Cars - Do-It-Yourself ATF Change
It can be said that a vehicle’s lifeblood is its vital fluids- the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) for this matter. Although most of us realize that changing our vehicle’s fluids cost less time and of course, money, we also try to veer away from it since the mess it involves may sometimes be too troublesome to handle on our own.
Your vehicle requires care, and one of the most crucial factors in maintaining your car is to regularly check and change its fluids. For automatic transmission vehicles, ATF should be changed every 30000 miles or 30 months, whichever comes first. This fluid gathers dust and debris, and if you are unlucky, the dirt and debris can catch in your car’s engine and other vital parts causing numerous vehicular problems. Hopefully, all the dust and debris will settle on the bottom of the pan or housing.
ATF draining is a lot more trouble than oil change, mainly because of the mess involved. Most transmission pans will not have a draining plug which means you will need to remove the whole pan. For those that do have a drain plug, the pan still has to be removed in its entirety since you will be changing the filter also.
There are many signs and symptoms that your vehicle needs ATF draining service – low transmission fluid means you will be feeling rough shifts or even slips and/or lack of engagement in forward or reverse gears. However, convenience aside, the process involved in changing your vehicle’s ATF can be less of a hassle if you are prepared.
1. Get an automatic transmission filter kit. The kit should include a gasket for the pan, a filter, and an o-ring.
2. Run your car for a few minutes to get the ATF softer, it is easier to drain in normal running temperature.
3. You need to raise your vehicle so that it will be easier for you too see the parts, remove, and replace the components.
4. Get a bunch of newspaper, or old boxes that can act as protection for your garage floor from spills.
5. Put a catch pan (that can hold about two gallons of liquid) right underneath where you will be draining.
6. Wear protection for your hands and arms – gloves and long sleeves.
7. Loosen and remove the bolts from one side of the transmission pan. Be careful of the hot liquid and exhaust.
8. You might need to loosen the other bolts all over the transmission pan but make sure that you do not remove the whole pan outright.
9. Once the bolts from one side are removed and the other’s loosened, the fluid should start dripping to your catch pan.
10. Once the fluid has dripped, remove all the bolts and drain the remaining liquid into your catch pan.
11. Clean the gasket and the transmission pan, all the while inspecting for any signs of damage.
12. Remove the oil filter and the o-ring and replace it with your new ones. Replace the gasket and torque the bolts back.
13. Lower the vehicle and fill in with ATF.
Afterwards, you can run your vehicle and check for leaks.
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Tags: ATF, automatic, cars, change, changing, do-it-yourself, fluid, fluids, handle, lifeblood, own, transimission, troublesome, vehicles, vital