First of all, this forum is great and the questions and answers I’ve heard so far have been extremely informative and polite, so this is such a great resource for someone like me who can’t change their own oil, but at least knows when it should be done!
I have a 2002 Chevy Impala with 129k on it, about 40k of which I know is strictly highway mileage. I want this car to last me about two more years and has done great so far. It’s a 3.8L and I’ve done every maintenance on it that my manual says to since I got it at 60k in 2006 except the transmission fluid flush. I’ve heard it can be bad to do in an older vehicle, so should I do one? I’ve had no trans problems.
I’ve also heard I should flush the power steering and differential fluids, but it’s not in my manual and I’d like to keep the vehicle in great condition.
I also just replaced the fuel filter and my car will start immediately if I put my key in and turn it on asap, but it will take two seconds to start if I leave my key in the on position and then go to start. Is this normal or am I looking at replacing my fuel pump?
Thank you for your help in advance!
I’ve done every maintenance on it that my manual says to since I got it at 60k in 2006 except the transmission fluid flush. I’ve heard it can be bad to do in an older vehicle, so should I do one? I’ve had no trans problems.
. There is a myth about about this. It goes along like: My father had the fluid changed and the transmission needed to be replace a few weeks later. Same thing with my brother-in-law and he got one of them transmission flush things."
What really happened is the same that may now happen to you. It should have been done long ago. I would be surprised if you are not now sensing that there is a problem with your transmission and want to go for the Hail Mary pass. Go for it. It might work for you. But don't come back and say it failed because you got the fluid change. If it fails, it will be cause of the fluid changes it did not get.
Don’t buy into the flush everything scams. There may be times that they are worth the effort, but more often than not they are recommended to flush you wallet.
Someone else here may have the answer for your fuel pump question. I would not be so fast to change it out as there are other possibilities, but someone with more experience with 2002 Chevys should have a better guess than I do.
The article I was referring to spoke about the harm it would do to put slick fluid in the engine when it’s used to the dirt in the current fluid. I understand that it’s 29,000 miles late, but I want to make sure that getting one won’t harm my engine. I don’t mind putting the money into a flush just in case.
here it is: http://www.myhonestmechanic.com/articles/should-I-get-a-transmission-fluid-flush.shtml
I don’t have a problem with a transmission flush. I do have a problem with flushing the transmission and not dropping the pan and changing the transmission filter.
The other fluids are 8 years old and a brake fluid change, coolant flush, and power steering fluid flush is not a bad idea.
I’m undecided on the fuel pump thing as not enough detail is known.
When it starts (after the 2 second delay) does it idle smooth or does it stumble a little?
Trying to decide if this problem is related more the Idle Air Valve circuit rather than the fuel pump. Age and miles can soot up the Idle Air passages and the Idle Air Valve itself and this is why an induction system cleaning can be beneficial at times.