Doing This Will Make Your Transmission Last Twice as Long

Doing This Will Make Your Transmission Last Twice as Long

rev up your engines, today I’m going to
show you how using the wrong
transmission fluid can damage your car
now these days transmissions are
extremely complex and there are various
types and even various subtypes and
those types like CVT transmissions
there’s a lot of different designs and
just one they all use specific fluids
now the first mass-produced automatic
transmission was GM’s hydra-matic in
1940 that was a four-speed automatic and
it used a special fluid called automatic
transmission fluid number one that was
only available at the dealerships then
in 1949 GM made a type a automatic
transmission fluid that was available
everywhere so everybody could service
these automatic transmissions now
believe it or not but it is true this
transmission oil contained sperm whale
oil and they continue to use this whale
oil in the 1940s 50 60s and even into
the 1970s now in 1973 the US federal
government made it illegal to use the
sperm whale oil and here’s what happened
there are about a million automatic
transmission failures in 1972 when they
were still using the whale oil but then
they banned it in 73 and by 1975 there
were over 8 million transmission
failures as sperm whale oil really
worked whom they took it up they had
problems so in 1974 they released a new
type of automatic transmission fluid had
chemical additives to replace the stuff
that the whale oil did and it did start
to work better and then finally they
come up with modern fluids that they
call lifetime fluids that are synthetic
based fluids they do eventually get
dirty and they really do need to be
changed they tell you that’s oh it’s
good for a lifetime the transformation
then when the transmission breaks they
expect you to buy another transmission
or another car so you still need a
change of but they are much better
fluids and they last longer than the old
ones they can take heat better one of
the big distorts of automatic
transmissions while you’re driving down
a road especially on traffic is they get
hot the fluid has to help dissipate the
heat and if you got a synthetic fluid
that really can dissipate heat
better that’s a big advantage that’s why
I must all modern cars use these full
synthetic fluids now if you go back in
history when I was a young mechanic we
had to change the fluid and these
automatic transmissions every thirty
thousand miles in the filters and even
though they call these modern ones
lifetime I still think you should change
them every ninety or hundred thousand
miles things do get dirty over time and
your warranty is long gone by the time
it does serious damage from being too
dirty well though if you’re the type of
guy or gal who gets rid of your vehicle
before they have a hundred thousand
miles on it yeah for you it’s a lifetime
you don’t change it isn’t gonna affect
anything probably at all driving it
around but if you want to keep it for
two three four hundred thousand miles
you still want to change that synthetic
food but then it comes up what kind of
fluids you use while never use an
unbranded fluid like this yeah I have to
use the fluid that was designed for your
transmission and this is one of the
reasons that led to many cars with
automatic transmissions today having no
dip sticks where you can check the oil
or where you can add oil and if it’s
leaking the manufacturers found out that
people were putting their own fluid in
these modern transmissions which cause
damages they took away the dipstick
figuring well people won’t mess around
with it now cuz there’s no place for
them to either check it or to add it in
now of course there has to be ways to
change the fluid and add fluid in and
some of them are just insane some have
like four pages of directions of what
you have to do to drain it and have
special tools in a pump and sometimes a
special computer scan tool that can read
it to see what the temperature is when
to add it when to check it it gets
really complex down how so many
different types of transmissions out
there so many different types of fluids
you gotta use the fluid for the design
that’s in your vehicle I’ll give you a
perfect example one of my customers he
comes to me with his friends car checked
out I said well the transmission shot
automatic transmissions and Camrys
really have no history of problems did
you have anything done to this
transmission he said yeah he said last
year I had the fluid changed took a
sample of a stuff that was in the
transmission then I sent out to one of
these oil analysis companies it’s a
combination of the original Toyota fluid
and some other type of fluid the
mechanic didn’t know what he was doing
he put the wrong fool
mixed all together and the transmission
ended up going up and we all know that
saying one size fits all well these
people have fluids they say it fits all
them that’s a bunch of malarkey these
days you’re really always better to just
go getOEM factory fluid and put it
in your vehicle, now you don’t have to buy
it at
the dealer there’s plenty of places that
sell OEM fluid just don’t get a
unbranded one you want it from a real
company that makes the real fluid that
goes into that vehicle and if you’re
planning on changing the fluid yourself
only use sealed containers once it’s
broken air gets in water vapor can get
inside then the fluid isn’t any good you
want tight sealed containers you don’t
want to use half of one and then let it
sit on the shelf by I’m a quart at a
time maybe there’s a little bit left in
one you don’t really care we just throw it
you don’t want to use contaminated fluid
always sealed containers now there are
many manufacturer proved fluids it has
to have that license on the container
it’s actually printed on the container
you buy a fluid and it doesn’t have that
on it don’t use it for your car you got
to make sure that it has that label on
it by law in the United States it has to
have that label if it hasn’t been it
won’t have the label on it and in that
case don’t buy that fluid for your car
so look at the product information label
I’m the bottle of fluid that you’re
buying you can get stalling right after
the engine changes gears you can get
gears that won’t shift at all you can
get gears that shift roughly you can get
gears that slip as you go they slip and
the engine revs up but the vehicle just
doesn’t take off right and it can cause
the torque converter to lock up when
it’s not supposed to lock up so when you
come to a stop and it’s supposed to
unlock it doesn’t so with your automatic
transmission when you come to a stop if
the torque converter is locked up the
engine will stall all these things will
be caused by bad fluid which you don’t
want to mess around with now you know a
bit more about automatic transmission
fluids and while using the incorrect one
can damage your car so just make sure
you’re using the right stuff,
so if you never want to miss another one
of my new car repair videos, remember
to ring that Bell

