Auto box oil change or not?

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Toprulesman

Active Member
Posts
152
Location
kettering, Northants.
Ok, read lots and lots. Some say "DONT do it", others say "yes, change the auto box oil regularly" year before last my flexi plate gave up the ghost wrecking my auto box 30 miles from home! RAC got me to my indi LR garage and a exchange box ordered from Ashcroft's and fitted by my garage all done within a week! However, two years have passed and I am wondering whether to replace the oil now, very undecided, any strong opinions to help me decide please? :scratching_chin::scratching_chin:
 
yes change oil and regularly ,oil change only becomes an issue with old boxes that havent had regularly oil changes,but even the without an oil change that might cause governor issues service life of box isnt long anyway
 
Why wouldn't you change it? It's an easy job, takes about 30mins tops and will cost about £20 for 5 ltrs of Dexron III atf. Apart from anything else if YOU do it, you'll know the state of the old oil as it comes out - just change it.


Dave
 
the reason there is confusion is this faq from ashcrofts.

Ashcroft Transmissions

"I have a 4 speed ZF Auto and it sticks in first gear in the morning or when cold and is reluctant to change up from 1st gear. Once the gearbox has warmed up it shifts normally. Why?

The governor valve is sticking, which can be caused by contamination. i.e. clutch plates or other parts disintegrating. The fine debris finds its way past the filter and tends to accumulate in the governor, causing it to stick. A temporary solution is to remove and clean the governor. The problem will often recur as debris from damaged parts continues to build up in the governor. If the problem continues after cleaning the governor then it may be necessary it replace your Autobox.

We have noticed many customers reporting this fault starting a few days after an oil and filter change and after researching this using our experience and the expertise of others in the trade we have come to the conclusion that as ATF oil is a detergent type oil, when the oil is changed this will dislodge and stir up settled debris in the autobox which in turn jams the governor valve. In light of this although it sounds controversial it is debateable if changing the oil and filter is a good idea, some say if the box it going to fail it will fail if the oil is good or bad and their advice is leave it alone. I am still undecided but the truth is I get a lot of calls from customers thinking they are looking after the autobox by servicing it and a few days later this fault occurs."
 
Another 'detergent oil' myth.

Unless you have had extreme clutch plate wear or something disintegrate inside, there is no sludge in an auto box as such, just a very fine film of deposits that is thrown down over time.

If the oil change is done properly and keeping things clean it should make no difference to a healthy box in terms of disruption through debris being disturbed.

I change my manual box oil every 2 years or 30,000 miles, that's the sort of period I'd be looking at for an auto box as well.

Peter
 
It is also compounded by the filter only being a mesh screen,and not really a filter at all.It is a shame there is not a true filter fitted (I guess the temps are too high).When my box failed there was nothing caught on the mesh screen,so I question the point of changing the screen filter,but I am changing the oil yearly.
 
hifly said:
the reason there is confusion is this faq from ashcrofts.

Ashcroft Transmissions

"I have a 4 speed ZF Auto and it sticks in first gear in the morning or when cold and is reluctant to change up from 1st gear. Once the gearbox has warmed up it shifts normally. Why?

The governor valve is sticking, which can be caused by contamination. i.e. clutch plates or other parts disintegrating. The fine debris finds its way past the filter and tends to accumulate in the governor, causing it to stick. A temporary solution is to remove and clean the governor. The problem will often recur as debris from damaged parts continues to build up in the governor. If the problem continues after cleaning the governor then it may be necessary it replace your Autobox.

We have noticed many customers reporting this fault starting a few days after an oil and filter change and after researching this using our experience and the expertise of others in the trade we have come to the conclusion that as ATF oil is a detergent type oil, when the oil is changed this will dislodge and stir up settled debris in the autobox which in turn jams the governor valve. In light of this although it sounds controversial it is debateable if changing the oil and filter is a good idea, some say if the box it going to fail it will fail if the oil is good or bad and their advice is leave it alone. I am still undecided but the truth is I get a lot of calls from customers thinking they are looking after the autobox by servicing it and a few days later this fault occurs."
Click to expand...
That applies to the non electronic version of the box, I would still change the oil.
 
listerdiesel said:
Another 'detergent oil' myth.

Unless you have had extreme clutch plate wear or something disintegrate inside, there is no sludge in an auto box as such, just a very fine film of deposits that is thrown down over time.

If the oil change is done properly and keeping things clean it should make no difference to a healthy box in terms of disruption through debris being disturbed.

I change my manual box oil every 2 years or 30,000 miles, that's the sort of period I'd be looking at for an auto box as well.

Peter
Click to expand...

it was fairly common with older governor controlled boxes with oil change,but generally with boxes that hadnt had many oil changes
 
I would agree to change oil.
When I had my 300Tdi auto I had all oils changed at 24k(except engine every 6k)
Worth the money spent. I had my Disco for 9 years and it had 3 changes in that time.
Each time oil was very clean. Changed the filter the first time but after that only the oil.
AS others have said, definitely good to do.
 
Thank you everyone for the sound advice. I shall be changing the oil next weekend, i have the sump gasket, filter and o rings all ready to go, just got to get 5 litres of ATF Dexron III.:)
 
Toprulesman said:
Thank you everyone for the sound advice. I shall be changing the oil next weekend, i have the sump gasket, filter and o rings all ready to go, just got to get 5 litres of ATF Dexron III.:)
Click to expand...

Just in case you are not familiar with the procedure for re-filling the auto box it is as follows:

1. Start procedure with a cold engine

2. Open level/fill plug on front face of autobox sump and start filling with Dexron III until it starts to run back out from the same hole - you'll get between 2 and 2.5ltrs in at this stage; Leave the level fill plug hole open;

3. Now start the engine, leave it ticking over and cycle through all gear lever positions pausing in each one 2 secs; then back to 'P'

4. Get back under the car and continue the re-filling (approx another 2ltrs) or until it starts to overflow; then refit level/fill plug and torque up to spec


And Relax.............................


Dave
 
thebiglad said:
Just in case you are not familiar with the procedure for re-filling the auto box it is as follows:

1. Start procedure with a cold engine

2. Open level/fill plug on front face of autobox sump and start filling with Dexron III until it starts to run back out from the same hole - you'll get between 2 and 2.5ltrs in at this stage; Leave the level fill plug hole open;

3. Now start the engine, leave it ticking over and cycle through all gear lever positions pausing in each one 2 secs; then back to 'P'

4. Get back under the car and continue the re-filling (approx another 2ltrs) or until it starts to overflow; then refit level/fill plug and torque up to spec


And Relax.............................


Dave
Click to expand...
Exactement and change the oil again after a few hundred miles as only half comes out:)
 
My disco 1 auto has hit 150k now , the auto box was serviced at about 60k .

I had a leak on the gearbox cooler so swapped that for a replacement , the oil that escaped from the cooler was Dark brown well nearer black than pink , so i might change it .

Box works great at the moment
 
Festerer said:
My disco 1 auto has hit 150k now , the auto box was serviced at about 60k .

I had a leak on the gearbox cooler so swapped that for a replacement , the oil that escaped from the cooler was Dark brown well nearer black than pink , so i might change it .

Box works great at the moment
Click to expand...

Change it quick-my box failed quickly with oil that colour-had to renew from Ashcroft
 
Change it.

I tow a bit and change it every 2 years or 20k miles whether it needs it or not.

Dirty oil will definitely cause problems in due course,

cheers
 
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