QuestionQUESTION: A mechanic said my transmission fluid looks burned, but changing the fluid could cause additional junk to clog the transmission fluid filter, and the filter is only accessible by pulling the entire transmission out. Is this true? What do you suggest I do? (BTW, there's less than 80,000 miles on the car).
ANSWER: I haven't seen your transmission fluid, so it's difficult for me to make a good assessment.
That having been said, the SPIII fluid in the transmission turns dark in relatively short order. This doesn't mean it's burnt. The service interval recommended in the manual is 105,000 miles or whenever the fluid is in poor condition. So it'd be my recommendation that if the fluid is indeed in poor condition, that you should replace it.
Here's what I look for to determine whether the fluid is in poor condition:
1. I dab a few drops on my hand and look at it. If it's dark and mostly opaque, I recommend servicing. If it's dark but still relatively transparent, it's probably okay.
2. I smell the fluid. It will normally have something of a fruity odor. If this odor is present, it's probably okay. If not or it smells burnt, it should be replaced.
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QUESTION: What I really need to know is - could changing the transmission fluid cause additional grime to clog the transmission fluid filter AND if so, do they really have to pull out the entire transmission to change the filter? That's expensive!
AnswerIt won't cause it to clog the filter. If this grime is already in your transmission and capable of being sucked up in the fluid sump, then it's already made its way to the filter. Replacing the fluid cannot possibly introduce more grime to the filter; it can only remove that which hasn't yet been caught in the filter.