100 Replies to “Doing This Will Make Your Transmission Last Twice as Long”

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  2. i just watched your newest video ("why not to change your transmission fluid") and was atcually concidering on doing it on my 03 explorer soon but its got the 'lifetime tranny fluid' but no problems. it has 181,000 ish and ill change it at 200,000 with the tuneup IF it needs it.

  3. I'm evaluating whether or not to buy a 2008 Dodge Town & Country minivan. It has 77,000 miles on it. It whines when driven. Does that indicate a transmission problem? I didn't have any trouble turning the steering wheel so I didn't think the power steering could be causing the whining noise. They said they've already replaced the ball bearings and put a new pump in for the power steering because they thought that's what was causing the whining, but the whining didn't stop. What could be some other causes of the whining? Does a transmission on a 2008 Town & Country whine when it is starting to go bad?

  4. Since whale hunting is no longer allowed, can oil from fat and obese people be harvested? There's no shortage of it out here nowadays.

  5. Scotty, I want to pick up a 4wd GMC or CHEVY truck with the old 350 engine. Which model would you recommend? THX

  6. Hey Scotty I have a 99 f150 with a 4r70w truck has 230000+ miles on in and has had at least one fluid change prior to me owning it the fluid was a dark red so I figured I'd change the filter and replace 4 quarts transmission holds 14 I also replaced sensors all oem parts after all was done I took it for a drive and it stalled out when I tried to stop like the converter locked up permanently is it possible I flushed old clutch material into torque converter

  7. 2016 Jeep Patriot with 64k miles… manual transmission failure! MANUAL!!! Fiat owes me an apology. I owe them $4780 :'(

  8. what is the science behind what happened to my 06 Sentra when I had it 6 years ago. When I had an accidental neutral drop, the transmission stop working all together. Would not engage to gear at all! I feel like the torque converter is what broke, not the transmission. It still a mystery to this day, what actually happened. Puzzles me because NOBODY knows anything about what happened

  9. What will make your transmission last twice as long is changing the fluid when it is time to do so. You can run the car on a lift and have someone up there in the drivers seat to put it in drive to start the pump with the pan off and it will drain the torque converter. DO NOT rev the engine! Then restore the fluid per your manufacturers service manual. It just takes time. Mechanics will NEVER do that. They just drain and fill!!!!

  10. Hey scotty I like ur videos but I have a 2004 BMW 325i m54,, I have 175 thousand miles and I'm not sure if the transmission fluid and filter has ever been changed,, should I go ahead and change them both?? It does this thing in the morning when I first start it up,, if I put it right in drive it wont move,, I have to let it idle for a few minutes,, but once it starts driving it dont slip or nothing it changes gear perfect,, its weird my brother told me when he gave me the car to let it warm up,, he told me to let the transmission oil warm up,, I've never herd that before,, Its got the sealed transmission and I've also never had a car like that as well,, if u could give me a advice that would help,, most people said with that many miles dont change it cause it will cause it to slip,, but a few other said u better change the filter and fluid before u run that tranny I n the ground. They have 2 different transmission's the GM or the ZF not sure which is mine,,

  11. Why can’t car manufacturers make cars easy to service like they did back in day… Oh wait! They are greedy and want an arm and leg to service your vehicle.

  12. Keep in mind that doing a simple automatic transmission drain and refill only changes part of the fluid. There is always some ATF trapped in the torque converter and cooler passages that will not drain out. You really have to do the job a second time to get almost all of the original ATF out of the system. Best to do that second drain after driving around to really circulate the fluid.

