Automatic Transmission Service

N80 · Jun 26, 2007

I'm going to go ahead and have it changed and I'll do the flush as well. I don't do much towing (except a tiny little utility trailer) but as you can tell, the truck does get neglected. So a little TLC won't hurt.

kenmac · Jun 27, 2007

N80, I was looking at H.F. cat. this AM. & noticed they have a transmission fluid exchanger for $500.00 . If you have 2 changes done this you could buy yourself an exchanger . They also have a brake fluid exchanger listed at around $200.00

N80 · Jun 27, 2007

kenmac said:
N80, I was looking at H.F. cat. this AM. & noticed they have a transmission fluid exchanger for $500.00 . If you have 2 changes done this you could buy yourself an exchanger . They also have a brake fluid exchanger listed at around $200.00

That's really not that bad. Unfortunately my issue is more of time than moeny (not that money isn't an issue....if it wasn't I'd have a different truck and a bigger tractor...with a cab...and a radio

). But, as it stands, I just don't have the time to do my own automotive maintenance. On the other hand, I do all my tractor stuff myself. I kind of enjoy it, plus I have no trailer to take the tractor in to the dealer!

Chuck52 · Jun 27, 2007

It must be a nice feeling to have some trust at least in your dealer. I thought I had a good dealer with a trustworthy service department in my Chevy dealer, based on the experiences of a friend and my SIL with the adjacent Nissan dealership, owned by the same person. I only took my Impala to the dealer for oil changes a couple of timews, because there is a good general auto service place close enough to my work that I can drop off my car and walk to the lab. The only time I took the car to the dealer with a "problem" it turned out my wife hadn't fully seated the gas cap following a fill up....the "check engine" light lit up, and the service guy quickly found the problem and didn't try to stick me with anything. So....when my decent service place told me I had a leak from the water pump, I decided to take it to the dealer just in case. They sold me a new pump, and I went with that even though I figure it was probably just a gasket that was leaking. The labor was a big part of the bill, so why not put on a new pump....at least that was my rationalization at the time. Then it came time to have the car inspected to get my new tag. I took the car in for an oil change and inspection and, lo and behold, it had a leak in the power steering mechanism, requiring $843 to fix, before it would pass inspection. The mechanic showed me the "droplets" on the shaft, but I balked at $843 since I had no problems with the steering. Also, I park in a garage, and never noticed ANY oily stains on the floor, AND I checked the fluid level and it was completely full. So, I took it to another shop where it passed inspection with no problems. I also put newspaper under the car to see if I would catch some "droplets". That was three weeks ago and the paper is still pristine. The may be some slow leak, but it must be really sloooow. Fluid is still full. I hate being scammed, even when it doesn't actually get me. Funny, too. Every other time I've had the car serviced at the dealer I got a nice survey questionaire asking if I was happy with the service. This time, no questionaire.

Chuck

DieselPower · Jun 28, 2007

You were not being scammed, the power steering system should have been failed. I am PA state inspection certified and was previously MD certified for medium/heavy trucks and any sign of leakage from the power steering system fails. The reason is if your power steering system fails you are left with steering that is harder than if you had manual steering. Power steering is designed to work with the addition of hydraulic asistance, remove that and you can be up a creek without a paddle not being able to steer. It's a saftey thing, not a scam thing.

Chuck52 · Jun 28, 2007

It's a scam thing if there is no real leak.

Chuck

DieselPower · Jun 29, 2007

If there is "ANY" fluid visable then it's leaking. If it was not leaking then you would not be able to see any fluid except to pull the dipstick.

Chuck52 · Jun 29, 2007

I accept the importance of the power steering, and acknowledge that if it is truely faulty it should be repaired. As a practical matter, if I find that I am losing fluid, I will probably try one of the additives which are supposed to stop leaks before I replace the entire power steering rack, since it is likely that a seal is seeping. So far, aside from a misting of oil on a part identified by the mechanic as the steering rack, I've seen no leaks and the reservoir is still completely full. I assume catastrophic failure of the power steering would involve more than minor seepage of fluid, and that I would see loss of fluid and even perhaps have some mechanical warning before that happened.

In my present frame of mind, I'm imagining the mechanic with a little squirt bottle of fluid as he "finds" the leak.

Chuck