With only 40K miles on the OP’s vehicle/transmission I would just catch it and make sure nothing is mixed with the ATF and go ahead and change it… If it was 140K miles and never changed, I would be way more cautious… Again, changing fluid will never cause damage to the transmission if it wasn’t there already… But the old clutch friction material mixed in the ATF from the worn out clutch packs will keep the transmissions shifting normal for a while, how long depends on the damage/wear already there…
I have, as well as seen, many times where a vehicle drove into the bay and the transmission was serviced with the proper ATF and had to be pushed out cause it would no longer move under it’s on power… I learned real quick to do proper test drives checking all gears and checking the condition of the fluid and asking the customer a few questions before I dropped the pan, and then look at the condition of the fluid before changing it… Yes I have poured old fluid right back into the transmission many times…
BTW there is not much more effort to catch the old fluid, you would catch it anyway changing it at home, just like changing your engine oil… And if the transmission is in good shape then it will last a long life when properly serviced under normal conditions… Some transmissions just have problems no matter if serviced or not…
A service is in the low 3 digit range money wise, not changing it and waiting for a rebuild is in the mid 4 digit range…
Heh heh. Like I said I had the transmission in my riviera overhauled at 350,000 just as a preventive repair. The guy said it didn’t look that bad inside. Original transmission.
Again, thank you all very much for the continued discourse.
I’ve decided to take a small sample of the transmission fluid to visually inspect myself and then send it to a lab to get it tested. At $35 (Blackstone Labs, Fort Wayne, IN), it seems completely worth it to have the peace of mind knowing how much metal content is present in the fluid, which should give me a good idea if/how much the transmission is worn.
I realize this is likely an overabundance of caution but, as I said, it will be worth it to know what I’m getting into moving forward.
The only time I have seen fluid changes cause problems is with SEVERELY neglected engines, mainly small engines. Sometimes the oil is so sludgy and goopy you have to scrap out what you can reach with a plastic knife. It is the consistency of ketchup. Then you have to add some fresh oil and run the thing to thin out the crud in the engine, then change again. Engines that have experienced this type of neglect typically do one of two things once flushed out and fresh oil added. 1. They begin to rattle and knock loudly, often smoking from all the oil consumption, then fly apart within a few minutes of running. 2. Somehow some seem to come through this with flying colors. I got a riding mower with the commercial Kohler Command engine. I ran it with synthetic Rotella diesel oil and the noisy lifters quieted down (they are hydraulic), the oil consumption dropped, and the power returned. Before the engine would bog down and begin to smoke profusely from all the blowby. The engine ran for several years until I got sick of all the other problems with the deck and frame, then sold it for like $50.
How are you collecting the fluid?? Metal is much heavier then ATF and does not just float, you will have to be able to at least scrape the fluid off the bottom of the pan or drop the pan and see what it looks like… Just better off dropping the pan and looking at it as well as the filter…
Again with only 40K miles you should be OK…
This was what I found when I dropped the pan on my hot rod after blowing the stator in the torque converter, I lost all gears in about 1 second… lol… The dip stick fluid looked great, the pan drop confirmed my suspension…
I’m not a big fan of oil analysis. Just don’t think it’s worth it. I get my trans fluid changed for a little over $100 and change my oil for about $30. I had the analysis done once but you have to be careful to take a good sample as they instruct you. You don’t just suck some fluid out and send it in but take the sample halfway during an oil change. The report I got back showed no issues which was to be expected. Some folks here say to do an analysis to avoid needless fluid changes. I’d much rather just put that money and bother into the actual fluid changes. But sure go ahead if it makes you feel better but do it during a transmission fluid change to get a valid sample, not instead of. Of course others will disagree.
Oil analysis has its place. A fleet owner might want oil analyses at first to determine the oil change interval for the fleet. California did that and determined that their Cavaliers could go 10,000 miles before changing. They had significantly larger change intervals on their trucks and buses based on oil analyses. The large vehicles had huge oil sumps though. For a big fleet an owner can save a lot of money by changing oil less frequently while not compromising engine integrity.
In a half century of doing my own maintenance, I have changed no fluid other than motor oil, and it has never mattered one whit.
No transmission issues, no coolant system problems, and of course no sign of any brake fluid trouble. I asked a shop owner once about brake fluid changes, and he laughed and said practically unheard of.
Just as balance, if all you did was oil changes, what other maintenance was done in 50 years? We used to change antifreeze and thermostats every fall. Now there is longer life. Maybe just change cars every couple years but if you get 100,000 miles on a transmission, just pull the pan once and take a look at what is in the pan. Your car but let’s not lead people astray.
That is ridiculous, we make money on those services.
I have resealed transmission pans on vehicles with over 100,000 miles, there is nothing to see in there.
During the 1990’s I used to perform transmission services every day on those high maintenance vehicles. When cleaning the pan every 30,000 miles, there is a minimal amount of sediment, no metal debris like the DIY mechanics tell you to look for.
As @db4690 stated, that mechanic is not someone who would ever again get my business.
Just for some perspective, back in 1976, I bought a real “Grandma car”, a 1960 Ford Falcon that had 17k miles on the odometer. The price was too good to pass-up for a car that would be my “reserve” car during my POS Volvo’s frequent stints in the mechanic’s shop.
Anyway, my mechanic marveled at the nice condition of that Falcon, but he cautioned that I should have him flush the brake fluid while it was in his shop for an oil change/lube. I watched as he drained the brake fluid, and he took pains to show me how it contained an incredible amount of water.
Brake fluid changes have never been high on my list but when the Acura dealer was changing trains and differential fluid, they recommended the brake fluid change for not a whole lot of money. I said ok and hate to say it but noticed the brake performance was improved. One of those things that gradual deterioration is hard to notice.
You are right that the 16 year old Falcon was much more reliable than the 2 year old Volvo. The Falcon would have been my main car if not for the fact that it was so incredibly slow, and that it had mediocre handling and braking.
Yes, the straight six and automatic trans. I installed a radio and speakers, and I recovered the seats. The paint had lost its gloss and didn’t look great, but the car was reliable and rust free. Ford hadn’t designed that model for much more than being low-cost and reliable.
I don’t recall any reactions from students. Older cars in the teachers’ parking lot–in comparison with the students’ parking lot–was “a given”. More than likely, the students were focused on which of their rich friends had just been “gifted” a new car by their parents.
