Transmission fluid change ?

[Summit15101]

Hey guys so my truck has 140000 KM on it I just bought it not to long ago. I noticed the transmission colour is a slight brown colour. I don’t think the previous owner ever changed it. I am wondering what I should do with it ? I have read a lot of mixed reviews online about changing it?? Should I flush it or change the filter and fluid from the pan ?

 

 

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[Black02Silverado]

I would change the filter and refill with fresh fluid. 

[Summit15101]

I would change the filter and refill with fresh fluid. 

Ok I will try that. Is the pan able to drop low enough on the 2012 3500 ? There looks like there is a bar in the way to drop it fully. What’s the best way to not take a transmission oil bath? Also what would make the oil that colour ? It’s not burned nor a dark brown ? Just a light red/ brown colour


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[sdeeter19555]

Ok I will try that. Is the pan able to drop low enough on the 2012 3500 ? There looks like there is a bar in the way to drop it fully. What’s the best way to not take a transmission oil bath? Also what would make the oil that colour ? It’s not burned nor a dark brown ? Just a light red/ brown colour


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I have a 2012 2500hd, and the pan will clear without issue.

Steve
2012 2500hd

[dna9656]

Go smell the fluid, if it smells burned it is burned. Get a drop between your fingers, do you feel grit or just oil? Feeling grit is not good. Yes, change the fluid and filter. Now you have to get the fluid out of the torque converter, If you're REALLY lucky it's have a drain plug, if not there is  a way to do it at home. if you want to know text me back. be sure to have a LARGE drain pan as changing the fluid is always messy. I use a plastic storage box you can get at a department  store, they are cheap and do the job nicely. Get one that's at least 14" wide, wider is better, and 18" to 20" long. I like having an old bath (terry cloth) towel handy. You might use a rubber mallet to smack the pan loose or CAREFULLY pry it loose; don't pry against the transmission gasket surface. lift the pry tool so the sharp end touches the flange on the pan. Do this when you have the 4 corner bolts a little loose, this will help in spilling and splashing the fluid all over the place. I usually take off all the bolt except the corner ones; then hold the pan up loosen the end closest to the cross member, and remove those opposite. Let the pan drop a little (don't bend the flange on the pan by just letting go or allowing too much oil weight on them) to start draining the fluid. Loosen the remaining bolts a little at a time until they are free. Be SURE to find out what fluid to replace the old with. GM pulled the authority from makers to make Dextron 3, now Dextron six is the ticket so far as I know. Ask the dealer, I recommend you use genuine AC Delco fluid and AC Delco transfer case fluid. It makes a difference. I got the Service 4 X 4 message almost constantly running until I changed it back to the blue fluid from AC Delco. I have to get it at the Dealer...ouch!

[redwngr]

6.0 or 6.6?

 

If it's a (6.6) dmax, the transmission has a drain plug and an external spin on trans oil filter. 

 

First scheduled trans oil change is 100.000 miles/160,000 km so it's close to being due.  Light red/brown wouldn't concern me.  

[Summit15101]

Go smell the fluid, if it smells burned it is burned. Get a drop between your fingers, do you feel grit or just oil? Feeling grit is not good. Yes, change the fluid and filter. Now you have to get the fluid out of the torque converter, If you're REALLY lucky it's have a drain plug, if not there is  a way to do it at home. if you want to know text me back. be sure to have a LARGE drain pan as changing the fluid is always messy. I use a plastic storage box you can get at a department  store, they are cheap and do the job nicely. Get one that's at least 14" wide, wider is better, and 18" to 20" long. I like having an old bath (terry cloth) towel handy. You might use a rubber mallet to smack the pan loose or CAREFULLY pry it loose; don't pry against the transmission gasket surface. lift the pry tool so the sharp end touches the flange on the pan. Do this when you have the 4 corner bolts a little loose, this will help in spilling and splashing the fluid all over the place. I usually take off all the bolt except the corner ones; then hold the pan up loosen the end closest to the cross member, and remove those opposite. Let the pan drop a little (don't bend the flange on the pan by just letting go or allowing too much oil weight on them) to start draining the fluid. Loosen the remaining bolts a little at a time until they are free. Be SURE to find out what fluid to replace the old with. GM pulled the authority from makers to make Dextron 3, now Dextron six is the ticket so far as I know. Ask the dealer, I recommend you use genuine AC Delco fluid and AC Delco transfer case fluid. It makes a difference. I got the Service 4 X 4 message almost constantly running until I changed it back to the blue fluid from AC Delco. I have to get it at the Dealer...ouch!

