GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

1. Make sure the fluid is warm. Warm up the car so the transmission is at normal operating temperature. Pull the transmission dipstick (located near the firewall in most cars). Fresh fluid is translucent and cherry red. Some darkening is normal, but if it is reddish brown or mustard color and smells like burnt varnish, it is worn out. 2. Drain the fluid by loosening the pan. Select the correct Hastings filter replacement based on pan shape and prepare a large pan to catch the fluid. Then loosen each pan bolt a turn or two and loosen one corner more than rest. Drain mostly from this corner. 3. Finish removing the pan and any gasket material from the pan or case. Avoid scratching the metal and make sure the pan’s gasket surface isn’t bent or distorted. 4. Remove the old filter. Most transmission filters are held in place with a bolt or two, but some are held by a clip. Be careful to include O-Rings or other seals. 5. Install a new filter. Use the clips or bolts from the old filter. Be sure O-Rings, etc. are in place. If the filter has a long intake neck, gently push the neck into place without unseating the O-Ring. 6. Clean the pan thoroughly. Inspect the pan before cleaning. A small amount of fine grey clutch dust is normal. However, if you find metal shavings, there has been transmission damage. Clean the pan with solvent and wipe dry so there is no harmful residue. 7. Position gasket on pan. Some gaskets have four holes slightly smaller than the rest to allow four bolts through the pan and through these smaller holes to hold the gasket in place. 8. Hand tighten pan bolts in a criss-cross pattern. After that, use a torque wrench to tighten bolts to proper ft-lbs as per manufacturer. 9. Refill the transmission using only the amount shown as “refill capacity” in the owners manual or "AMSOIL Product Selection Guide,” using the type of fluid specified for the vehicle. 10. If doing only a partial fluid replacement, skip to instruction 12 below. If doing a complete fluid replacement, follow the steps in instruction 11. 11. You now have replaced the fluid in the pan. To replace the fluid in the torque converter and oil cooler also, follow these steps. Step 1. Obtain the total system capacity of the vehicle from the manufacturer or AMSOIL. Have this amount readily available.Step 2. Disconnect the oil cooler line from the oil cooler. As you may not know which is the pressure side and which is the return side, have both directed so the stream of fluid will be directed toward a receptacle.Step 3. With another person, be prepared to add ATF to the fill area as it is being pumped out of the oil cooler line.Step 4. Start the engine, and as the old fluid is pumped out, add fresh fluid to the pan.Step 5. When either the fluid color brightens or the total capacity has been replaced, shut the engine off and re-attach the oil cooler line. All fluids has now been changed. 12. Recheck the fluid level. With the car on level ground, set the parking brake and the transmission in “Park” or “Neutral.” Let the engine idle for a few minutes. Shift the transmission into different positions before returning the lever to “Park” or “Neutral.” Check the fluid level again and check for leaks. Amsoil transmission fluid is recommended to go 3 times the length that the vehicle manufacturer recommends for the conventional fluid.http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=2354

Must say that a complete change is a lot of work, and I hadn't been doing it on my last car. I just used a pump kit I got from an auto storeand did regular partial changes to keep the fluid fresh.I did this because my last 2 vehicles had tranny problems right after going to places that use automatic fluid changing machines. I think I may try your method.

Yes I don't like just changing the fluid in the transmission pan. That's kinda like only changing half the oil in your car. You still have the other half that's full of crap.This isn't all that hard to do. If anyone has any questions just ask.

Here is something I have never done myself (actually I have had garages do most things for me having been mostly an apt. dweller).Could you post something on Manual transmissions? I am thinking it has to be easier. Thanks

manual trany are much easier. Every manual I have ever owned has a oil drain plug and no filter. I all ways switched it to a synthetic fluid or gear oil and then never changed it again. If you can chage your engine oil, changing the oil in your manual trany should be cake for you.

What are some of the better tranny fluids out there? Something decent I can get locally perhaps?

I can't help you get Amsoil locally because I have everything shipped to you but you might get lucky and find a local dealer in the yellow pages.If not I have what your looking for. Auto trany filters as well.

What type of oil does a manual tranny use? And is there a synthetis oil you could use in a manual tranny? What kind of bug is that on my leg?

The Vibe and Matrix use 75w90. This is for the manual transmission. Yes Amsoil makes this.

Just to ad my $.02 our manual transmission Vibes' allready come with GM Goodwrench Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid. And, why go for all the trouble in getting a amsoil product when one can get Mobil 1 75W-90 gear oil?

Amsoil can go longer between changes as where Mobil 1 will need to be change.http://www.twocom.com/high_performance_ ... be_75W.htm

Ohh, I forgot to mention that the Mobil 1 gear oil is synthetic as well. And what makes Amsoil so special that it beats Mobil synthetic products?

I have a few documents that show Amsoil clearly beating Mobil 1.http://www.twocom.com/high_performance_ ... ilters.htm

Wow. All they say is that they differ by few dgrees here, there. The question is if I'm going to let my car get to those extermes? No. Just my $.02