# Automatic transmission fluid **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** transmissions, maintenance, oldsmobile\ **Created:** [May 30, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601 "2010-05-30T14:47:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![moecanick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@moecanick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/moecanick)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/1 "2010-05-30T14:47:58Z")
Oldsmobile royalle88. I just had the automatic transmission fluid changed. Since then I mentioned that to a few people. I got 3 questions from 3 different people asking if I put the old fluid back in. I absolutely did not. All 3 said: too bad-you should have strained the old and put it back in. I got a bit worried and put in a can of Lucas transmission fluid. Tell me what to make of what I was told about reusing the old fluid. thanks. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/2 "2010-05-30T14:53:33Z")
??? Whatever three people those are do not listen to them! Unfortunately now that you put that Lucas stuff in there you need to get it flushed again. Get that stuff out. It is a gooey mess. When this was done was the transmission pan dropped and the filter changed? What year, how many miles are on this transmission and what has its service history been? In any case, take it to a local, reputable transmission shop. Have them drop the pan and change the filter, and then do a full fluid exchange to get the Lucas out. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/3 "2010-05-30T15:08:17Z")
Agreed with cigroller completely that you should ignore these friends. Not only is this process of straining the old fluid bad advice, it’s just downright weird. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/4 "2010-05-30T15:25:44Z")
OK4450 and cigroller are 100% correct. Your friends who are advising you regarding car maintenance have given you very bad, bogus advice. And, as cigroller mentioned, you now need to get that Lucas additive out of the transmission. Leaving it in will make it more likely that you will have trans problems in the future. Incidentally, if you ever need a blood transfusion and your friends tell you to ask for “the old blood”, you should also reject that advice. ---
**Author:** ![DfromSD](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dfromsd/32/1669_2.png) [@DfromSD](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DfromSD)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/5 "2010-05-30T16:37:30Z")
You wouldn’t strain your engine oil & put it back in would you? That was crazy advice you were given. Ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/6 "2010-05-30T16:54:17Z")
You need to find better friends. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/7 "2010-05-30T17:03:36Z")
What Lucas product did you add and how much. Certainly, I must agree with the previous posters on re-installing the old fluid but the additive may not be a problem. If it was the quart bottle of liquid the consistency of cold honey I would say it might be beneficial to get the pan dropped and refill the transmission but if it was a pint bottle of automatic transmission additive that is as thin as brake fluid you are OK in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![jayhawkroy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jayhawkroy/32/33_2.png) [@jayhawkroy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayhawkroy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/8 "2010-05-30T18:51:57Z")
Keep in mind that when you added the fluid, and if you were already at the full mark, you are now above full by the amount of the fluid added. Even if you don’t change the fluid, you may need to consider how far above full you really are. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/9 "2010-05-30T22:17:41Z")
You need to find better friends Well better informed friends. ---
**Author:** ![moecanick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@moecanick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/moecanick)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/10 "2010-05-30T22:25:21Z")
the transmission is/was? in good shape. the fluid / filter was changed for maintenance only… thanks for the replies. ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/11 "2010-05-31T01:22:49Z")
How old are these friends of yours? It sounds like something people would have done back in the 30s or 40s, but not today. Only things the old fluid is good for is recycling or using it for heating oil ---
**Author:** ![moecanick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@moecanick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/moecanick)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/12 "2010-05-31T02:51:42Z")
2 of these guys are older then me and I was born 13 years after wyatt earp died. The other guy is still a pup. He don’t even have a plot yet. When one brings it up to him he sounds like Pa Kettle and says— wellllllllllllllllllll—i gotta do that one of these days. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/13 "2010-05-31T03:02:39Z")
…or friends who know to keep their mouths shut when they don’t know what they are talking about. Okay, if we were talking about a car with a manual transmission in 1943, fine. However, on a modern car with an automatic transmission, these guys are clueless. ---
**Author:** ![moecanick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@moecanick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/moecanick)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2010, 11:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-fluid/49601/14 "2010-05-31T11:38:39Z")
no equivocation whatsoever on these replies. That’s refreshing. I love this car–it’s about a 92 or so and over the road gets 29.5 mpg. At the moment it has no mechanial problems and hasn’t had for quite some time. It has over 170,000 miles on it. Thanks to all you guys for the information.