replacing the transaxle - fluid issues
 

Anybody want to offer their opinion of how I should go about fluid/filter changes when putting in a junkyard transaxle?

The new (to me) transaxle has 29k miles on it. I have been thinking I would drop the pan, put in a new internal filter, run some cheap (super tech?) dino fluid in it, maybe with some Auto-Rx, for a few miles, then pull the pan again, internal filter check/change, change my external filter, then go to a synthetic. Also thinking of moving the cooler from between the condensor/radiator to the up front position - think it's worth the trouble.

suggestions/alternatives???

You can never change the trans oil too often.
When you do the swap, if you can let it drain overnight, lots more fluid comes out if you give it time.
The last three 4.44s I did, the guy would not guarentee the trans, unless I changed the fluids. And to make sure people do, he puts the trans pan bolts in a plastic baggie inside the trans pan!:eek:
As for moving the trans cooler I don't think it's worth the effort. If your tranny runs cooler with the cooler out in the wind, than your AC will run hotter, (you are in the sunshine state) if your AC runs hotter, than your rad will run hotter.
Just my$00.02. Tom

Dont use chepa fluid, there will stil be a but in the torque converter that will never drain, so if you use synthetic twice then you should have 95% or more synthetic, if you use the cheap stuff then you will still have 10-20% crap in there.

thanks guys

More math,
 

OK, the owners manual says we have a 10 quart transmission capacity, when we drain it, (quick drain, pull the pan plug, wait ten minutes) we get about four quarts, refill it with four quarts, it's now 40% changed and 60% contaminated.
Run it a day, and again drain four quarts. Now what do we have? We have again changed 40% of a 60% contaminated mixture.
Which gives us 36% still contaminated and 64% fresh.
A third change gives 21.6% contaminated, and 78.4 clean.
Do it again, and after the fourth change, you get 12.96% contaminated and 87.04% clean. After the fifth change, you get 7.776% contaminated and 92.224% clean.
So, after SIX changes, you have 4.6656% contaminated and 95.3344% clean and shiny new oil:D .





Math provided by Diana :D

(Edited by Di, too. Sorry, I missed a step in my calcs. :( It's right, now. :) )

Dang, I didn't know it was that bad in these, where is the rest of the fluid hiding? I cant see the torque converter holding 1.5 gallons :eek:

The way I've done mine, I get about 7 quarts out. Which leaves 3 for the TC and the coolers, etc. Here's my process

Jack up the passenger side enough so I can crawl under and reach the drain plug on the driver's side (after putting in jackstands of course). Pull the plug and go back inside for about 15 minutes....7 quarts drained - I've done it three times now and it's pretty consistant in the amount that comes out.

which by my calculations results in:

1 70.0%
2 91.0%
3 97.3%
4 99.2%
5 99.8%
6 99.9%