question

[pimpalero2003]

I now have 105k on my car and have no problems or any leaks. but the only thing i have done since i got it (40000miles) is change oil and had to replace a fuel pump...(and air filter from cai.)
so what all do you think i need to do for my car i never had a book so.

[jackal2000]

buy some pulstar plugs and let us know how they are. it's probably time for a transmission service also. i'm past due on mine as well.

[pimpalero2003]

haha not spending that much
but what about belts i figure plugs and wires

[pimpalero2003]

oh and drain fluid flush and refill?
and what about dexcool? its the red stuff right if so thats what my coolant looks like should i take that out and replace it ive never had the limg problem nockonwood

[jackal2000]

definitely check the serp belt for wear. thats how my 87 caddy shit the bed. driving to school one morning and the belt shredded, car over heated amd the rest is history. if you have a v6 i have a brand new stock length belt just sitting my garage. i have an under drive crank pulley so i wasnt able to use it. its a dayco poly cog. $10 shipped and its yours.

[[ion] C2]

what exactly can we do to our transmissions to "service" them? the fluid flush i hear is terrible, causes damage in 75% of attempts, since they force flushing fluid in the opposite direction normal things flow, breaking seals, valves, and whatever else is in there

that's just what i hear googling around

[pimpalero2003]

are all plugs the sameor is there a certin kind or part number i have to get?

[jackal2000]

C2;319049']what exactly can we do to our transmissions to "service" them? the fluid flush i hear is terrible, causes damage in 75% of attempts, since they force flushing fluid in the opposite direction normal things flow, breaking seals, valves, and whatever else is in there

that's just what i hear googling around

i've never heard that, but if its true then at least do a drain and fill.

are all plugs the sameor is there a certin kind or part number i have to get?

generally people stick with a/c delco plugs. stay far away from bosch. i run autolite platinum plugs with no issues to speak of.

[Oldsnut]

C2;319049']what exactly can we do to our transmissions to "service" them? the fluid flush i hear is terrible, causes damage in 75% of attempts, since they force flushing fluid in the opposite direction normal things flow, breaking seals, valves, and whatever else is in there

that's just what i hear googling around
SAME COMMENT AS JACKAL, NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE.

[pimpalero2003]

but is there different plugs or do any work?

[TheEdgeofSanity]

i had my transmission fluid changed and i'm not sure if it was flushed but it actually seems to run a little better than before

[DOHC_tuner]

I simply changed the transmission filter and replaced new fluid that was removed during the operation. Was easy, the only thing that troubled me was getting the alum. seal off and putting in the new one.

[TheEdgeofSanity]

when i had mine done, they said they had to drain the pump as well or that old fluid would get mixed with the new and go bad faster than it should

[alerored04]

proper way to do tranny service is to have the dealer flush the system, if you just pull the pan you will only drain 3 quart out the nine or so that are there. With plugs you need a specific gap, i beilieve it is .060. Auto store will have what you need, just tell them the what vehicle. I would do a fuel filter as well as at least checking your power steering fluid, it should be greenish, if it isnt i would drain that and replace it. There is just a tube on the bottom of the resevior that you pull off. Fill the resevior and start the car, turn the wheels lock to lock, refill the resevior and keep doing this until no more air comes out and the level stays the same in the tank.

[billytheman1188]

yea, plugs need to be gapped at .060 for the 3400. the auto store might not have the plugs gapped at .060, so you might need to do it yourself.

[TheEdgeofSanity]

checking your power steering fluid, it should be greenish, if it isnt i would drain that and replace it. There is just a tube on the bottom of the resevior that you pull off. Fill the resevior and start the car, turn the wheels lock to lock, refill the resevior and keep doing this until no more air comes out and the level stays the same in the tank.

mine's brown...is that bad?

[AftermathAlero]

Change your belt and belt tensioner! the whole unit. My bro's 99 alero 3 yrs ago he hit like 130k miles and never had no maintence done ever and the belt tensioner seize up from being old and snaped the belt and the pulley shattered! then he was stick coming home for christmas.

P.S. don't get a autozone belt tensioner replacement. .it sucks and the belt rubs the tensioner housing. get the OEM GM one is the best one.

[pawzbear]

C2;319049']what exactly can we do to our transmissions to "service" them? the fluid flush i hear is terrible, causes damage in 75% of attempts, since they force flushing fluid in the opposite direction normal things flow, breaking seals, valves, and whatever else is in there

that's just what i hear googling around

LOLLLL i hear this ALL the time and people beleive it... they will explicitely ask that we not flush their trans fluid bc its "holding everything in place"

seriously...


....all the time.. at least once a week

[alerored04]

/\ sometimes the gunk in there does help the clutches grab each other. That is what people refer to. If the tranny is in that sad of state it is on it's way out anyway and a flush will cause the clutches to start slipping, which feels like premature damage, but it was damaged any ways, it just worked better.

