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If you install the trans dipstick, will it void your warranty?

Jettech1
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bruceb58 Enthusiast

bruceb58

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, Pryme said:

plenty of guys are not leaking oil but are using plenty. Transmission fluid can burn off too. 

I can't even remember the last time I have ever added ATF but of course I change my ATF every 30K miles. This is with my F150 with the 10R80 transmission with the tiny dipstick under the car.

 

If people are adding transmission fluid, they didn't check it properly(measured at proper temp) to begin with.

 

There is absolutely no way it burns off. If ATF is burning, there is something severely wrong.

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64BAwagon
64BAwagon

Very complex subject. I am typing on my cell phone so I will be as brief as possible.  The OEM must show that the mod created or worsened the issue. In reality a lot depends on your dealer and th

diyer2
diyer2

I would do it if you're going to keep this truck a long time for maintenance convivence if you do the maintenance. Void the warranty? The entire truck or the trans?  Chances are if you service th

rdonarski
rdonarski

My cousin spent his career as a service manager at a big GMC garage. He told me once that the dealer has the ability to warranty anything whether it's technically still under warranty or not. Totally

Grumpy Bear Senior Enthusiast

Grumpy Bear

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, bruceb58 said:

I can't even remember the last time I have ever added ATF but of course I change my ATF every 30K miles. This is with my F150 with the 10R80 transmission with the tiny dipstick under the car.

 

If people are adding transmission fluid, they didn't check it properly(measured at proper temp) to begin with.

 

There is absolutely no way it burns off. If ATF is burning, there is something severely wrong.

 

I think this comes from the days of vacuum modulators and mechanical governors. TH350/400/TH700R/Powerglide When a diaphragm leaked ATF got sucked into the intake manifold and thus burned off. 

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Jettech1 Senior Enthusiast

Jettech1

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Posted
16 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

I think this comes from the days of vacuum modulators and mechanical governors. TH350/400/TH700R/Powerglide When a diaphragm leaked ATF got sucked into the intake manifold and thus burned off. 

You are 100% correct sir grumpy.  Those vacuum modulators would fail and the engine would suck in the ATF.  Probably cleaned the hell out of it though....lol...maybe it wasn't a bad thing for a while...🤣

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bruceb58 Enthusiast

bruceb58

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

I think this comes from the days of vacuum modulators and mechanical governors. TH350/400/TH700R/Powerglide When a diaphragm leaked ATF got sucked into the intake manifold and thus burned off. 

Yep....I used to be a used car dealer working my way through college. Had an RX-7 that was smoking like crazy. Thought the rotor seals were bad...was just the modulator.

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KARNUT Senior Enthusiast

KARNUT

Posted
Posted

I worked in a full service gas station in New Jersey. Along with filling the gas tank. You check oil, cleaning the windshield and sometimes put air in the tires. No one would say check the transmission fluid. One thing that was common back then was adding oil. Those were the days of 3 thousand mile oil changes. So a quart between oil changes wasn’t unusual. Of all the 60s and 70s cars I had back then. I can’t recall a transmission fluid problem. Even after installing B&M shift kits. I did lots of power braking in those days.

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Pryme Senior Enthusiast

Pryme

Posted
Posted

Okay let’s say there is no need to ever check the fluid. For the guys who change it every 30-40k miles. Do you just take it in and pay to have it done? It’s going to be an ultra easy job with a mityvac through the dipstick tube. 

KARNUT Senior Enthusiast

KARNUT

Posted
Posted
17 minutes ago, Pryme said:

Okay let’s say there is no need to ever check the fluid. For the guys who change it every 30-40k miles. Do you just take it in and pay to have it done? It’s going to be an ultra easy job with a mityvac through the dipstick tube. 

Only until the warranty runs out. If you don’t care about the warranty, then go for it. I used to go right to the exhaust shop, install a program, add cold air and change my fluids to Amsoil in the first week. When they started using synthetic from the factory I’d wait 5K miles on the engine. Some got super chargers the first winter, diesel’s got turned up. Once things got more technical and expensive we went to factory or dealer performance. Bought extended warranty and left them alone. I stayed with old stuff ( being retired) I like my old favorites. My brother drives a Shelby Super Snake truck. My nephew drives a Raptor. Our head shop Forman drives a TRX. I just drive theirs sometimes it’s cheaper. Maybe being older it seems the price to modify new stuff has gotten out of proportion if something fails. I never had a failure from modifying. I’ve had a couple of vehicles that needed unrelated warranty work. The service guy would only ask to remove the program I installed. That was all. Those days are gone. 