  13. Scotty why does my transmission spits the oil trough the top by the shifter is a manual transmission on a 98 f150 v6

  14. Every 90-100,000 miles? Lol, I do my transmission fluid every summer. I drive for Uber and Lyft, and I do a lot of driving regardless. Every summer I change the filter, and the fluid. Not a flush, just a change. I also do the differential and transfer case fluids, as well as a coolant flush every summer. Oil I use full synthetic and do that every 5,000 miles or so.

  15. Scotty i have a 2013 Nissan Altima s 2.5 4 cylinder cvt transmission 188000 miles on it got it at 50,000 miles idk if the transmission fluid was changed before i got it runs fine all highway miles only drive it on the highway and I'm very easy on it should i change the transmission fluid at 200,000 miles or not?? I’ve been told if I do it could cause problems I’ve haven’t even seen the color of it or smell of the fluid to check if it’s ok because it’s a seal transmission with no dipstick could i use my oil dipstick to slide it in the transmission pipe to check it will that work? Maybe it's to late to change it now? Because of so many miles? Everything else on the car is good oil changed everything 5k new coolant every 100k new spark plugs clean filters etc only thing I’m worried about is the transmission

  16. I once got a '99 Kia Sephia in 2003 for a real bargain. The tranny slipped a little, enough to be annoying. I put some Lucas Transmission Treatment in,. It worked a lot better.

  17. Most synthetic transmission fluids now have the same viscosity as Dexron VI. This can cause noisy pump whine in many Japanese transmissions, even if the label has the right ratings and additives for those transmissions. Valvoline Import Multi-Vehicle Automatic transmission fluid has the older Dexron III viscosity. This can keep the Japanese transmissions less noisy. The label doesn't include the Dexron III rating, but it does include several foreign fluid ratings that are the same as Dexron III and it is excellent fluid for older transmissions that call for Dexron III fluid, even American transmissions. It stays red in transmissions that usually turn the fluid dark early too, so it seems to handle high temperatures well, much better than non-synthetic and semi-synthetic blend fluids.

  18. Hey Scotty.. My car has 150k and the transmition fluid has never been changed. I would really like to change it because this car is actually doing very well butbi fear that it might cause problems as you alrready said before.. What are my options? My car is a suzuki sx4

  19. 2005 Tacoma bought new with 8 miles on it
    Just changed the fluid that was not black? OEM👍
    Good till 500k now lol

  20. 👍Good stuff👍 I know I’ve waited toooo long on my old 07 Chevy Trailblazer. It has about 145k & I’ve never changed the tranny fluid. It’s good condition, just a grocery getter & I do regular oil changes on engine inline 6cyl- (4000mls) but it does always stick in the back of my mind that I should’ve changed it years ago. Kinda chicken sh*t to change it now. Luckily, no problems as of yet.
    Wish it had a drain plug like the oil pan but I don’t think it does.
    Thanks Scotty👍

  21. Why are you always so squirmy in your presentations? OMG, between hands flapping everywhere, and looking like you need to take a leak, I get motion sickness,🙄. ♥️ Your shows, but struggle with the flailing about, LOL.

  22. Your website channel is a great helpful site, great instruction, guidelines. Best recommendation
    to follow, and help your vehicle stay in a tip top shape. I love this
    Website. Excellent 👍 advise for your vehicle. Keep the good work. Look forward to more good advise. Thank you
    Your faithful follower.
    G. Z. Estrada Sr.

  23. This is one of the most useful tips I got from Scotty many years ago. I have been putting honda oem tranny fluid in my suv for the past 9 years and I don't have a single issue today. My suv is like 14 years old.

    Change your tranny fluid almost as frequent as your engine oil. I like to to every other engine oil change.

  24. I noticed the last time I had the fluid and filter changed in my Jeeps transmission at the dealership when I checked the level it was way above the hot full mark even when it was cold. Can having it that over filled damage it?

  25. Great advice!
    You said use OEM fluid!

    Years ago I learned that lesson myself.

    Luckily it only cost me sometime and a few dollars.

    Used a generic brand fluid that was supposed to work in my Ford transmission.

    Almost immediately it caused the transmission to slip.

    Immediately I flushed the generic brand fluid out and put Motorcraft fluid in, problem solved!

    I will never ever use anything other than OEM fluid in any of my cars.

    you're awesome advice will save some people some heartache

  26. not many folks talk about trans fluid temp ! GM wants to keep my chevy colorado 6 speed at 190 plus temp i think thats way to high, even though it calls for Dexon 6 which is new improved and tougher i still see it turning black. why not keep the temp around 150 or even lower ?

