Check it idling at operating temperature on level ground. If it is brownish and smells burnt, then it needs to be changed, but may be too late. Your owners manual will give you the change schedule. I usually do it at 100K need it or not.
do i need to change my transmission fluid?
1 - 20 of 24 Posts
Yes, it is normal for a 4T80E transmission dipstick hole to look like that with the engine off.
It is a dry sump transmission and as Ranger said, the proper level is checked ONLY with the engine running in P at normal temperature.
It is a dry sump transmission and as Ranger said, the proper level is checked ONLY with the engine running in P at normal temperature.
Why dont u want to flush ?Just DON'T flush it!
the tranny ?
i did ask the guy at a shop once where all the old dirt and drim and particles that would come out of the old tranny be going he said the flush machines have a filter that catchs all the dirt and debrees and everytign so im just curiouse why don't you recoment the flush
he also told me that a drain and refille only takes out like 20% of the old fluid
and doenst clean the torch coverter or anyting like that like the flushes do
so im curiouse becouse im about to do this also but was debating between a flush or a drain and refil with a new filter
Thanks
IF you want to get that far into a 4T80E transmission fluid change, I would recommend taking it to a GM dealer for one of their Spring Specials. They use vacuum fluid change machines and refill the entire system with the new recommended synthetic DEXRON-VI, which is 100% backwards-compatible with the old DEXRON-III.
A complete garage floor jackitup fluid change is NO FUN on one of these cars, and the risk of losing check balls from the valve body is very possible. You WILL need a proper service manual.
There is no "filter" per se.......there is a screen which gets cleaned. That's no fun to get to, either.
A complete garage floor jackitup fluid change is NO FUN on one of these cars, and the risk of losing check balls from the valve body is very possible. You WILL need a proper service manual.
There is no "filter" per se.......there is a screen which gets cleaned. That's no fun to get to, either.
is it expensive?IF you want to get that far into a 4T80E transmission fluid change, I would recommend taking it to a GM dealer for one of their Spring Specials. They use vacuum fluid change machines and refill the entire system with the new recommended synthetic DEXRON-VI, which is 100% backwards-compatible with the old DEXRON-III.
A complete garage floor jackitup fluid change is NO FUN on one of these cars, and the risk of losing check balls from the valve body is very possible. You WILL need a proper service manual.
There is no "filter" per se.......there is a screen which gets cleaned. That's no fun to get to, either.
Probably $140 - $160 depending on the dealer...............given today's oil prices, maybe a bit more.
the caddy dealer near me is offering a special 129 for a flushProbably $140 - $160 depending on the dealer...............given today's oil prices, maybe a bit more.
the other dealers around her want like 189 so i was planning on heading there in the next few weeks
Go to the Technical Archives at the top of the page and read up on trans flushing. Maybe OK at a dealer, but I would not let anyone else touch it. Even then, you won't clean the sediment in the pan or the muck off of the pan magnets.
quick question when i needed my ac worked on the dealer wouldnt do because the car was over 10 year old would u think a fluid change would still be done at the dealer if the car is over 10 years old
Find a new dealer if they told you that bull crap.
You can honestly change the fluid yourself fairly easily.
Crack some pan bolts, let the fluid run out a bit, crack them all, let it finish draining.
Remove rest of bolts, set pan down gently and clean off magnet.
Inspect gasket to make sure it is still usable, if not go buy a new one for $12 or so.
The sump pick up screens should be right in front of you if you are under the removed pan, replace them or clean them off. (rub your finger over them to get the metal/plastic particles off)
Put pan back on, following pattern to torque bolts to proper specs.
Refill with however many qts it takes (I think a dry fill is 11Qts on a 4T80E, at least my filter kit says so)
Drive!
You can honestly change the fluid yourself fairly easily.
Crack some pan bolts, let the fluid run out a bit, crack them all, let it finish draining.
Remove rest of bolts, set pan down gently and clean off magnet.
Inspect gasket to make sure it is still usable, if not go buy a new one for $12 or so.
The sump pick up screens should be right in front of you if you are under the removed pan, replace them or clean them off. (rub your finger over them to get the metal/plastic particles off)
Put pan back on, following pattern to torque bolts to proper specs.
Refill with however many qts it takes (I think a dry fill is 11Qts on a 4T80E, at least my filter kit says so)
Drive!
i thout there was no filter on these cars i thout it was just a screen im confused is the screan what is in the tranimision flush machine im confused her i did read the thing on the flush in the forums and that is just waht my friend told meFind a new dealer if they told you that bull crap.
You can honestly change the fluid yourself fairly easily.
Crack some pan bolts, let the fluid run out a bit, crack them all, let it finish draining.
Remove rest of bolts, set pan down gently and clean off magnet.
Inspect gasket to make sure it is still usable, if not go buy a new one for $12 or so.
The sump pick up screens should be right in front of you if you are under the removed pan, replace them or clean them off. (rub your finger over them to get the metal/plastic particles off)
Put pan back on, following pattern to torque bolts to proper specs.