Grumpy Bear Senior Enthusiast

Grumpy Bear

Posted
Posted
55 minutes ago, Pryme said:

Okay let’s say there is no need to ever check the fluid. For the guys who change it every 30-40k miles. Do you just take it in and pay to have it done? It’s going to be an ultra easy job with a mityvac through the dipstick tube. 

 

I took it in the first time to a private shop and had a PLM pan installed with a drain. Went straight to Red Line D6 and I flipped the pill in the drive. Never saw the dealer again except for recall work. Adding Valvomax. Now easier than a vacuum pump. 

Grumpy Bear Senior Enthusiast

Grumpy Bear

Posted
Posted (edited)

Length story about modifications done while under warranty. And a good lesson on the importance of viscosity. 😉 

 

2005 I buy a new Harley TC88 dresser. These motors hold about 4 quarts of 20W50 and have a spin on filter. Gerotor oil pumps and the timing chains use a resin shoe to hold tension. Not equipped with a cooler or thermometer and they run HOT. These resin chain tension shoes are considered consumables and are routinely changed every 30-35K miles. No uncommon to replace the chain every or every other service. 

 

On the first oil change and observing oil tank temperatures over 250F I swapped the Harley oil for Red Line HP 20W50 car oil. On the next change I bought a cooler system for a Sportster which, unlike the kit for the TC88, filters the oil before cooling it. It's a sandwich plate. I also bought a second TC cooler, just the radiator. As the sandwich plate extends the filter toward the frame to the point it cannot be removed, I also bought a new factory filter mount. Cut the filter portion off in the bandsaw and machined the block side to make parallel and groove for "O" rings making a 3/8" spacer. Replaced the mounting bolts with longer studs moving the filter forward enough to clear the frame then mounted both coolers in series. Searched the WIX catalogue for a cheaper, larger filter with the same relief pressure and crossed that to a Purolator. Added a pint or so and much cheaper filter. Took it for a ride and now I had oil temperatures on a 100F day of 190F at 70 mph dropping it 60F! 

 

Third change I swapped the RLHP 20W50 for RLHP 10W40. Made blinds for the coolers and maintained an oil temperature of 185-200F for the next 45K miles. Yea, 10K past the service interval at which point the dealer is going nuts and telling me horror stories of guys have complete motors replaced due to the chains eating the shoe steel backing the sending that crap through the roller assemblies. He was sure the 10W40 non-motorcycle oil would be a killer. So, after a while I caved in and had them open the cam chest for service. As I did not want my pushrods cut and adjustable installed (Harley procedure) I had them remove the rocker boxes as well. 

 

My instructions were to measure EVERYTHING and replace ANYTHING not inside NEW spec plus install the new HD high volume pump and new hydraulic tensioner system that came out a few years later. My Shovelheads would be due for overhaul by this mark. 

 

Next day I get a frantic call from the service manager. "You need to come see this or you won't believe me." Cold sweat I hurry down to the shop. The entire shop is gathered around my bike. I squeeze through the human barrier to find my mechanic sitting on his stool having a cuppa with a big grin on his face. 

 

Not a single part of that motor was out of spec. Not even a visible wear track in the cam lobes. Not a hint of deposits. The shoes? About 10% used up! They would go 100K miles twice over. I had the new system installed anyway and buttoned up. The increased oil flow volume now has me running one cooler blind on everything but the hottest days in the desert. She runs ambient plus 90 degrees and whisper quiet. 

 

Known problem. I fixed the problem. Ignored the warranty implications. I got rewarded for fixing the problem. Not with just havening no warranty issues but by adding multiples to the engine's life. Still own that bike. 

 

AW and EP additives do NOT work on polymers and resins. Straight up viscosity result. 

10W40 at 190F is many times more vicious than 20W50 at 250F plus. 

Viscosity is a function of the oil's environment, not it's specification. 

Edited by Grumpy Bear
bruceb58 Enthusiast

bruceb58

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, Pryme said:

Okay let’s say there is no need to ever check the fluid. For the guys who change it every 30-40k miles. Do you just take it in and pay to have it done? It’s going to be an ultra easy job with a mityvac through the dipstick tube. 

