[Trochoidal]

Originally Posted by Spaceme1117

My car is approaching the 45K mark and is due for a trans fluid and filter change.

And the TSB does not including changing the filter; only a trans fluid flush.

Going to do the change tomorrow.

Thanks.

It’s not difficult. I’ll give you some advise. Make sure you blow off the ledge around the rubber plug before you removing. I grabbed a mirror on a stick and took a look to check for debris. There were some small pieces of gravel. I blew it off good with an air gun first.

I also bent a sharp 90° angle in one of these type tools for removing the plug. The length of the tool and throat of the 90° angle made it easy to remove.

[Spaceme1117]

Originally Posted by Trochoidal

It’s not difficult. I’ll give you some advise. Make sure you blow off the ledge around the rubber plug before you removing. I grabbed a mirror on a stick and took a look to check for debris. There were some small pieces of gravel. I blew it off good with an air gun first.

I also bent a sharp 90° angle in one of these type tools for removing the plug. The length of the tool and throat of the 90° angle made it easy to remove.

Thanks for the advice.

So I am in the middle of the trans fluid change. Pretty easy so far.

I am glad I decided to do the fluid change as I have discovered two issues.

First, there is a bit of a dent in the trans pan, looks like someone tried to jack the car on part of the pan as it was pushed in on one corner about 1/4 inch. I was able to push the dent out without too much effort.

Second, I have discovered that the fluid level in the car is likely low.

When I dropped the pan, I caught all of the fluid. I removed the filter and emptied it out also. The fluid was warmed up also. I made sure the measure the volume and only 4 quarts cam out.

Everything I have read or watched on the A8 fluid change says to expect about 7 quarts out.

Want to bet when the fluid was changed or flushed, it was done incorrectly at a dealership? I'd take that bet.

Whoever did a change or flush likely didn't warm the fluid up or check it with the car running. Probably both.

This is why I do all work on my cars myself.

[Trochoidal]

Originally Posted by Spaceme1117

Everything I have read or watched on the A8 fluid change says to expect about 7 quarts out.

Want to bet when the fluid was changed or flushed, it was done incorrectly at a dealership? I'd take that bet.

Whoever did a change or flush likely didn't warm the fluid up or check it with the car running. Probably both.

This is why I do all work on my cars myself.

IIRC I saw 6 quarts and 7 ounces come out. I meant to document it but I didn’t. At the time all of the numbers were in my head.

I’d take that bet too!

Agreed! I’d rather do it myself. If I mess up, I know it and I’ll fix it. If dealer messes up it turns into damage control mode.

Did you get this buttoned up?

[Spaceme1117]

Originally Posted by Trochoidal

IIRC I saw 6 quarts and 7 ounces come out. I meant to document it but I didn’t. At the time all of the numbers were in my head.

I’d take that bet too!

Agreed! I’d rather do it myself. If I mess up, I know it and I’ll fix it. If dealer messes up it turns into damage control mode.

Did you get this buttoned up?

Yup. Got everything done. Not bad really.

But yeah, 4 quarts came out and it took 7 quarts to fill until fluid was starting to come out the overflow with the engine running.

Let the car run a bit to get the fluid mixed. I then shut it down and dropped the front of the pan to get more old fluid out and put 4.5 quarts in.

Let the car warm up to proper temp and drained the excess from the overflow.

Figure I was able to get the majority of the old fluid out.

Wasn’t much debris on the magnets and the car never set any codes so I don’t think there was any damage done.

Just glad I got it set right.

[Trochoidal]

That’s good piece of mind. There’s nothing like “knowing” the job was completed the way you wanted.

[EMTNLSS]

I have 52k miles on mine. Don't really feel any shuddering but I want to get it changed with the new fluid. I plan on following this guys video: He does a really good job at explaining everything.

[cellsafemode]

i followed that guy's video (even bought the quick jacks and vacuum etc).

yea, you go thru a lot of fluid (you need basically twice as much as the capacity to do a near complete change and it takes a couple days at least to do (with drainings over night to be ideal)

i dropped my pan and changed out the filter too. It wasn't clean in there (only had about 40k miles after 5 years).

