When I waited tables and bartended, I only got half of minimum wage (about $2.37 per hour). Only high class bartenders get paid $8 per hour.
Ha! I got to be the 100th poster!
…because a flush ignores the [u]F I L T E R ![/u] Ignore the [u]F I L T E R [/u]at your own peril.
Given the importance of this fluid and my inability to really do anything mechanically that well, I would rather pay a proffessional and be safe.
I would concur with the “transman” after having my transmission replaced at an AAMCO once.
“Meaney” the phrase is “planned obsolescence”. Here’s a nice description. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence
Ok, well let’s go for 200…
Indy, it’s your money. Transman, cig, doc, et al. gave you golden advice. There are some technical nuiances with your transmission. You have researched this pretty well. Let me go against the grain and tell you to follow your “cheap” instincts – do nothing. You seem to be paralyzed. If you do nothing, in the short term you save the $70/$120/?. Who knows, you may total the car before the transmission gives up. When the transmission does give up, just buy another vehicle and start the slide toward heapdom one more time…
The amount of time devoted to this thread is crazy. This is why have have pretty much given up on CT. How can anyone make sense of all this madness?!?!
I try to do my best to maintain my car to the best of my economic ability. I know the transfluid needs to be changed out and right now that cost can’t really go above $120. I can have an independent place do a flush for around $90, but they use “comparable” transfluid and that scares me since KIA requires something called SP III I think and the indy place says they have a dextron that is similar. The dealership uses the correct fluid, but charges $170 for a full flush and $90 for a drain, so I can only afford a drain at this point.
Have you priced a flush at some independent transmission shops?
My daughter lives in another city and about 20k miles back she had her Mustang in for a pan drop and flush. Grand total of a 100 bucks.
She went there because of my recommendation as I’ve known the guy for 40 years and like Transman, he’s a go-to guy for automatics.
No, he did not cut her a deal because of being a relative of mine because she kept that under wraps.
cheapest price for a pan drop is around $110. But I would have to take a days off work since they are only open M-F and I only work M-F. So I would either lose a day’s pay or hae to burn a holiday day. So you would have to add that into the cost, plus the gas used to go to this place which is on the other side of the city.
Yeah you made the right call there. All transmission fluids are "similar" and "comparable", Dexron, ATF+3, Ford Type F, etc., are all pretty close. But not close enough. If the Hyundai could take Dexron they'd list it taking Dexron.Sounds to me like an absolutely great plan! Good job. I can say that because it is more or less what I am doing, heh, heh, which probably prejudices me a bit.
This isn’t a car problem. This is a personality type. Actually, he did say way down near the bottom that he had decided to take it to the dealer. Unless he changed his mind.
Basically given how I worry about just about everything, I figure while it costs more, the idea that the dealer uses the correct transmission fluid over the independent place using a “similar” type pushed me towards the dealer. I just don’t want to risk it.
Always drop the pan and replace the filter. Automatic transmissions are hydraulic and work with hydraulic pressure and fluid flow rates. A dirty filter can cause a pressure drop on the suction side of the hydraulic pump circuit which will limit flowrates and/or reduce pressures which can insrease temperature and affect performance. The demonstrations for the flush look conviencing in that they show how the fluid will be totally clean afterwards but the real problem is not the particles small enough to go through the filter it is the bigger particles that plug up the filter and which could plug up hydraulic pistons and valves.
Hey Indy,
I wonder if the independent shop would care if you bought the Kia “SP” fluid on your own and took it to him to install.
Could save you money… or maybe not.
Couldn’t hurt to ask.
How many miles are on it? My transmission guy told me if it has high miles on it it would be better to drop the pan.Sometimes there can be sludge in it an might stop the filter get stoped up if you just get it flushed.He also said that if you didn’t know how long it has been since it’s fluid has been changed you could do both.
Somebody mis-read the manual. Check out pages 7-6 and 7-18 at http://www.kia.ca/content/Owners/OwnersManual/2002_Sedona_Owners_Manual_EN.pdf, which indicate to “change or replace” the transmission fluid every 36,000 miles.
The single most important thing with automatics is to use the correct transmission fluid, which means buying it from the dealer after giving them the year and model. The aftermarket ATFs try to be a one-size-fits-all solution, and do not have the same friction coefficients, anti-foaming properties, seal conditioning additives, and/or thermal properties as the OEM fluid.
In small amounts, it’s probably not a big deal, but if you have a leak and top up regularly with the wrong fluid you’ll quite probably cause yourself problems.
Stick with the OEM fluids for engine coolant and ATF folks. And ALWAYS stick to OEM recommendations for engine, manual transmission, and axle oil. You’ll save yourself money in the long run.
This is only more proof that the service department is playing you for a fool. Call the parts department and ask for prices on the transmission filter(s). They will confirm that the parts exist.
Here’s the internal one from an online parts supplier: http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/2002/kia/sedona/transmission/automatic_transmission_filter.html
Dude, if you can tie your shoes you can drain and fill this transmission. Crap, I could have driven to your place, done the job, and driven back to Michigan in the time you’ve spent hemming and hawing about this.
Most indy shops don’t care if you bring the OEM fluid and ask them to use it. Just don’t show up with something you picked up at Wal-Mart 'cause you can cut out their margin on parts. That does not go down well - it’s like taking your own steak to a restaurant.