Parker Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 I've read all the postings regarding proper transmission service and am running into a bit of a problem. I own a 1997 Eldorado Touring Coupe which I purchased new, and which now has approximately 82,000 miles. My driving cycle is mixed city/highway and the car is very well maintained. I have not yet had anything done to the transmission. The car shifts beautifully, no problems whatsoever, no transmission fluid leaks. I'm just thinking that a fluid and filter change would be beneficial at this mileage. I contacted three Cadillac dealers in my area, not only my regular maintenance dealer, but two others as well. None will change the fluid. They all want to flush the transmission. When I persisted that flushes made me nervous and that I just wanted the pan dropped and the side cover bolt removed for draining, thay told me couldn't do it without removing the transmission. One dealer quoted me a price of $500 not including filters and a new gasket. The other (my regular dealer) told me it would likely cost me over $1,000. All three said what I was requesting was VERY labor intensive. What are my options here? The tranny isn't giving me any problems, it shifts fine, doesn't leak. I'm not looking for problems here. Should I just let it go until the DIC message pops up and change it then. It looks like it's only a question of time before this happens and I will then be in the same postion I'm in now. The dealers all say they flush all the time with no problems. My dealer said he would flush and replace the filters and gasket for around $200. Is it worth having them just drop the pan, replace the filters, clean the pan & magnet, and NOT drain the side cover? They claim that draining the side cover is what makes the job so labor intensive. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks, Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Are you willing to change the fluid yourself for the cost of a case of fluid without even getting under the car? Break into the plumbing that returns the fluid from the radiator back to the transmission. Use a length of flexible hose connected to the radiator fitting and into a 3 or 5 gallon bucket. Fire up the engine at idle and the tranny pump will do the rest. Shut off the engine as soon as the fluid stops flowing. This does not address your filter (screen) concern, but it will keep several hundred dollars in your pocket and you will know all the fluid has been replaced. Plus you have remained miles away from someone's flushing machine. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 If you can't or don't want to do this yourself, call some local trans shops and see what they say. Draining the side cover is no harder than draining the crankcase once the pan is down. Either they are stroking you or they don't know what they are talking about. In either case, they have proven that you do not want them touching your car. Theoretically, the side case holds most of the fluid (didn't on my '97 Deville when I did it) so it MUST be drained. There are no filters to be changed either. There are two screens that are usually perfectly clean. At worst, you just rinse them and put them back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 If you do not want to mess with tranny, you might want a shop to do what JimD recommended. That's what I would do having only 82.000 miles and no problem with shifts. I assume ATF smells and looks good (no burnt smell). The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spurlee Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 I own a 1997 Eldorado Touring Coupe which I purchased new, and which now has approximately 82,000 miles. My 1996 has 125,000 miles on it - a mix of highway and local streets. I just checked and my ATF is as fresh as new. I'd not invite trouble and let it be... Just my 2 cents. Scott 1996 El Dorado 2006 STS 2000 Corvette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 i was also wondering myself my trnas fliud percentage hasnt changed at all however i know its been serviced !!! michael s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Never, never, EVER flush an automatic transmission. Many prople do not have their transmissions flushed until they are almost failed. If your transmission is the next one to be flushed and the tech gets the lines reversed...you get all the debris from the last transmission into yours. Sure the techs are trained but EVERONE makes mistakes - I for one wouldn't risk it. Also, by flushing, you don't get the opportunity to clean the magnet and check the screens. There have been numerous cases where a perfectly functioning transmission has been flushed only to fail inshort order. Your car shouldn't need a fluid change until 100,000 miles - keep looking for a shop that will do it right or do it yourself. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 We own a shop. we dont have a power flusher. i'll have to talk to the guy we use for the trans work. he once changed the filter and everything in the trans in a caddy with northstar he said never again. michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 We own a shop. we dont have a power flusher. i'll have to talk to the guy we use for the trans work. he once changed the filter and everything in the trans in a caddy with northstar he said never again. michael The "filter" in a 4T-80E is behind the side cover. It is sized to last the life of the vehicle and the only way to replace it is to drop the trans. or lower the subframe. The scavenger screens are easily accessed upon removing the pan - rarely do they require replacement. Changing the trans fluid is about a one hour job - that's with the car on ramps using a creeper vs. a hoist. That is no different than any automatic transmission fluid change on any other car....if your trans guy can't handle that, maybe it's time to find someone else.... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 jerry does some really good work. hes older and he really takes his time. thats how he did it was drop the sub frame. we work on alot of the olds with the 4.0 in them . seem everyone has a mind set that the northstar is to hard and to involved to work on and i dont know why . it pisses me off. i'll prolley just change it using the lift that way. michael s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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