I have a 2008 CBP TL at 66k miles and I finally got a service notice to change the transmission fluid. I got the car last year at 52k miles and figure I'd have to change the fluid soon.

IDK the service history with the car, because it belonged to some older women in Connecticut and she drove a lot of high way miles. I knew I had to change the transmission fluid because the car would "shutter" while it was downshifting.

I've been reading up the forum for the past weeks now and I pretty much decided on putting in Redline ATF Racing Type-F. I'm also going to dedicate an entire Saturday or Sunday doing a 3x3 drain and fill.

My question to you guys is this: Since IDK the service history of the car, I can only assume that the previous owner put in Z-1 ATF in the past. If I want to put in new ATF, will this cause any problems? I know doing a 3x3 won't completely remove all the older fluid (should be 98.7% removed I think), but will this cause any problems since the car has only been given OEM ATF?

Also, I read that a couple of people mix 8 quarts of the Type-F ATF and 1 quart of the D4 ATF. Is this something I should do as well or should I just completely fill 9 quarts of the Type-F ATF? If I do the optimal racing mixture of 65% should I immediately pour the D4 after pouring the Type-F during my 3rd drain and fill or wait a while? Do I even need to do an optimal racing mixture? I don't really gun my car when I drive (sometimes I do on the highway), 85% of the time I'm driving in the city with a lot of stop and go driving.

Should I be worried about doing a 3x3 as well? I've read some people had tranny failures, because they didn't let the old fluid mix with the new fluid.

I've never really worked on any cars before, but I did a lot of other DIY'ers in my life. The videos and pics look very straight forward. I just want to be super careful with my car.

On a side note: Do you guys think I should change my spark plugs or anything else that should be changed or serviced? I'm getting pretty decent MPG (17-18 city in NYC). Gonna get a Wix air filter soon though and maybe change the cabin air filter as well. I was gonna get the break motive rotors and pads and was thinking about changing the break fluid too. Power steering fluid might need a change as well.

Sorry about the long post. I just wanted to be through before I dove in with two feet.

 

Also, I wanted to add

I'd like to have smooth as butter shifts. I'm tired of the "shuttering" or "lunging" when I stop.

 

^^^believe or not that lunging you describe actually normal I had encounter this on a loaner which has only 1100 miles. I was like wtf really.

 

If I were you, I would only do a 1x3 but with the Redline TypeF. Change out the 3/4 gear pressure sensors while you're at it.

Regarding changing out spark plugs for improving MPG- I would say you'll be wasting your time and money on that idea. Check out the MPG threads and you'll see that you have normal numbers if the average MPH (on MID) reads < 25 MPH which I'm sure your car will read on a per-tank basis. The TL is an amazingly consistent car for MPG. Bring the average MPH up to 50+ while doing a road trip and you'll be seeing 30+ MPG.

 

^^^^ Good advice above. I'm not sure what you mean by "stuttering and lunging," but that does not sound normal (and sounds more like pressure switches than fluid to me). Use OEM spec spark plugs.

 

My 2006 TL lunges when it downshifts going down a hill. I think what you are experiencing is the "grade logic control", i personally dont see the point in this technology due to the awkward lunge from the tranny downshifting but others like it. Although Redline ATF is probably your best choice in tranny fluid for the TL. I still use the Honda's ATF.. DW-1.. This is the newer ATf from honda, I've done 4 drain and fill with the DW-1. The shifts are not as smooth as the Z-1 but that's because there's less friction modifier in it (which is a good thing). Redline is ~$12 qt and the DW-1 is ~$7.. I can do 3 tranny drain for every 2 redline. I like to keep my fluid pink like it should be so i went with the DW-1 route.

I change my fluid every other oil change, so it's about once every 10k mile ish.

my car has 105k right now. I've replaced the 3rd and 4th pressure switches. I also replaced the 6 spark plugs at 60k. I was shocked when i took them out. The Gap was ridiculously off, i can't imagine going by the manual and wait till 100k to replace them. You can get 6 of them for 50ish on ebay. The car performs better and idles a lot smoother after you replace them with new ones.

That's my advice from my experience with my 06 TL

 

1x3 change only? My car is at 60k miles now and IDK if the previous owner ever changed the ATF. I'm almost certain the fluid is black.

Even when I shift from P to D, I feel a shutter. This is not normal at all. I really think I need to do a 3x3.

What do I have to do to get smooth as butter shifts?

 

listen to the guys, do a 1X3 now with all racing ATF. Then do another 1X3 racing ATF on the next oil change, which around 5000 miles. Lastly another 1X3 with 2ATF and 1D4 after another 5000 miles

 

Can someone tell me why I should just do a 1x3 instead of a 3x3? If it's just the time consumption issue, then that's not a problem for me.

 

it has nothing to do with time.

your car has 60k miles on it and during those 60k miles it has only had ONE type of ATF in the vehicle (you're right, it's probably never been changed by the previous owner)

that said, you want to do a 1x3 over the course of a few oil changes to slowly introduce this NEW type of ATF into the vehicle. you don't want to shock the system by doing a complete 3x3 because you want to see how the car reacts to the new fluid. if things start improving, go ahead and do another 1x3 later, and so on.

 

I decided against using the Type-F fluid and will use Redline D4 instead.

I don't want have the "lunging" feeling every time I come to a stop or downshift. I also read that if I use the optimal racing performance % with 8 quarts of Type-F and 1 quart of D4--I wont shift as smooth as butter.

Smooth shifts are my #1 priority and that is all I want with this car. I don't track the car and I do no race. I speed a little here and there on the highway, but not enough to have racing fluid.

What do you guys think? Am I better off going with the D4 all around or should I still do the 8 Qts of Type-F and 1 Qt of D4?

 

Make sure & loosen your fill plug before you drain the fluid, sometimes these guys have a lot of trouble breaking it loose, then they're sort of stranded without the car & have to fill it through the dipstick tube.

 

Sir you need to only do 1x3 change with the fluid of your choice. You won't get more than 3 quarts at a time out of the tranny. Then wait a week, do it again, and another week do it again. If you want a good solid change. You need to get the fluid out of. The torque converter. Doing this all at once won't do that.

 

this thread has been a big help i just have one question then, i know each person has their own opinion on what to use but what is the most preferred tranny fluid i have to do mine as well and want to know the best out there for our cars that is being used.

 

I used a skinny funnel with a straw attached to the end to fill through the dipstick. It was extremely easy and I didn't need to bother with the full bolt.

 

I run a mixture of 2/3 DW-1 + 1/3 type F and like my shift quality

 

I've never had Redline or Amsoil fluids turn any color but the bright red they are when new. No color change here. Changing the fluid every 10k is a waste and it does not address the problems with this transmission. The problem is FM level and switches. You can run a higher quality fluid much, much longer without worry of oxidation. Even with DW-1, 10k is too soon. While the fluid turning brown can be an indicator of something being wrong, some fluids turn colors just from heat cycling. It's just a fluid similar to 20wt motor oil with a different additive package and red dye to identify it.