radiator, use cable ties to point them downwards into a bowl. Then start car and run through the gear positions, this put out another 3.25L of ATF - This won't harm the box, indeed the procedure for filling a new box is to start the car and then pump the oil in as it's running. After that, removing the drain plug again grabbed another 750ml or so that had pumped back around the box. I then removed the sump from the box and cleaned the filter in brake cleaner as Euro didn't have the filter.. Also cleaned the magnets in the sump, but nothing of any interest there.
Anyway, my car is on approx 64k miles, and the fluid was VERY thin and black compared to new;
I used Euro's fully synthetic ATF, which meets the requirements of Esso lifetime fluid, LT71141, bought 10Ltrs of it.
Reconnected cooler, new gasket on the pan, and then start and refilled using this bad boy;
Filled until fluid started coming out, filler plug back in and ran box through the gears. Launch connected as you can only perform the level check when the ATF temp is between 30 and 50 degrees C otherwise the level will be incorrect due to fluid expansion. Then topped fluid back up until it starts to seep out of filler.
Out for a run..
Box wasn't causing me any gearchange issues before, but I recently got a pending code for the TQ lockup not executing when requested so I wanted to change it, as I don't believe in "lifetime filled" for gearboxes. Had a good long hoon yesterday and the pending fault coded hasn't returned once.
SUPER smooth now, changes are imperceptible apart from exhaust note.
Also, torque converter is doing it's job better now, as in multiplying the torque, as I can now hoof it away in the dry (sport mode) and leave a little "11" on the road, whereas before in the dry, I would have to hold the car on the brake and build up the revs before coming off the brake in order to make both wheels lose traction in a straight line. Cruising at motorway speeds also shows a slight reduction in RPM compared to before, indicating that the converter's variable lock up is now performing better too.
All in all, a productive few hours, and one less thing to worry about.
Mike
