166k miles on tranny please come in and read

**cheeseburger** · 09-20-2009, 01:51 PM

i have a 98 z28 with 166 thousand miles on it i just got and i have no idea if the tranny filter and fluid has ever been changed and i would like to change it. the tranny does have a leak seems to be from the pan gasket but my question is would you guys change filter and fluid ?????? i wanna fix the leak thats why i wanna change it i guess if i had to i could drain the old fluid in a container and reuse it please let me know what to do

**mark21742** · 09-21-2009, 06:18 AM

since you just bought it, I'd change the filter, pan gasket and new fluid.....id also do sparkplugs and oil change.
you never know how the last person took care of it

**DIRTY JERZY** · 09-21-2009, 07:18 AM

if atf goes past the point of no return (like 80k) with out maintenece it is too far gone to start changing fluid and fillter. the car may not shift right with the new fluid with that many miles. is the fluid burnt what color is it red, black, some where in the middle?

**mark21742** · 09-21-2009, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by DIRTY JERZY

if atf goes past the point of no return (like 80k) with out maintenece it is too far gone to start changing fluid and fillter. the car may not shift right with the new fluid with that many miles. is the fluid burnt what color is it red, black, some where in the middle?

could be wrong, but thought filter and fluid change was good, but not to power flush a no mantainence, high mileage tranny

**DIRTY JERZY** · 09-21-2009, 07:37 AM

Nope I have seen it happen people come in for a trans service with high miles and after the service it wont shift right when you change the fluid you remove the clutch material that is in the fluid if the car has had its fluid changed at proper intervals then by all means change the fluid its a good thing

**JaycenK** · 09-21-2009, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by DIRTY JERZY

Nope I have seen it happen people come in for a trans service with high miles and after the service it wont shift right when you change the fluid you remove the clutch material that is in the fluid if the car has had its fluid changed at proper intervals then by all means change the fluid its a good thing

That has happen to me manny times when I was in high school. Got a 3rd gen with 80K+ on it and fluid was F'd. As soon as you change it the trans starts acting up and ends up going out. went through several cars in HS and same things happened. Same thing happen to my 97 last year. Start saving for a trans rebuild or a preformance built trans and TC if the fluid is F'd. If not change it.

**mark21742** · 09-21-2009, 08:52 AM

gotcha, didn't think about it like that

**cheeseburger** · 09-21-2009, 10:55 AM

hell mine has leaked and i havee put 2 quarts in it she shifts perfect right now and i dont know what to do

**DIRTY JERZY** · 09-21-2009, 10:58 AM

just keep it topped off

**c5z28** · 09-21-2009, 11:04 AM

So what color is the fluid?

**Smittro** · 09-21-2009, 11:12 AM

If changing dark or black trans fluid makes it stop working properly the trans is junk.. Replace or rebuild...

**heath26** · 10-03-2009, 05:20 PM

i agree if fluid is dark or discolored the trans is junk

**fieropope** · 10-04-2009, 05:58 PM

My theory is change the fluid. if the trans starts to mess up then you know your trans is bad and it needs replaced any way. ive changed many trans fluid and filter with more than questionable fluid and if they messed up, you know there bad in the first place.

**heath26** · 10-04-2009, 06:46 PM

ya thats a good way to think but i always expect the worst, i am on number seven rebuild my self gonna try a perfomabuilt this go and see how they hold up if i cant tear it up then they are good

**mark21742** · 10-04-2009, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by fieropope

My theory is change the fluid. if the trans starts to mess up then you know your trans is bad and it needs replaced any way. ive changed many trans fluid and filter with more than questionable fluid and if they messed up, you know there bad in the first place.

i've seen trannys with black fluid that had never been changed and was really slipping bad.....fresh fluid and filter fixed them and they are still running good and strong.....but i've seen it go the other way too.....change the bad fluid and tranny go out a week later

**fieropope** · 10-05-2009, 05:53 AM

thats exactly what im saying you stand more of a chance of melting hard parts with bad fluid due to lower lubrication values and less heat transfer with bad fluid. so why not change the fluid and filter and if it fixes the problem then your good .but if it makes it worse your trans is bad any way and you havent lost anything.

**JaycenK** · 10-06-2009, 11:15 AM

It's not that they last longer, sometimes when they are working well and you don't change the fluid they don't do anything odd untill the day they blow. Other times they act up and a fluid change sets them straight. Thats been my luck anyway. With that many miles just start saving for a rebuild is the main point. It is near the end of it's life. If it never goes bad then great you will always have cash for other repairs, because there are always other repairs.