Proper fill and levelling requires getting the fluid to proper temperature (which can take a long time if the trans is just idling) and the car has to be lifted level.

You wont be saving much money if you have a dealer who charges you something reasonable and they use the flush machine and the right fluid. But ...those are a lot of iff's that may not be things you can rely on...depending on your dealer. It was less convenient, but i know it's getting done with the right stuff doing it myself. And no issues since.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by EMTNLSS

I have 52k miles on mine. Don't really feel any shuddering but I want to get it changed with the new fluid. I plan on following this guys video

I'm quite a few pounds and inches of muscle away from this video, oh well.

[CamaroSSStlfan]

Originally Posted by TP2SS

Take it to a Cadillac dealer then. My Caddy dealer said he’d do the tsb for me on my SS when I took my wife’s CTS in for it last year when the shudder started on it. I got to talking with the writer and said I wanted to do the tsb on my SS even though it wasn’t shuddering, and he said just bring it in and he’d take care of it. That was going to be my next move if the Chevy dealer refused to do it. The flush is the same regardless of GM brand.

The Chevy dealer can't even do a SS tire rotation properly. I certainly wouldn't trust them doing a tranny flush on my SS and screw that up.


My SS is used. My 2016ss was bought by it's past owners in 2015 so I assume I'd have to pay for the TSB anyway if I want it done.

[EMTNLSS]

Originally Posted by cellsafemode

i followed that guy's video (even bought the quick jacks and vacuum etc).

yea, you go thru a lot of fluid (you need basically twice as much as the capacity to do a near complete change and it takes a couple days at least to do (with drainings over night to be ideal)

i dropped my pan and changed out the filter too. It wasn't clean in there (only had about 40k miles after 5 years).

Proper fill and levelling requires getting the fluid to proper temperature (which can take a long time if the trans is just idling) and the car has to be lifted level.

You wont be saving much money if you have a dealer who charges you something reasonable and they use the flush machine and the right fluid. But ...those are a lot of iff's that may not be things you can rely on...depending on your dealer. It was less convenient, but i know it's getting done with the right stuff doing it myself. And no issues since.

Yea I don't think i'll save a ton as it'll be more up front for the tools but at least then i'll have the tools to do it again in the future if needed. I'll probably get the pump but will just put it up on jack stands instead of buying quickjacks even though those would be nice. I'm with you on doing it myself. I'll know it's done right and I kinda like doing this stuff.

[prod]

Originally Posted by Spaceme1117

...,
And the TSB does not including changing the filter; only a trans fluid flush.
....
Thanks.

I would argue that point with the dealer, it makes no sense. Thats like changing the oil and not the oil filter.

[CamaroSSStlfan]

Originally Posted by EMTNLSS

I have 52k miles on mine. Don't really feel any shuddering but I want to get it changed with the new fluid. I plan on following this guys video: He does a really good job at explaining everything.

Damn! I wish I looked like him all ripped combined with a pretty car like that!!

[avalonandl]

Originally Posted by Spaceme1117

Yup. Got everything done. Not bad really.

But yeah, 4 quarts came out and it took 7 quarts to fill until fluid was starting to come out the overflow with the engine running.

Let the car run a bit to get the fluid mixed. I then shut it down and dropped the front of the pan to get more old fluid out and put 4.5 quarts in.

Let the car warm up to proper temp and drained the excess from the overflow.

Figure I was able to get the majority of the old fluid out.

Wasn’t much debris on the magnets and the car never set any codes so I don’t think there was any damage done.

Just glad I got it set right.

So how does it drive?

[EMTNLSS]

Just got mine changed yesterday. I got 7.5 quarts out. So far it seems to shift smoother. Especially 1-2 shift. Before it would be really rough sometimes. Now it's pretty much smooth every time. I'd say shudder is mostly fixed now. Probably not all the way just because there's still some old fluid in there. I'll probably do another drain and fill in the next few thousand miles just to get most of the old fluid out.