a little paranoid are we??

there'* a lot of tranny shops that won't drop pans anymore. they don't want to mess with what happens if they can't get everything to seal back up right.

kind of sad really.

So a tranny filter change requires dropping the pan? Is a tranny fluid change a DIY procedure, or should I have it taken to a shop? If I could do it myself, what would be involved in that process? Thanks.

Is it true that if you have a high milage tranny, you are not supposed to do a full flush?

the full flush is what'* best for your tranny - having them replace fluid while the engine is running. it makes sure that you get all of the old fluid out.

there'* a lot of people who say not to have a full flush done, but i disagree with them. they say that you're going to dislodge a lot of sludge and whatnot that you wouldn't otherwise.

my experience of course, lends just the opposite...

with the new way that they do fluid, it'* a completely seamless event to the transmission. nothing out of the ordinary, as far as it'* concerned. it pumps fluid to the cooler, and new fluid comes back. nothing harmful at all.

when they drop the tranny, there'* actually more of a chance of the gunk falling down, since it'* no longer supported by fluid. i still think that it'* a bunk explination though, as the fluid level is below *all* components in your tranny, save the filter.

so long story short, my informed opinion is...

a) the full flush with engine running is the best thing you can do for your car
b) the full flush won't hurt your car
c) unless you've had serious tranny damage, there'* really no good reason to change your filter. and if there is serious tranny damage, you're going to be pulling the pan to fix it anyway. the metal shavings that are in it right now (that'* supposed to happen, don't worry) aren't of enough size to constitute a problem for your tranny'* lube system. your pump can pull a lot more pressure than it needs to be able to.

Thanks a lot for that explanation. I'll go on your word and have a full flush done, plus I'm adding some Lucas Transmission Fix this time around as preventative maintenance. I hope she'll keep running strong for many more miles.

Could GM build a trans that you could throw as much torque and hp as you wanted and not even thing twice about it? Ya, the have done it in there Mule cars, but it would be inpractical for GM to do this with a production car. It is all about there return on cost. So why would GM overbuild a trans to handle power that would be added by mods that void there worrenty?

Anyways what is the diff. between a 4t60e from a early bonne ('92-95 or whatever it is) and a '97 GT? Or is there even a diff. ? I have a chance to get a really good deal on a ZZP built 4t60e with like 2000 miles.