Can Changing your Transmission Fluid Cause Damage?

1. Excellent teaching Chris. Thanks.

2. Hey guys was wondering if anyone e could help me !Have a 2001 Toyota Camry just bought has 177000 on it and runs good but I can notice when car shifts in some gears it’s not terrible but I can feel it and checked the transmission oil and it not black but brown and has little metal shaving.should I drain and replace it with new trans oil or don’t mess with it ?

3. Beautifuk LT1 man. Just had a TPI… can’t pick the nice ones that come along..hopefully soon an awesome LT1 will pop up

4. So only change your transmission fluid if it's still good…… 🙄

5. With that clean on an engine, even Stevie Wonder can point out where all the dipsticks are. Incredible.

6. Very well explained, thanks.

7. Nice. Some cars torque converters fluid does drain out when changing oil like the bmw ZF8HP. correct me if I’m wrong. Cheers nice vid

8. Dang Chris – your videos are so concise, yet cover the topic completely and are easy for ANYONE to follow. Awesome job!

9. I'm sure that this has been answered but if my fluid is between "good condition" and "need's replacing" I can flush the fluid without worrying about damage due to gunk or heat damage right?

10. I think I've been looking for this video for years..

11. If it hasn't been regularly changed don't do it I learned the hard way $1,700 rebuild

12. Hey. Thanks for your video. My transmission fluid smells burnt and black. Hope changing the fluid won't cause any problems please or should I just continue to use it that way

13. Chris, this is the most informative video I’ve seem on transmission service wether that be changing or flushing the fluid. As a transmission builder I’m asked these same questions pretty much daily and most of the time the customer is still apprehensive about doing a flush or fluid change. I’ve told customers similarly as you stated basically, if the fluid is darker than a maroon color that I only recommend a fluid change. I advise them to do service as the OEM stated in their owners manual or damage will occur. Your explanation and demonstrations of the fluids, and hard parts is remarkably accurate and commendable as a YouTube DIY’er and your channel is always a good recommendation for every individual DIY’er.

    If the customers fluid is pink (very rare) unless recently flushed or red then I recommend a fluid flush although not using a trans flush machine. After 20yrs of diagnosing, rebuilding and maintaining thousands of transmissions for my customers. I’ve always flushed the tranny’s via the trans cooler return line at the trans method as well as removing the pan to replace the filter, clean the pan and magnet. This insures the torque converter, valve body assy(s), clutch packs, lubrication circuits, trans cooler and lines are flushed of as much debris (clutch material, varnish & metal or moisture contamination) as humanly possible.

    The only Transmissions that didn’t work for or that started slipping afterward were transmissions that were well on their way out and in need a rebuild in the first place. Your repeated stating of “follow the OEM owners manual” is by far the best advise you can give a customer. As far as transmissions that use “lifetime fluid” is just that, once the fluid has been heated to the point of viscosity breakdown it is no longer a good viscosity for lubrication and is now only a friction modifier therefore it needs to be replaced. I’ve got literally hundreds of customers that will state that fact after I showed them the condition of their old fluid and the damage and in some cases the carnage it caused.

14. Chris I was wondering if you minded if I put a screenshot of the cups of fluid on my page…3:10 in is the shot I'd like to use. I don't mind linking you for citation… if it you don't mind lmk FB /abtransrebuild Thanks

15. Thanks

16. I don't even have an auto trans but I am still watching this video for knowledge.

17. Sweet knowledge! Thanks so much

18. Too many stories of problems after changing/flushing fluid.

19. what if my automatic transmission fluid smells burnt but still looks pinkish/brownish?

20. my tranmission fluid is clear what does that mean are they suppose to be pink ?

21. I always drain about 4 quarts and replenish… next couple of oil changes I repeat the process and each older car I’ve done this with still has original trans I buy older cars and high mileage and this process has never let me down yet … I also use sea foam trans additive in all my vehicles… can’t go wrong

22. Good stuff!

23. My 2016 mazda 3 is at 167 000 miles and I never did the transmission fluid change or flush, as it wasn't recommended.

24. So if the transmission fluid is dark as hell and hasn’t ever been changed , do I just drain the fluid out the pan and swap the filter and only put as much as I lost in fluid back ? And if that’s the case is it okay to mix new fluid when the transmission itself is still holding a shit load of old fluid?

25. Changing WON'T cause damage but FLUSHING it will. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT flush a transmission. Never.

26. One of the best Youtube videos ever.

27. How about if the oil has bubbles on the dipstick?

28. Thank you ChrisFix. For the past few days, I've been searching to learn more about the trouble I think I have with my 4 cylinder 2001 Honda Accord and found your video very helpful. Question: I didn't see anything about transmission filters in this video. Is there one that can be serviced in my Accord? Recently, I service the solenoids and cleaned the screens, but not sure about transmission filter.

29. @ChrisFix My car never had a transmission oil change since 17 years now – what should i do? Checking first if there is a lot of dirt in the gearbox? If yes – keep the old oil. If no – do a 4 liters change first and after 1000 miles another one? I have a Vito W638

30. Thank you

31. My fluid doesn't look all that bad it may be in the middle of what you said so I would want to do a flush, but what if I want to change the filter as well what would you suggest ?

32. So basically if my fluid is black/burnt & has metallic specks in it, then I'm fucked and i just gotta keep driving on the same burnt fluid until the transmission finally gives up lol

33. Sometimes using standard trans fluid, the insides build up a coat of varnish.
    Years ago I replaced the fluid and filter in a 68 Dodge. A few days later it didn't want to move when I put it in drive. But as soon as it warmed up a bit it would move just fine. A guy at work told me the new fluid removed varnish from inside the trans and clogged the new filter. So I bought a new filter and dropped the pan. Sure enough, the filter was partially clogged. The fluid was already a bit dark so I didn't reuse it. I closed it up and ran it a week before checking the fluid. It was a nice clean pink, no other problems.

    But that was with the old world dinosaur oil. Now I only use synthetic, it is so much better.

34. I noticed it was Chris Fix and leaned back knowing I am watching the whole ass video!

35. Awesome video thank you!

36. awesome

37. When I accelerate to 20 miles my 2014 jerks or slips .so is changing oil the solution?

38. Transmissions, … more than meets the eye.

39. Appreciate it. You answered questions I have had for awhile

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