Trans fluid drain/fill and filter service

[ReaperHWK]

I have a 2015 Tahoe LTZ with 165k miles. Trans was last serviced at 80k miles. Figure it’s time to get that done. For a service coupon in mail saying $250 for the service. Called the dealer and they tell me the Tahoe is extra because it takes 13 qts blah blah and it will be $365 for jist drain/fill and another $80 if the tech says he needs to change the filter.

Seems excessive. I would have done it for $250 but not $450.

Isn’t this service just pumping out the old fluid from the drain hole, dropping the pan, installing filter, closing it all up, and pumping trans fluid back in? What is the deal with the $450 lol.

Does this thing really take 13 qts? I am 90% probably going to do this myself.

Anything I’m missing?

 

[OBSandaNNBS]

Bait 'n switch?

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Try contacting AAMCO or a local shop with transmission fluid changing equipment and see what prices they are charging.

 

[B-train]

A fluid flush would be close to the 13 qts. Dropping the pan, changing the filter, and refilling would be about 6 quarts. This is assuming you have the 6 speed trans.

10/10 I would do the 6 speed from home for sure since it has the factory dipstick tube. You could just drop the pan, suck it dry, reinstall, and top off with 6 quarts of new. If the filter was replaced at 80k, and the fluid still looks red-ish, then I'd just do what I mentioned.

Or, you can pry down the exhaust slightly, weasel the pan out, and plop in a new filter. All up to you and your mechanical aptitude.

 

[ReaperHWK]

I might do that, but I also been doing some reading online and lots of guys are saying to NOT do the flush and for older trans just to drop the pan and to a change. You'll only get half the fluid out but it won't disturb the tranny much.

What would you do?

Again it's a 2015, 165k miles, trans fluid was either changed or flushed at 80k(not sure exactly, was on carfax and I didn't own car then).

 

[ReaperHWK]

A fluid flush would be close to the 13 qts. Dropping the pan, changing the filter, and refilling would be about 6 quarts. This is assuming you have the 6 speed trans.

10/10 I would do the 6 speed from home for sure since it has the factory dipstick tube. You could just drop the pan, suck it dry, reinstall, and top off with 6 quarts of new. If the filter was replaced at 80k, and the fluid still looks red-ish, then I'd just do what I mentioned.

Or, you can pry down the exhaust slightly, weasel the pan out, and plop in a new filter. All up to you and your mechanical aptitude.

Thanks, yu posted this same time as my previous reply. This seems like the route I'll go.

 

[Badbob]

Post how you made out doing it yourself I need to do the same thing on my 2016 ltz
It has 129.000 I don’t know if the filter has ever been changed

 

[ReaperHWK]

Post how you made out doing it yourself I need to do the same thing on my 2016 ltz
It has 129.000 I don’t know if the filter has ever been changed

Sure. I plan to do the filter and a change. Probably won’t do this job until September when it gets cooler around here though. Not a fan of working out in 95 degree heat with 85% humidity.

 

[jaxscuby]

i had so much fun trying to wiggle the transmission pan past the valve body..no go.
of course I read up on the filter service and watch videos that don't at least partial drop the Y pipe.

yes, the y pipe was close too the transmission pan to not allow me to rotate, wiggle, the pan out.

it can be done in your driveway, ramps at least to gain room to partially drop the y pipe,
at the exhaust manifolds and connection to the rest of cat-back portion the exhaust.

my filter kit came with 6 quarts of fluid and we all know the converter & transmission take 13
quarts in total. so I know there will be 7 quarts of older fluid left.

now just trying to figure out how to get a 3 gallon bucket with an outlet to the transmission cooler
out line, while draining the in line into another 5 gallon bucket.

all the service machines says they operate at around 60psi.

 

[Bagherra]

Isnt there a certain procedure as far as filling with fluid ...something about certain temp?

 

[jaxscuby]

For a 6L80 transmission, perform a drain and fill when the transmission fluid temperature (TFT) is between 85°F and 120°F (30°C to 50°C).

 

[jyi786]

i had so much fun trying to wiggle the transmission pan past the valve body..no go.
of course I read up on the filter service and watch videos that don't at least partial drop the Y pipe.

yes, the y pipe was close too the transmission pan to not allow me to rotate, wiggle, the pan out.

it can be done in your driveway, ramps at least to gain room to partially drop the y pipe,
at the exhaust manifolds and connection to the rest of cat-back portion the exhaust.

my filter kit came with 6 quarts of fluid and we all know the converter & transmission take 13
quarts in total. so I know there will be 7 quarts of older fluid left.

now just trying to figure out how to get a 3 gallon bucket with an outlet to the transmission cooler
out line, while draining the in line into another 5 gallon bucket.

all the service machines says they operate at around 60psi.

I have 169K miles and I just did my typical 30K mile service on my 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV, which included a full transmission fluid change via "transfusion" method, then dropping the pan, changing the filter, and refilling. I used 22 quarts for the full service; 14 of those for the transfusion.

I did NOT have to disconnect or pull down any of the exhaust. The transmission pan sneaks out EASILY by using the correct angle. The thing that stops most people is the gasket. If you try to remove the pan with the gasket in place, it will not come out. You have to separate the gasket from the pan, angle the pan to the right of the vehicle, and the pan drops right out by sneaking right past the corner of the valve body. I've done this at least 5 times now, and it works every time.

Granted, this is a 10L80 transmission, which is different from the OP, but it's still a K2X truck.

 

[JoeBlobs]

I have 169K miles and I just did my typical 30K mile service on my 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV, which included a full transmission fluid change via "transfusion" method, then dropping the pan, changing the filter, and refilling. I used 22 quarts for the full service; 14 of those for the transfusion.

I did NOT have to disconnect or pull down any of the exhaust. The transmission pan sneaks out EASILY by using the correct angle. The thing that stops most people is the gasket. If you try to remove the pan with the gasket in place, it will not come out. You have to separate the gasket from the pan, angle the pan to the right of the vehicle, and the pan drops right out by sneaking right past the corner of the valve body. I've done this at least 5 times now, and it works every time.

Granted, this is a 10L80 transmission, which is different from the OP, but it's still a K2X truck.

It depends on the model. I watched someone slide the pan out no problem on a Silverado, but I was not able to get it out after disconnecting the trans mount AND prying the exhaust down. It's not the same between trucks.
I was pressed for time so I didn't fully remove the pan, but I was still able to replace the filter and clean the magnet and bottom of the pan with it in place.