On my F150, first change I drop the pan and change the filter, second one I suck it out and replace...next one pan drop and filter change.

 

When I get my 2024 GMC Denali that I just ordered, I will follow same procedure but I am going to replace with a new pan with a drain plug at the first change.

Edited by bruceb58
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Jettech1 Senior Enthusiast

Jettech1

Posted
  • Author
Posted
8 hours ago, Pryme said:

Okay let’s say there is no need to ever check the fluid. For the guys who change it every 30-40k miles. Do you just take it in and pay to have it done? It’s going to be an ultra easy job with a mityvac through the dipstick tube. 

That's what I've decided to do.  I'm at 21k but will have the dealer change it, the transfer case and both diffs at 30k.  I want this on them, not me.

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Ozark Dually Enthusiast

Ozark Dually

Posted
Posted

I'm one to change fluids way early on "break-in". May cause some debate, just my preference. 1st oil change today at 1K miles on my new 2024 L5P. And yes, the differential was lower than 0.4" below fill hole .....

I plan on changing trans fluid in the 10 speed early ... (Open to hearing who did ATF change the earliest).

 

I've got a 1992 C2500 TBI 350 that I immediately installed an aluminum trans pan and a cooler on when purchased. Changed ATF every 30 miles (max), sometimes used Wal-Mart brand ATF. At 200k+ miles the old girl shifts nice and smooth. Well worth being pro-active and lesson learned.

 

Soooo, here's my question, how do you add a dipstick to the new 10 speed trans?

Is there a pan out there that has a bung / dipstick?

Is there a retrofit offered that screws into the "sight" hole?

 

I've seen cast aluminum aftermarket pans with drain plugs and additional depth / fluid capacity for the 2023 model years. But again, unsure if retrofit to dipstick is on the market.

 

 

Thank you for any response.

 

Pryme Senior Enthusiast

Pryme

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, Ozark Dually said:

I'm one to change fluids way early on "break-in". May cause some debate, just my preference. 1st oil change today at 1K miles on my new 2024 L5P. And yes, the differential was lower than 0.4" below fill hole .....

I plan on changing trans fluid in the 10 speed early ... (Open to hearing who did ATF change the earliest).

 

I've got a 1992 C2500 TBI 350 that I immediately installed an aluminum trans pan and a cooler on when purchased. Changed ATF every 30 miles (max), sometimes used Wal-Mart brand ATF. At 200k+ miles the old girl shifts nice and smooth. Well worth being pro-active and lesson learned.

 

Soooo, here's my question, how do you add a dipstick to the new 10 speed trans?

Is there a pan out there that has a bung / dipstick?

Is there a retrofit offered that screws into the "sight" hole?

 

I've seen cast aluminum aftermarket pans with drain plugs and additional depth / fluid capacity for the 2023 model years. But again, unsure if retrofit to dipstick is on the market.

 

 

Thank you for any response.

 

As far as I know there is no dipstick mod for the 10spd. 

bruceb58 Enthusiast

bruceb58

Posted
Posted (edited)
18 hours ago, Ozark Dually said:

I'm one to change fluids way early on "break-in". May cause some debate, just my preference. 1st oil change today at 1K miles on my new 2024 L5P. And yes, the differential was lower than 0.4" below fill hole .....

I plan on changing trans fluid in the 10 speed early ... (Open to hearing who did ATF change the earliest).

 

I've got a 1992 C2500 TBI 350 that I immediately installed an aluminum trans pan and a cooler on when purchased. Changed ATF every 30 miles (max), sometimes used Wal-Mart brand ATF. At 200k+ miles the old girl shifts nice and smooth. Well worth being pro-active and lesson learned.

 

Soooo, here's my question, how do you add a dipstick to the new 10 speed trans?

Is there a pan out there that has a bung / dipstick?

Is there a retrofit offered that screws into the "sight" hole?

 

I've seen cast aluminum aftermarket pans with drain plugs and additional depth / fluid capacity for the 2023 model years. But again, unsure if retrofit to dipstick is on the market.

 

 

Thank you for any response.

 

Just get the pan that has the indicator hole. I think the OEM pan already has that but since I don't have my truck yet, I can't verify. On my first ATF change, I will be replacing the pan with one with a drain plug.

Edited by bruceb58
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