Well, I changed my transmission fluid yesterday. It was actually darker than I expected it to be. This worries me because I apparently have a newer transmission that isn’t covered by the extended warranty. Hopefully I’ll be fine for a while.

I took out the drain plug and not only was the fluid darker than I expected it to be, but there was sludge on the drain bolt. So I let it all drain out good and empty and filled it back up. I am thinking about driving several hundred miles and doing it again. The sludge is a concern of mine. I think if I run the new, clean fluid through it for a while, it will free it all up and I can flush it out with another change.

 

Usually most do a drain fill a few times in 1 day. The sludge on the drain plug isnt much of a issue if its original. The drain plug is magnetic

 

That's the impression I got from some of the threads. In my opinion I just thought I'd run it a bit with fresh stuff and then do it again.

Now, i've never ripped apart a tranny or anything, so I don't know if there are buildup areas or anything. Are you saying that by driving it between changes isn't going to benefit all that much or doesn't it really matter?

 

Usually just getting the temp to operating temp and cycling it thru all the gears to mix. (just a short city drive)

 

I'm guessing on this one, but I'll bet you're more likely to see crap sticking to the plug on the first fluid change, as it's the garbage generated by the assembly and break-in of the tranny. Kind of like the initial oil change for the engine...a first-time change is suggested with relatively low mileage when the car is new.

 

 

The new TL requires trans fluid change, so its a good idea for all of us to do on a regular basis.
Do the 3x method then maybe once a year do a 1x change depending on driving style and conditions