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So I looked in the vortex handbook to check the method of a ATF change as I had never done an auto before, always had it done during the annual rego check as autos always scared me a little.
It sounded easy enough, so i gave it a go, the handbook said it holds over 7 litres but a typical drain only dropped around 2, so I got a 5 litre bottle...

I decided to drain it when cold as I figured most of the sediment would be at the bottom of the pan.

over 7 litres came out:eek: so I had to go for a little drive in the wife's car and get more, but at least I guess most of the old fluid came out!

So, now I know, drain it cold and you need a little over 7.5 litres

Most of which is probably common knowledge, but I thought I'd put it down anyway, it may prevent someone else being caught-short.

auto boxes always scared me too, and their rebuild cost, so as a 15 year old box started to slip on me I reefed it out and went manual. Did the same with my GLTA.

Now Nev, think about the donut hanging off the drive plate... it holds a fair bit of fluid and it usually sits there and spills all over the place when it is removed from tranny. You not likely to have replaced that fluid in your auto service, be much the same as any service centre not completely draining your tranny.

No scared no more? Good stuff

When I flushed the tranny it in my Outback, drained then filled the pan, and then took off both pipes to the tranny cooler, and put the send pipe into my dirty oil bucket, and put the return pipe into the new oil container. I then started the engine and ran it till the oil coming out the send pipe turned clean, then switched off and topped up the oil, and all is good. Is supposed to flush entire system.

Off topic, Steptoe, what is with your sig pic?

Now that's a good idea Gannon - so does the gearbox actually suck fluid back in as well as pump it out to the cooler?

Yeah it did. I suppose its because pumping out fluid creates a vacuum and sucks in fresh. The breather pipe at the top of the gearbox is small so there is a little vacuum lost there.

Did you do the tranny filter while you were at it? I'm curious to know if its the same as the later 4EAT boxes, i'm assuming it would be.

...didnt get brave enough to take the pan off. My Wife's MY99 WRX has a spi-on filter, which is handy!

Yeah I changed the spin on oil filter, even though the FSM states that its not necessary to