Scheduled trans service

[Curt Baker]

Ten years ago when I had my '05 Suburban 2500 8.1L (12K tow capacity) trans serviced, I had it done at the dealer because unlike Jiffy Lube the dealer actually pulled the pan and replaced the filter.

Today I took my '13 Yukon XL 2500 (9K tow capacity ... progress??) in for trans service and was told they use a vacuum and even vacuum the filter.

More progress? Is it possible to really do the same quality with a vacuum?

Thanks,
Curt

 

[PG01]

No way dude, i would insist they drop pan and change filter... how many miles?

 

[Curt Baker]

No way dude, i would insist they drop pan and change filter... how many miles?

75K

GM says 50K for hard use and 100K for regular so since we tow a bit I split the difference.

 

[PG01]

75K

GM says 50K for hard use and 100K for regular so since we tow a bit I split the difference.

I would be dropping the pan bud

 

[intheburbs]

Last time I had the trans serviced, I took it to the dealer for a full flush. Only reason I'll ever go to a dealership. Pretty sure it wasn't a vacuum job. Used about 18 quarts, IIRC.

185k miles, original trans, frequently ridden hard and put away wet, pulling an 8600lb trailer all over, including the Rockies.

 

[PG01]

I wouldn’t care if you were pulling a small utility trailer, imo changing the filter is the better option. Would you vacuum out your oil filter and continue to run same filter for 100,000? Im no trans guy, or even a mechanic for that matter, but i do know dirt and heat will kill a transmission. Tranny fluid is a lubricant as well as a cleaner so the cleaner and cooler you can keep it the better it will lubricate. My opinion only. Good luck and happy trails.

 

[Curt Baker]

Just to be clear ... this work was done at a GMC dealer. I talked to the Service Director today. He said they switched to the vacuum method about five years ago and claims it is better because it sucks out all the fluid including the torque converter.

What I want to know is ... is this a GMC directive or only this one dealer?

 

[swathdiver]

Just to be clear ... this work was done at a GMC dealer. I talked to the Service Director today. He said they switched to the vacuum method about five years ago and claims it is better because it sucks out all the fluid including the torque converter.

What I want to know is ... is this a GMC directive or only this one dealer?

Where I live, every one I've spoken to does it that way now and has for some time. I let them do it to mine and all is well.

When I managed a Jiffy Lube in the 1990s, we had the new fluid exchange machines and in training were taught that the transmission filters were actually only pickup screens. Yeah right I said to myself. But I did many thousands of transmissions that way and never had one fail.

My local dealer also told me that they clean out the filter by backflushing it too. Now that my Y-pipe is two pieces and easier to remove, I shall drop the pan next time and have a look.

Those of you with Tech2s and 6-speed transmissions, in the TCM module, there is an internal transmission oil life monitor. Mine was in the low 30% range when I had it done at 117K and the fluid was reddish brown. I reset it with the Tech2. It's been about 10K miles since and it's still in the 90% range last time I looked.

 

[kbuskill]

Where I live, every one I've spoken to does it that way now and has for some time. I let them do it to mine and all is well.

When I managed a Jiffy Lube in the 1990s, we had the new fluid exchange machines and in training were taught that the transmission filters were actually only pickup screens. Yeah right I said to myself. But I did many thousands of transmissions that way and never had one fail.

My local dealer also told me that they clean out the filter by backflushing it too. Now that my Y-pipe is two pieces and easier to remove, I shall drop the pan next time and have a look.

Those of you with Tech2s and 6-speed transmissions, in the TCM module, there is an internal transmission oil life monitor. Mine was in the low 30% range when I had it done at 117K and the fluid was reddish brown. I reset it with the Tech2. It's been about 10K miles since and it's still in the 90% range last time I looked.

Not sure if my 4 speed has that transmission oil life monitor or not BUT I wonder what happens when it gets to zero %.

Do you think it would set a CEL or anything?

The only reason I ask is because I did a complete fluid exchange but didn't reset the transmission OLM if it even has one.

I also wonder if it actually has a way of testing the fluid or if it is simply based on mileage and temperature etc.

Kinda like the engine OLM...

Mine will tell me to change the oil long before I actually need to since I run the dual remote mount oil filters that are more than twice the size of the stock oil filter each and Mobil 1 full synthetic 15,000 mile oil which I usually change at about 10,000 mile service intervals.

 

[DeltaKilo]

When I changed the trans fluid on my truck (2012 Sierra w/ 60K miles) i used the vacuum to suck the fluid out before dropping the pan so it didn't spill as much. There was only a small amount of fluid left in the pan, but it got most of it out. The magnet was covered with fine material though, so i would think you would want to clean that off and the filter change can't hurt. I can see why the dealer wouldn't do it on every change though since it does take a good bit more work to drop the pan and tighten the bolts to spec.