[[ion] C2]

Whatever... I read TONS somewhere but I can't remember where about transmission flushing resulting in the destruction of transmissions.. Maybe it was just high mileage transmissions that have this heightened risk of things. Care to explain your opposing side, Pawz? Or just get lulz at my dumb ideas.

My power steering fluid is brown too, they tell me it should be clear.

[alerored04]

/\ i think you hear that things break when pressure is applied to the wrong section of the valve body. If done properly it is fine.

[[ion] C2]

ah mmk, i'm not knowledgeable on trannies

[Pacho]

proper way to do tranny service is to have the dealer flush the system, if you just pull the pan you will only drain 3 quart out the nine or so that are there. With plugs you need a specific gap, i beilieve it is .060. Auto store will have what you need, just tell them the what vehicle. I would do a fuel filter as well as at least checking your power steering fluid, it should be greenish, if it isnt i would drain that and replace it. There is just a tube on the bottom of the resevior that you pull off. Fill the resevior and start the car, turn the wheels lock to lock, refill the resevior and keep doing this until no more air comes out and the level stays the same in the tank.


i drained about 7-8 quarts when i did mine, no flush, new filter, 7 new quarts and shifted like a champ after that.

[Vinman]

with your plugs, unless you have a pure bred race car, and from experience, the best thing to get is the O.E plugs (in this case AC Delco)...and make sure they're gapped at .060, they should come that way but check to make sure.

[[ion] C2]

so you've tried all other plugs personally and can attest with dyno results comparing your experiments?

[Vinman]

no, what I'm saying is I used to have an eclipse, and I thought I'd be cool and get the "expensive" plugs (not the 24.99 a piece plugs) and the car ran like crap, i put the ones that were supposed to be with it and it ran beautifully. I didn't do a comparison test of all spark plugs..that would take a lot of money I don't have. I put the regular ac delco's in my 3400 and it runs beautifully (i know totally different beast) I just don't see spending a whole ton of money on the higher end plugs if they're not as efficient as the o.e's, unless its a "race car" or has some kind of forced induction.I donno..I just like to keep it cheap an simple i suppose....

[TheEdgeofSanity]

i'll agree that ac delco is the way to go....they're proven to be reliable and you know that they'll last just as long as the ones you took out

[[ion] C2]

maybe you put in plugs that were made for another application.. ex: colder plugs, gapped wrong, etc

[pawzbear]

C2;319243']Whatever... I read TONS somewhere but I can't remember where about transmission flushing resulting in the destruction of transmissions.. Maybe it was just high mileage transmissions that have this heightened risk of things. Care to explain your opposing side, Pawz? Or just get lulz at my dumb ideas.

My power steering fluid is brown too, they tell me it should be clear.

ehhhh im not the all knowing tranny guru, thats Mac or my dad...
But like alerored said, sometimes that 'gunk' MAY help them stick. However, if your tranny is on the outs, your just barely preventing the inevitable. Why drive the car til its falling to peices if you can plan around fixing it ahead of time?

there is no destruction that goes on with flushing, however...

Thats just my understanding.

oh and ur power steering fluid should be like... clear or red i think. If its brown its burnt lol. i think =-P

AC delco plugs are great, most aftermarket stuff is crap. autolights arent too bad we can get them a little cheaper for the thrifty folks

[[ion] C2]

burnt.. hmm.. maybe that's that smell.

i also know little of the power steering system, what burns this fluid o_O

[jackal2000]

C2;319329']burnt.. hmm.. maybe that's that smell.

i also know little of the power steering system, what burns this fluid o_O

probably the pump. i'd imagine that joker gets hot.

[alerored04]

and when the fluid gets too hot it breaks down and seizes the pump. Thats what happened to mine. Good think pumps are easy to change. Only cost me like $75.

[CharleyO99Alero]

***

While some of you like other plugs and don't like Bosch, I do like the Platinum 2 plugs in my '99 with the L4 engine. It runs smoother and with more pep than the AC plugs that were in it.

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[alerored04]

the bosch plugs hate v6 engines. I have heard of countless people who used bosch +4's and had misfires which went away immediately after switching away from them.

[bryanska]

there is no destruction that goes on with flushing, however...

Thats just my understanding.

Ask around for a shop with a machine that uses the tranny's own pump to flush the fluid.

With these machines the concept is like a blood transfusion. New fluid goes into the transmission input hoses. Old fluid leaves the transmission through the output hoses. It all happens at the same rate the fluid usually travels. No pressurized "flush" but more like pouring in fresh fluid at the same rate the old fluid drains.

However, you are not replacing the filter. So if you believe that's necessary, you may want to tackle a driveway fluid & filter change yourself and then go in for a flush.

[[ion] C2]

^Gotcha.

You've been on here for over two years and you've only made three posts?

[CharleyO99Alero]

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^^^ a man of few words? ;)


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