Tranny fluid??? Change procedure??

[vibecrxsi240sxse]

So.... I have an '04 base vibe and I have put off the fluid change a bit. The vibe now has 34k on it. I was hoping to do it at 30k.I did put a HEAVY DUTY cooler on it last April because I tow a 1500lb pop up trailer sometimes. And it gets HOT down here in south Texas in the summer.I have done a search on this forum and can't seem to get a clear answer as to:1. What fluid do I use and can it be bought at places like Autozone, Advance, O'Reilly? If not, I have a Toyota dealer close and a Pontiac dealer a bit farther away for OEM fluid. If I go the Toyota route, I'm telling them I have an '04 Matrix XR (base vibe equivalent?)2. Do I remove the pan and filter and refill through the dipstick tube?I have done a proper fluid change twice already on my '04 Honda Pilot. We tow a boat frequently and I just feel better being on a 15k change schedule. On that car, you basically use a 3/8 ratchet drive to remove the drain plug and use a 17mm socket to loosen the fill bolt. About 3.5 quarts of fluid drains out and Honda recommends a drain/fill 3X back to back. Between each drain/fill, you drive around the block a couple of times to hopefully get a pretty good flush when you're done.There is no filter to change. And I put the Honda transmission cooler and power steering cooler on in my driveway. In fact, I've done all the aftermarket stuff myself to the Pilot. Honda tow package ( hitch, wiring harness, tranny cooler, and ps cooler ), side steps, and woodgrain trim kit for the dash.Sorry, got waaayyy off topic. I know my way around cars and just want to get the short-skinny 'how to' on the transmission fluid change.Thanks in advance for any info.

[northvibe]

http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=28967I did just a drain and fill last weekend. Next time I will take off the pan, clean the metal filter and pan and then fill back up the tranny.

[vibecrxsi240sxse]

Thanks Northvibe!!! I read your link and since it's finally NOT raining here, I'm going to use Toyota T-IV fluid and remove the pan to clean it all out in the next day or so....It was also cool to learn that the Toyo fluid is synthetic too!My Pilot dumps about 3.5 quarts when drained and your're 'supposed' to do it 3X. I hate dumping 10 1/2 quarts of new fluid at the recycle bin, especially when Honda charges +/- $5 per quart. They are also adamant about using their proprietary fluid, nothing else. I have an extended warranty (till 100,000 miles) and don't want any hassles if I make a claim. So until my warranty runs out, it's Honda fluid only for me.

[northvibe]

yeah I like to stay at the car companies fluid as its known to work with it 100%. might be pricey but thats maintenance for ya.OH yeah they say do it x3 because in the auto trannies the torq converter holds most the oil. so you drain fill, run car, drain fill, run car, drain fill. so its mostly new fluid in the tranny. I figure Ill just do it every 15k for a couple times then 30k

[vibecrxsi240sxse]

Worked out great!! I bought 7 quarts of Toyo T-IV fluid @ $5 per quart. I was thinking about 2 drain/fills at roughly 3.5 quarts per change. I actually got 3 3/4 quarts from one drain so I don't have enough to do a 2nd drain & fill.The fluid was of course VERY dark and now is pink on the dipstick. I do have a question regarding fill capacity. owner's manual says 3.2 quarts (although I'm sure that is only for a drain & fill procedure). Anyone know how much the total fluid capacity is for the auto tranny?And.... Autozone, Advance, and O'Reilly were out of tranny filters. I phoned several of them to save me from running all over.Is it a flat screen or sort of a plastic piece that has a paper filter sandwiched between? I helped my neighbor last month on his mint condition '98 Isuzu Trooper do a tranny fluid change. He bought a 'filter' like I mentioned one sentence above. Can you believe that his Trooper doesnt' have a dipstick? The factory service manual didn't lie.... no way to check tranny fluid level.I think I'll wait for a reply as to whether or not I can buy a filter and then I'll drop the pan, clean the magnet, and feel totally comfortable for a while.

[northvibe]

the tranny's "filter" is a metal screen so no replacement needed, just clean it off and reinstall. Its in the pan so when you drop that you can clean it then. I forgot the total tranny fluid amount but its a lot more than 4.

[vibecrxsi240sxse]

Oh yeah... I forgot one more thing.The Toyota dealer says there is no gasket for the transmission pan, just use some of that gasket making stuff from the local auto parts store. I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but I do really appreciate everyone's feedback, especially northvibe.I'll probably call the Autozone or O'Reilly and inquire about the gasket. If anyone has done the pan drop on a vibe, I would appreciate if you could let me know about the gasket.Thanks again to all who have helped me do maintanence on my own car, thus saving a ton o' money.

[northvibe]

Oh totally forgot about the gasket... If it isnt metal then it should be replaced when the tranny is dropped. When I do the pan drop next tranny drain /fill I WILL replace the gasket unless someone strictly tells me not to or its too much money. I will drop by the toyota dealer to see how much they are this week.

[vibecrxsi240sxse]

The one Toyota dealer where I bought my tranny fluid said, no sku # for gasket, buy some squeeze tube stuff at Autozone that is for gasket making??That is just asking for some of that pliable stuff to break loose and circulate through the tranny, potentially blocking something!I'll call the Pontiac dealer and Autozone too for answers regarding the gasket. It SEEMS way too easy ( of course all projects do b4 you take things apart ). Drain fluid, drop the pan, clean pan/magnet(s)/plug/screen, and put back together and don't worry about if for several years.I believe in more frequent fluid changes 'cause I tow a camper through rolling hills about 150 miles roundtrip maybe 6-8 times a year.

[vibecrxsi240sxse]

Anybody dropped the pan on an early model Vibe? '03, '04, '05?Curious what you found for a gasket.... Did you use the old one, buy a new one at auto parts store, or make one with permatex or something? Thanks....

[northvibe]

blah i keep needing to go to the bank and car dealer right after work but end up staying late at work! Tomorrow...aka wednesday I'll try to get up there and ask....