Refill with however many qts it takes (I think a dry fill is 11Qts on a 4T80E, at least my filter kit says so)
Drive!
if i go to a dealership and they drain it and then put a new filter in that doesnt clean out all of it does it
do i have to get a flush to get the entire thing cleaned out im confused
The filter is internal and only gets changed during a tear down. Screens are in the pan and get cleaned if needed when the pan is dropped. Dropping the pan will not drain what's in the torque converter. That can be done by pulling the line off of the radiator side tank and pumping it dry.
see i dont want to mess with this and do it myselfThe filter is internal and only gets changed during a tear down. Screens are in the pan and get cleaned if needed when the pan is dropped. Dropping the pan will not drain what's in the torque converter. That can be done by pulling the line off of the radiator side tank and pumping it dry.
and i know if i take it to a shop or the dealer and tell them i want them to just drain it replace the screan and then pump dry the torch conveter like you say they will try and give me a million reasons why they should flush it and ill give them a million reasons why i dont want it flush
but they will still argue with me or somthing so not sure what to tell them to do
Take it to a GM dealer, not AAMCO, use their Spring Special transmission fluid change, don't try to tell them what to do, and you'll soon have a clean transmission correctly filled with the latest GM recommended fluid and a receipt that says the work was done and also someone to fall back on if you're not happy for some reason.
gHere is a fellow owner's experience. He is a certified mechanic (was working for MB in FL at the time), who could've done the work himself. He, instead took his beloved STS to Massey Cadillac in Orlando. They did a transmission flush.
Read it for yourself.
The dealer, disavowed the FLUSH had absolutely anything to do with the whine. They suggested he may need a new alternator at some point.
My opinion? Take it to a mechanic who does NOT own a flush machine. OR... if you just want to change the fluid... take one of the cooler lines off and get a few buckets.... get some new Dexron VI and pour it in nicely while the car idles and the cooler hose goes into the bucket... get a clear hose so u can see the color... when it looks bright red... you're done. Turn off, plug hose back in (make sure there are no kinks in it!), check level with car idling on a level surface after going through the gears. I've done this once before.
This won't clear the debris off the magnet, or the filters... but if there's no whine or problem... is there a need to? Someone here said these are built in a clean room, to keep debris out. Some new cars have "lifetime fluid." The new dexron allegedly is more slippery and reduces friction.
Read it for yourself.
from http://www.cadillacforums.com/forum...9940-would-you-like-some-cheese-crackers.htmlOne month ago I brought my car into to the dealer for a tranny fluid change, and to get the two filter screens replaced. You know, just as a precautionary thing since I drive it pretty hard, and it had 89k miles on it. They ended up doing a fluid FLUSH, and told me they couldn't change the screens because they would have to drop the cradle or some crap. Now, it's one month and 2k miles later, and the tranny is whining like crazy at all speeds, and all temperarutes (i.e. warmed up or not). I looked it up in my service manual and it says that a possible cause might be one of the two pumps. I bet some crap got stirred up and is clogging some port, and is probably starving one or both of the pumps of fluid. This is just what I need. I'm taking it in tomorrow to get it looked at. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I might have to do to get this fixed? I'm not in the mood to pay for them to do the job right the second time around. It should have been done right the first time. Figures....nothing ever goes right for me at the dealer.:helpless:
The dealer, disavowed the FLUSH had absolutely anything to do with the whine. They suggested he may need a new alternator at some point.
My opinion? Take it to a mechanic who does NOT own a flush machine. OR... if you just want to change the fluid... take one of the cooler lines off and get a few buckets.... get some new Dexron VI and pour it in nicely while the car idles and the cooler hose goes into the bucket... get a clear hose so u can see the color... when it looks bright red... you're done. Turn off, plug hose back in (make sure there are no kinks in it!), check level with car idling on a level surface after going through the gears. I've done this once before.
This won't clear the debris off the magnet, or the filters... but if there's no whine or problem... is there a need to? Someone here said these are built in a clean room, to keep debris out. Some new cars have "lifetime fluid." The new dexron allegedly is more slippery and reduces friction.
I called the deaeler the other day and asked what the price of there Spring SpecialTake it to a GM dealer, not AAMCO, use their Spring Special transmission fluid change, don't try to tell them what to do, and you'll soon have a clean transmission correctly filled with the latest GM recommended fluid and a receipt that says the work was done and also someone to fall back on if you're not happy for some reason.
they said they have a tranmission flush for 129.99
oil change for 30 somthing
and full synthetic oil change for 82
they said there was nothing els
so are they just trying to screw me by not giving the GM deal
is there a code they would have ot put in to find this deal anyone know what it is i called all the deallers around me and no one has heard of this
thanks
I would steer away from a flush, no matter where. Read the post I wrote above. That was a flush at a big name Cadillac dealership. A flush is a transfusion machine... the debris from the previous user has the potential of ending up in your tranny. Not saying it will, but "it could." It has happened before, and it will happen again.I called the deaeler the other day and asked what the price of there Spring Special
they said they have a tranmission flush for 129.99
oil change for 30 somthing
and full synthetic oil change for 82
they said there was nothing els
so are they just trying to screw me by not giving the GM deal
is there a code they would have ot put in to find this deal anyone know what it is i called all the deallers around me and no one has heard of this
thanks
I believe this was written by a powertrain engineer who was one of the lead designers of the N*
http://www.cadillacforums.com/cadillac-tech.html#transflush
here's the full original post http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/ht4100-4-1-4-5-4/10160-should-i-flush-tranny-52k.html
i am planning on staying away from the flushI would steer away from a flush, no matter where. Read the post I wrote above. That was a flush at a big name Cadillac dealership. A flush is a transfusion machine... the debris from the previous user has the potential of ending up in your tranny. Not saying it will, but "it could." It has happened before, and it will happen again.
I believe this was written by a powertrain engineer who was one of the lead designers of the N*
http://www.cadillacforums.com/cadillac-tech.html#transflush
here's the full original post http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/ht4100-4-1-4-5-4/10160-should-i-flush-tranny-52k.html
I was told that there is a special tranmission service spring special but non of the GM dealrships are telling me anything about it but i read that in here so im asking thank you
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