Drain and fill an Auto trans.

[Instan00dles]

So this is my first car with an automatic transmission and I am about to change the fluid for the first time and just want to see if I am thinking about this the right way. I have a 2011 VW golf with the non-DSG auto in it and as far as VW is concerned the fluid is in there for life, I would like to make sure that the life is a long one. I know you cant get all the fluid out because some stays in the torque converter so I was thinking of doing a drain and fill twice. Drain and fill once then drive for a bit and dropping the pan to change the filter the second time. Is this the best way to go about doing it so I get most of the fluid changed?

Thanks.

 

[bamx2]

Good move on changing the fluid.

I usually pull the pan 1st then do the drain and fills (or a cooler line flush).

 

[franksta]

You can disconnect the outlet from the transmission that goes to the cooler and then start up the car. Have it pump out a quart into a measured jug. Stop the car and add a quart in. Rinse and repeat until the fluid coming out looks like the fluid coming in. Naturally there is a risk here if you let it pump dry. I did this in my wife's Volvo and it was a time consuming messy ordeal.

Or you can do what I do in my other vehicles and that is to change only the filter and fluid you get out of the pan every 25,000 miles and not worry about it. You may want to check your torque converter for a drain. For whatever reason my F150 has a little plug in it for just that purpose. My Grand Marquis does not. Saving 5 cents per vehicle on millions of cars adds up.

 

[Zivic]

I have a honda van and do the drain and fill method.

you will need to do it 3x, to get 85% or so out of the trans. 2x is not enough.

drain, fill -> drive car 50+ mph
drain, fill -> drive car 50+ mph
drain, fill

personally I wouldn't have the car pump out fluid unless that is the only means of getting the old fluid out.

 

[Instan00dles]

You can disconnect the outlet from the transmission that goes to the cooler and then start up the car. Have it pump out a quart into a measured jug. Stop the car and add a quart in. Rinse and repeat until the fluid coming out looks like the fluid coming in. Naturally there is a risk here if you let it pump dry. I did this in my wife's Volvo and it was a time consuming messy ordeal.

Or you can do what I do in my other vehicles and that is to change only the filter and fluid you get out of the pan every 25,000 miles and not worry about it. You may want to check your torque converter for a drain. For whatever reason my F150 has a little plug in it for just that purpose. My Grand Marquis does not. Saving 5 cents per vehicle on millions of cars adds up.

The transmission doesn't have an air cooler like most cars, its cooler uses engine coolant to cool the ATF and the heat exchanger is in the transmission. So all I can do is drain and fill the transmission. I guess I will be doing it 3x like Zivic suggested.

 

[Lean L]

I have a honda van and do the drain and fill method.

you will need to do it 3x, to get 85% or so out of the trans. 2x is not enough.

drain, fill -> drive car 50+ mph
drain, fill -> drive car 50+ mph
drain, fill

personally I wouldn't have the car pump out fluid unless that is the only means of getting the old fluid out.

If you want near 100% new fluid (z1 -> dw1) this is the safest way to do it. Just have to be really careful and measure exactly how much goes in vs comes out.

 

[evident]

in honda's the only way to proper way to do it is drain and fill 3x.

 

[BW86]

I've done fluid changed on a several audi automatics - I don't know if the process is the same for your golf. But they recommend to monitor the fluid temp with VCDS when filling/topping off.

 

[Instan00dles]

I've done fluid changed on a several audi automatics - I don't know if the process is the same for your golf. But they recommend to monitor the fluid temp with VCDS when filling/topping off.

That's what I am going to do, was going to have the fluid changed at the dealer but they wanted $400. I went out and bought the VCDS dongle, the Bentley manual for my car, filter, gasket and enough fluid for 3 flushes for $500. I would say that it was a pretty decent investment, hardest part has been trying to find something suitable for the special tool needed to fill the transmission.