  27. Hey scotty. Thanks for the info! I was wondering if driving with a "light foot" help save the life of the transmission. Meaning taking off slow and letting the car shift at lower rpms in an automatic. Or does that not really matter. I'm past the transmission change interval on my car. My dumb self never changed it so I"m hoping that just driving it easier will help the longevity of it. Thanks

  28. Scotty is it possible for you to show us how to change transmission fluid of a lexus ls 460? They said it is a lifetime fluid dough.

  29. What is written on the label that we should be looking for on aftermarket brand please? A sample label would be helpful.

  30. Hey scotty good morning … i like to know if lucas transmission stop slip aditive is going to help my transmission that kiks went it shifts.. my car is an 99 honda prelude automatic…

  31. Love Your Videos Scotty and since you are close to me in Houston, I am learning much on vehicles through your videos. Thank You.

  32. Toyota is very insistent that you use only their oil in the transmission. The manual is written such that it almost sounds threatening .

  33. Scotty, I too grew up at my grandfather side he was a mechanic for 60 years until he was 80 years old, I too have been a mechanic for over 50 years that being said I have found that if most people read and study that book that lives in that plastic envelope in the glove compartments and is not read like the Bible, they would read the instructions as to what the manufacturer says they should do to take care of their car to get the longest life out of it, in other words read the owners manual.

  34. That's why I use only SP3 for my Elantra 2008 Purchase at the Dealer and Cheapest than many other Stores or Web site. I Drain/refill Every 12 or 15 K miles so it keep Clean and Good al the time. What people do too late I do it Early and Save my Transmission.

  35. They don't dip sticks for 3 years or 36.000 miles .its after that that you do . They claim no need to check if not leaking. Still be good check.

  36. I have an old truck and I don’t think the previous owner ever changed the transmission fluid. I’ve heard from other mechanics that changing the transmission fluid on a car that never had it done can ruin the transmission. Not sure if Scotty agrees?

  37. I need help my husband s 1999 Lincoln Town car signature lost power after I adjusted steering wheel first it was brake light then tail lights then not starting for couple of days then started then overheating n brake light on dash on plus battery light… Can u help me figure it out he's blaming me

  38. Stellar video. Honest to God, I was literally thinking about this very topic all day today and then I came across your video Scotty. You answered and clarified every one of the things I had on my mind. Thanks very much, as always Mr K.

  39. Scotty I have a 2014 corolla with 45k miles on it. When do I need to change the transmission fluid on it? Thank you for your informative videos!!

  40. If the correct fluid type is not stamped on the dipstick, you have to do your research and make sure what the type required is. Another issue is back-compatible fluids. These are different than so-called universal fluids, whose main characteristic could be that they are likely to cause universal transmission failure.

    The back-compatible fluid usually means a fluid for new units which is also supposed to be compatible with older units that une Dex II/III particularly. I don't argue that they work but in the unit I used it in , a Toyota 4-speed in a 2001 Camry, I felt that it changed the shift characteristics a little, and how do you know if it is for the better or is putting more stress on the unit? You don't.

    Another issue if you have an old unit which uses DexII/III is the Dr. Doom types who will tell you that GM no longer licenses Dexron II/III and that therefore you can trust that a fluid labeled Dexron (Dexmerc) meets the specification. This is not true at all. What the non-licensing means is that a refiner can make any fluid they want and label it Dexron. But the only possible issue is with some no-name fluid. If you buy a brand-name (Valvoline/Quaker/Penzoil/Castrol or any fluid with the name of a major oil company on it such as Shell, Chevron. Texaco or whatever or a fluid from a box store like Walmart or Sears) their will fluid will nevertheless be formulated to meet the Dexron spec.

    The back-compatible fluids often are either synthetic blend or full synthetic. I am not sure about using synthetic fluid in an older unit where it was not original equipment. I am not going to say, don't use it, but the biggest thing you can do the extend transmission life is to drain and fill regularly and install a transmission oil cooler.

    Having said this, my common sense tells me, don't do any modifications with a late model unit, even install a cooler, until you verify that what you are doing is within the manufacturer's specifications.

  41. Please review the Subaru Cross Trek for me. You never say anything about this model or make. I have just purchased a new Cross Trek. I traded in a 17 Nissan Rouge/sport. I didn’t like how the Rouge felt like driving a golf cart. The Trek feels like a little tank.

  42. I have a 08 crv 4 wheel drive with 160.000 miles and the trans fluid never been changed. Should I change it or is it a big risk

  43. Scotty , what about Amsoil trans fluid for an 1992 Ford Aerostar ? We replaced the gasket / magnet , drilled tapped a drain plug , changed it three times to clean it out . After that we used Amsoil . It shifts nice . but are we getting too spendy or is ams oil a waste of time ?

  44. Scotty I like your "Swedish automatic transmission fluid" .. Absolute … and after a liter or so .. there is no shifting at all!!

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