 

I have smelled it a few times but there is no burned smell and I put some on a white cloth and there is no material just oil it is more brown the red tho.

 

 

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[Summit15101]

6.0 or 6.6?
 
If it's a (6.6) dmax, the transmission has a drain plug and an external spin on trans oil filter. 
 
First scheduled trans oil change is 100.000 miles/160,000 km so it's close to being due.  Light red/brown wouldn't concern me.  

It is 6.0. Don’t know why they didn’t but a drain plug and a external filter on these ones


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[dna9656]

Then I would get that fluid changed as soon as possible because it's tired. My parents had a transmission they ignored (I was a boy) and they let the fluid get "tired"; i was told the fluid turned into "shellac" and we all know shellac has no qualities that would qualify it for use in machinery. Now. I don't know if the guy was just saying the fluid lost all it's qualities and saying that it turned into shellac was just his was of explaining things or not...I don't know if tranny fluid CAN turn into shellac, I'm just relating the story. I'm sure that without this background story somebody would critique what I'm saying to the point that the post would loose it's integrity and be useless.  Before you follow the advice in the attached MAKE SURE it's still applicable by calling a local GM dealer and asking if Dextron VI is still the ONLY transmission fluid GM recommends in all car and light duty trucks prior to 2007 (see attach for paragraphs marked "MODELS and "ATTENTION") and again as always it is your responsibility to check with a GM dealer for the latest information. This is dated April 2007.

 

More ammunition:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEXRON#DEXRON-VI

The fluid specification for Dexron-VI was introduced in 2005, and was first used as the GM factory-fill automatic transmission fluid for model year 2006. All Dexron-III licenses expired permanently at the end of 2006, and GM now supports only Dexron-VI fluids for use in their automatic transmissions,^[3] although fluids asserted by their manufacturers to meet Dexron-III standards continue to be sold under names such as Dex/Merc. These fluids are not regulated or endorsed by GM.^[4]

 

Dexron VI—the newest GM ATF, it was developed specifically for the new six-speed automatic and is a synthetic blend (meaning it has some conventional base stocks). That transmission has tighter internal tolerances and required a fluid that had higher shear strength that Dexron III.

 

https://www.cartechbooks.com/techtips/autotransfluid

It was introduced with the 2006 models. GM considers Dexron VI to be "backward compatible," meaning GM recommends it for use in any vehicle that originally used any earlier version of Dexron and that it can be mixed with them. However, GM specifically recommends against using Dexron VI in non-GM made vehicles that used Dexron III as original equipment. It is also the specified ATF in certain non-GM models that use GM transmissions, such as BMW. It is not, however, specified for GM brand vehicles that have non-GM transmissions, as mentioned above, or are imported to the United States.

NOTE: Dexron VI is not recommended for: Pontiac Vibe and Wave, Chevy Aveo, Epica, and Equinox, Saturn ION with CVT or AF23 transmission, Saturn Vue with CVT, AF33 or 5AT transmissions, or 1991–2002 Saturn S. These are vehicles with transmissions that were not manufactured by General Motors.

 

Must use dextron 6.pdf

[Summit15101]

Well I am doing a service on it now and the pan looked clean besides the magnet in it


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[bgbdwlf2500]

16 hours ago, Summit15101 said:

Well I am doing a service on it now and the pan looked clean besides the magnet in it


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It looks pretty good, change the internal filter and the fluid and I would think youre fine

[Summit15101]

It looks pretty good, change the internal filter and the fluid and I would think youre fine

I did change the filter and cleaned the magnet . Should I drive for 1000 km or something and drop it again to get the other 6 litres out?


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[sdeeter19555]

I did change the filter and cleaned the magnet . Should I drive for 1000 km or something and drop it again to get the other 6 litres out?


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I would just run it...change in another 25k miles.

I do most of my exchanges with a vacuum pump through the dipstick, makes dropping the pan cleaner too...

Steve
2012 2500hd 6.0l

[bgbdwlf2500]

17 minutes ago, Summit15101 said:

 

I did change the filter and cleaned the magnet . Should I drive for 1000 km or something and drop it again to get the other 6 litres out?


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I agree with sdeeter, i would run it for a good 5 to 10000 miles and then do it again, not the filter just the fluid

[Colossus]

Run a bottle of this in there as well, it will help. 

 

https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/transmission/bg-atc-plus-automatic-transmission-conditioner/#bg-product-3