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Most of these are inside the fuel tank. Fuel tank must be dropped to access it.
I have reasonable mechanical aptitude and a good set of tools.
I would like to do my own tranny flushes using synthetic Mobil 1 and wondered if this was a DIY job.
I believe that the Escort has a filter and that I would need to drop the pan and replace the filter and the pan gasket.
I have been told that the Altima does not have a filter.
If I need to buy some equipment or tools (a fluid pump?) as a one off expense that would be OK.
Could I ask you these questions:
1. Is this a DIY job?
2. Can you either point me at a resource where I can get some generic instructions on how to do a tranny flush or can you give me the basic steps to follow?
Thank you for your help,
Flushes on high milage cars have the possibility of breaking loose some 'crud' which does not flush out, but does lodge in some place where it will cause a problem.
Look at the owners manuals. There may be one out there that does call for a flush, but all I've ever seen just call for a drain of fluid, change of filter (if there is one), and refill with the same type fluid.
If the original tranny fluid has gotten you to these milages, why are you considering changing to some other type (synthetic)? Removing all the fluid from auto trannys is about impossible (it will not drain out of the torque convertor, leaving about 40% of the fluid undrained). So, you are going to be mixing two different fluids if you go to synthetic.
So, my advice is to just drain and refill with original fluid called for in your owner's manual.
Can you do this? I don't know. Most auto trannys will NOT have a drain plug. You will have to drop the pan. Sometimes there may be 'something else' in the way that must be removed. Not much you can do (without a service manual) except crawl under there and look. When you 'drop a pan', it's a mess. Fluid will start pouring out all around the pan. Unless you have a huge catch pan, you may make a big mess. The pan and fluid that remains in it is somewhat heavy, so you have a potential for even a greater mess. Tranny fluid stains, is oily, and thin and runny. You've been warned....
In answer to your question, the reason I wish to use synthetic is that I have had it extend the life of a Mercury Villager tranny that was at 168,000km and had developed hard changes from 1st to 2nd. After adding Mobil1 the hard changes disappeared and I sold the vehicle 11 months later at 189,000km with the tranny still performing normally. A friend had slippage problems with a Subaru and followed my recommendation to use Mobil1. In his case the vehicle is still running two years later and 62,000km later with no tranny problems. Two cars do not make a scientific study but this is what I am going by.
In terms of loosening crud in the tranny I was wondering what a tranny flush would do that might be different to a pan only fluid change?
Also I am probably wrong but I thought that Mobil1 was compatible with regular tranny fluid?
1) disconnect the transmission fluid line (input line) at the radiator (The transmission fluid is cooled by the radiator just so you know).
2) take a small diameter hose and put one end over the transmission line. Put the other end in a bucket to catch all the old fluid.
3) have somebody poor clean tranny fluid into the reservoir from the top while the tranny pumps fluid out of the line into your bucket.
4) when the tranny fluid runs clear you are completely flushed. Stop the engine and reconnect the tranny line at the radiator.
Here are a few possible points.
-The metal lines into the radiator may be difficult to remove. If there is a rubber line in there (used many times as a flex joint between the solid steel lines and the radiator), I would break the lines there. Usually jointed by screw clamps. If there are no rubber lines, take care to not rip the line out of the radiator. Speaking from experience of changing a radiator, these connections can be very tight.
-You will have a 'balancing' job of guaging the outgoing flow, and pouring new fluid into the fill tube. You don't want to let the fluid run low in the tranny while the motor is running. This might cause severe problems, quickly.
I was just out at the car and there are rubber pipes connecting the radiator to the tranny.
Bolivar's warning about keeping a balance between the fluid going to waste and the new fluid being added is well taken. Does anyone know how much tranny fluid the sump under the tranny holds?
With the cost of replacement transmissions, I started taking this to the dealer to get it done right.
How about drain a quart... add a quart? Start off with an empty quart bottle.
I had thought (and changed my mind) about doing a flush by connecting to both tubes at the radiator. For the one going back to the tranny just connect it to something like a 2-liter bottle with the bottom cut off and keep fluid in it (2nd person holding it and pouring in bottles of transmission fluid) while the fluid coming out the other tube is caught in a container.
When the fluid coming out through the clear plastic tube is clear, you're done, and probably have used about 15 quarts for a 12 quart transmission.
I decided to do the gentler thing and drop the pan and replace 6 of the 12 and do that 2 ro 3 times in a row. Essentially get complete change without shocking the crud in the transmission.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My car starts up fine, but many times when I start it non of the guages, radio, A/C, OnStar, Cruise, etc. will work. Turn signals and hazards work fine.
Took it to the dealership one day when it was actually acting up, and the guy said he wasn't getting any error codes on it at all...which I believe, I was standing right next to him in the parking lot. Checked all the fuses, no issues there. He says it could be an ignition switch, but not sure. I'm reading that it's possible it the bcm.
By the way, this usually only happens when it's warm outside. I'm from NE OH, so yesterday when it was 80, they didn't work at all. Today it was 35, and everything worked fine.
Any ideas?????
Curious though, if the car starts running what happens after a few minutes? Do those things start working? Or do you have to shut down and restart in order for them to work?
but troubleshoot first. don't just replace parts.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
-mike
-mike
http://www.automedia.com/CV/Rehab/ccr20021101cv/1
No! NEVER use chassis grease. You need a special high temp, moly-based CV joint grease that you can easily find at Kragen, NAPA, etc.
It's such a stinking nasty job....blech! But yeah, if you can find the split boots, that might save you some money. But by all means check on prices for rebuilt half-shafts. If your CV joints have more than 80K on them, and/or if they've had split boots through a rainy season, you may want to consider half-shaft replacement.
Thanks for any insight.
I've done it both ways and except for my Porsche, where the CV joint was outrageously expensive, I opted for rebuilt half shafts. Porsche makes a very nice split boot...even so, I took the half-shaft out of the car to install the split boot, as the whole thing was so disgusting to work on. That grease is like some blob from a horror movie! :P
Trust me, you will end up replacing the CV shaft sooner than later.
Your mechanic made a good call.
Sounds like a reputable guy.
Pinging will cause the knock sensor to detect pre-ignition and retard the timing to prevent the spark knock. This can be a good thing or bad thing, because when the computer advances or retards the timing, it affects fuel economy and emmissions.
Clear as mud?
Can the motor be taken out and replaced with rear hand crank?
Spoons
If the motor works both ways on the bench, and will not respond in the door, and it's not jamming (trying to work) then it's definitely the wiring.
thanks tony
My crystal ball is in the sop, so I don't know that info.
Anyways, what plugs were in the engine, that you took out?
What does the manufacturer call for.
Replacing spark plugs in todays engines, they need to be replaced with what the manufacturer calls for.
You see, the computer "sees" the resistance from the spark pugs. If you change the spark plugs to something with different resistance, then the computer tries to compensate for the resistance it is reading.
Well, it is a little more than that, but you get the idea.
Not sure how expensive they are for your car but still should be worth the replacement.
-mike
tony
Why?
The 4.7L is equipped with copper core ground electrode spark plugs. They must be replaced with the same type/number spark plug as the original. If another spark plug is substituted, pre-ignition will result.