When do you guys change your fluids? @ what mileage?
11-15-2010, 07:11 PM
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When do you guys change your fluids? @ what mileage?
Hey guy, Im just wanted to find out when you all feel is the right time/mileage to change your fluids. Trans/Diff/transfer case/coolent/etc.
Reason I ask is I just got my oil changed at a shop and they tried to tell me I was overdue on all my fluids. Growing up my dad always said 60k for the above, same with my autoshop teacher, 60k. The guy at the shop said it was 30k for all of them. I always thought 30k was for air and fuel filters?
I know there isnt a right or wrong answer, but I figure if a lot of the gear heads on here feel one way Ill go with your opinions. And like oil change milage it may be a decent topic to talk about.
Reason I ask is I just got my oil changed at a shop and they tried to tell me I was overdue on all my fluids. Growing up my dad always said 60k for the above, same with my autoshop teacher, 60k. The guy at the shop said it was 30k for all of them. I always thought 30k was for air and fuel filters?
I know there isnt a right or wrong answer, but I figure if a lot of the gear heads on here feel one way Ill go with your opinions. And like oil change milage it may be a decent topic to talk about.
Last edited by thoner7; 11-15-2010 at 07:14 PM.
11-15-2010, 07:16 PM
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i changed mine at 50k but i always have heard 60k also. and 30k for your fuel filter not for that other stuff. and i change my oil after 3k miles. and i always change my oil filter every time i change my oil.
11-15-2010, 07:24 PM
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Transmission Fluid- Every 30K, or at least once a year with a transmission filter
Diff Fluid Every 30K, Check every other oil change
Coolant I change it when it gets above -15 with my checker
Fuel Filter every 30K
Those are the industry standard
Diff Fluid Every 30K, Check every other oil change
Coolant I change it when it gets above -15 with my checker
Fuel Filter every 30K
Those are the industry standard
11-16-2010, 05:36 AM
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And what do you use to check the coolant?
11-16-2010, 11:57 AM
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I never change the automatic transmission fluid. I have it cleaned and refiltered at the dealership every 70,000 with a power flush which is better because it uses actual transmission pressure to clean the entire transmission and no risk of leaks after changing a gasket. They add something to the old fluid to make it new again. I have a Ford van with over 200,000 miles I have been doing that to and the transmission is perfect.
Coolant - About 100,000 miles unless it looks bad is my rule. Usually I have to replace a hose before that, so the coolant gets changed then. In fact if I change a hose and the coolant is over a year old it gets changed. If you do change the coolant, don't forget to leave the heater valve open and then power flush so you get all the old coolant. I usually drain the coolant, replace it with water, run the engine until the thermostat opens and I get heat, let the engine cool, drain the water, let a garden hose run into the system with water while the bottom hose is off for about 5 minutes, let it drain again, put the hose back on, then put in the new coolant.
Transfer case - never changed that oil in my life and I have had many vehicles that went past 200,000 miles, I do check it and top off if needed. You can tell by how it looks, feels (metal filings) and smells if it is bad. Just unscrew the fill bolt and stick your finger into the oil to check for the level and condition of the oil.
Oil - still sticking with 3,000 miles including filter.
Brake fluid - When it gets dark I take a turkey baster and suck out most of the fluid from the brake reservoir (leaving a little covering the bottom port) and poor new fluid in. It mixes when you use the brakes.
My favorite tool for these things? I have a huge syringe with a plastic hose and I can use it to pull any fluid from the car including gasoline so I can look at the condition. I checked for water or crud in the gas tank by runing the clear hose all the way to the bottom of the tank, pulling some gasoline out with the syringe, and inspecting it. It was clean, no water. You can get a syringe like that at a pharmacy and the hose that fits on the end at Lowes.
Everybody has their own service schedule, but those have worked well for me.
Coolant - About 100,000 miles unless it looks bad is my rule. Usually I have to replace a hose before that, so the coolant gets changed then. In fact if I change a hose and the coolant is over a year old it gets changed. If you do change the coolant, don't forget to leave the heater valve open and then power flush so you get all the old coolant. I usually drain the coolant, replace it with water, run the engine until the thermostat opens and I get heat, let the engine cool, drain the water, let a garden hose run into the system with water while the bottom hose is off for about 5 minutes, let it drain again, put the hose back on, then put in the new coolant.
Transfer case - never changed that oil in my life and I have had many vehicles that went past 200,000 miles, I do check it and top off if needed. You can tell by how it looks, feels (metal filings) and smells if it is bad. Just unscrew the fill bolt and stick your finger into the oil to check for the level and condition of the oil.
Oil - still sticking with 3,000 miles including filter.
Brake fluid - When it gets dark I take a turkey baster and suck out most of the fluid from the brake reservoir (leaving a little covering the bottom port) and poor new fluid in. It mixes when you use the brakes.
My favorite tool for these things? I have a huge syringe with a plastic hose and I can use it to pull any fluid from the car including gasoline so I can look at the condition. I checked for water or crud in the gas tank by runing the clear hose all the way to the bottom of the tank, pulling some gasoline out with the syringe, and inspecting it. It was clean, no water. You can get a syringe like that at a pharmacy and the hose that fits on the end at Lowes.
Everybody has their own service schedule, but those have worked well for me.