what is mobil one'* synthetic Atf? that'* all it says on the bottle.. I haven't red the back or anything.. so i'm guessing you guys are implying not to purchase dex III for our bonne'*?


-justin

no idea, i'm no expert on the ATF issue on Bonnevilles. Currently running Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF in the '98 Altima, but it wasn't a flush or a complete (torque converter) drain.

ahh, okay.. now I have no clue what sludge is in there now.. what if I put some dex III in there, and with the crap in it now? Anyone know how to do a complete flush? repin mentioned he didn't do a complete flush.. so now i'm a little confused.. how do you accomplish that?
I appologize for hijacking this thread~


-justin

Not sure on how a complete job would be done at home, but it should be child'* play at a shop. My non-complete fluid change just involved the Nissan'* drain plug and refilling to the proper mark. Any fluid left in the torque converter (lots, i assume) is still in there.

there is a poor mans back yard mechanic way of flushing the trans... but it uses about twice the amount of ATF the trans would normally use

someone else posted it in another thread here about trans slippage (sorry forgot name and too lazy to go back and find it ATM )

NOTE: becareful here you can speed up the wear in your trans if your not on top of everything

(I'm gonna change the order here a lil and some notes at the bottom) - this is alot easier if you have a buddy to help

- make sure the trans is warm... (warm up the car basically), then turn car off
- attach a tube to the bottom steel tube from the trans going into the radiator (get a bucket it'* gonna leak when you crack it open)
- make sure you've got a good large bucket and run the hose into the bucket (good idea to tape the hose to the rim of the bucket to stop it from possibly snaking and getting ATF all over the place)
- set up a funnel in the filler neck for the trans and have all your ATF ready close by
- start the car... run back to the front and start adding fluid as it'* being pumped out of the trans into the bucket
- do this until : 1) the atf comming out is the same color as the atf your pouring in (99% of the time RED) 2) the bucket is full or close to full
- run around and shut the car off (this is where the buddy helps with the start and stop of the car)
- get under the car ... remove the trans pan (yes I know more wasted ATF)... and NOW replace the filter and gasket
- re attach all lines to there proper locations .. and fill to proper level as normal

NOTES:
- the reason I did the pan and filter last is I don't like the idea of a new filter getting full of all the crap I'm flushing out
- again this is something that you have to really stay on top of... and costs more then a standard drop the pan and new filter and fill ... but I've seen the cost of some of the shops that charge to flush a trans... and this way is still cheaper... just don't let the car run if theres no fluid coming outta that hose... means the trans is empty... BAD very BAD


thanks I hope this helps... if I happen to miss anything someone lemme know

yeah I read that too, that is a great explination! Now, there is another way [different, but a little easier, and I don't think you use the same amount of fluid], its in the techinfo. You drop the pan, change the filter, and you use 61/2 quarts [newer bonnes.. this may vary], you then still have the rest of the fluid in the torque converter. So, what you do, is in 1 or 2k miles more, you drop the pan again, and put in 6/12 more quarts.. although for me, I know i have crappy fluid in mine, so I like your method better. But lets say you've done a flush or have had a shop do it, and you know the fluid in there is of great quality, and then dropping the pan and doing a regular change, then in 1 or 2k miles drop it again, and change the fluid again.. that is a little cheaper and quicker way of doing it. That'* just my $.02.

if it helps any here is the link in the tech info
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/techinfo/?article=37


-justin

the only other thing I would add is... when you take the pan off add a drain plug if you haven't or don't have one... the next time you flush it'll take alot of the fluid needed away from the equation ... if you've never had your trans flushed or it'* been a while since the fluids been changed I would definately recommend the method I described above... if you've stayed very up to date with your trans fluid changes and flushes just dumping the pan and changing the filter and adding more should be perfectly fine

if you have the cash to get a shop to do a proper flush .. do it... the above directions are for us poor backyard types

what about us who are so poor we can't afford all that fluid? Oh well, I guess we all have to look at it from the standpoint of, its either $100-$200 now, with an hour or so downtime, or $400 later, with a 20 day downtime. off to eBay to find a great deal on some dex II b&m trick shift.. $4/quart at jegs isnt' cheap enough


-justin

yeah .. I mean the amount of extra ATF it takes really depends on how gross and sludgy your trans is... that'* the wonderful thing about ATF... it'* got detergents in it... cleans **** out while it'* spinnin around in there... (but then it retains it and gets all gross)

all in all it should only take 2-3 quarts more then a usual full trans refill (including filling the TQconv) if your really interested in taking the cost down.... and are swapping to trick shift

use a cheaper normal ATF flush the trans till it'* relatively clean (prolly a couple bottles)
then run your trick shift into it... the trickshift is fully compatible with normal ATF... so even if a lil gets mixxed together it don't care.. or won't even be noticed

I'm actually swapping to trick shift too when the cooler goes on

dude, your so damn smart! der.. why can't I think of using cheap fluid, then filling it with the good stuff? I will wait till after the colder months pass.. then i'll do it. Too bad I have zero physical help, between my mom refusing to help with anything, and my dad just using me to help get his own work done.. I have resorted to my friends, who couldn't tell me the difference between air conditioning and a spark plug.


-justin