ATF fluid change followed by total transmission failure

[uscharalph]

I deviate with Jeff on this one. 15k fluid/filter change on any 4hp-22. 70k on anything that uses the shell or esso "lifetime" fluid. If the thing hasn't ever had a fluid/filter change and the fluid is in bad shape yet the tranny is fine: leave it in there and run it until the trans doesn't work anymore.

best, whit

I just bought the gasket / filter / O-ring package from BMA and am going to drop the pan, change the parts and just replace what fluid comes out. That's ok right Whit, since I'm running the 4hp-22? Idon't think my tranny fluid's ever been touched.

[Reuben Lim]

Didnt change the filter this time as this was changed the last time the transmission was done, sometime January, at that time clutch pressure plate (not sure this was the part) and 2nd gear plate changed. Hindsight is 20-20 as they say.

Just came back from the shop, saw the tranny innards and there were shattered parts, the clutch something-something housing and the pump were some the mechanic pointed out. What fluid I saw was brown in color, beside the point, though.

He recommended that I just plunk in a surplus tranny from Japan, instead of springing for the rebuild kit and other tranny parts. Figure on spending close to a thousand dollars for the surplus tranny and labor, would be spending almost twice that if I buy brand new parts, rebuild kit and labor.

Oh well, thanks for the inputs guys.

[grave77]

I agree with Jeff here, Tranny Rules should be put in a sticky thread, I personally suffered 2 times from this problem and the simple answer was ... once you change the ATF after a long time running it you will get this results unless you flushed the tranny ... still nothing is garunteed ... estimated life time after ATF change is 3 - 4 monthes ... mine was a piec of trash after 3 monthes .. now I converted manual as the auto was dead.