WTF? I got screwed

[99Camaro99]

I changed my tranny fluid at Pep Boys. Tranny shifts/runs fine now, but I go to get my oil change and this place (excellent service and all) and he's like come here. I walk over and he says your tranny fluid needs to be changed! :eek: I say um ok why do you say that? (Keep in mind it was just changed YESTERDAY). He takes out a sample of my fluid and rubs it along the wall and it comes out dark dark dark red and then he compares it to normal tranny fluid being a nice bright red. Now was I being conned over or is something not right with my tranny fluid? I don't smell it at high speeds anymore, but if you smell my fluid directly, it still smells like crap. What gives? I'm going to Pep Boys tomorrow to ***** them out.

[BillyCobin]

Did you get the "Transmission Maintenance Service", or the more expensive "Transmission Fluid Exchange Service"? If you went for the cheaper one, then they only replaced half the fluid in your tranny. So there was still about 5 quarts of the bad stuff in the torque converter.

So if you went the cheap route, I wouldn't go ***** them out.

[99Camaro99]

It says on the receit...1 auto tranmsission service $57.84

5 qt-ATF Dex pro $6.45

Purolator transmission filter $19.99
100Z Red Trans Guard $11.99


so you tell me. I had my parents take the car for me because I had to head home to help them fix their computer and home theater system. This is the most info I can give you.

[99Camaro99]

BTW, is it bad to still have some of the old fluid in there?

[Distephano]

Ok, my car has the M5 Tranny, not that A4, but I'll see if I can help.

Alright, I dunno what that "Trans Guard" is... But, it looks like you got 5 qts of tranny fluid. Now, I can't remember the exact number... (I just changed my tranny fluid last night, and I remember seeing the amount for the a4 tranny)

I think if you drain just the tranny, its 10 pts = 5 qts. If you drain the TC also, then you end up needing... 16.8? I dont' wana run out to the garage to get my chilton's right now, sorry. So I'd say, you only got the basic tranny drain, not the full one.

As for being bad. Well, its not helping things. Figure you took out 2/3s of the bad stuff. When you filled it back up, you now just have 1/3 of the dirt that you did have in there. Its better than it was, but not as good as it could be.

[nosv6]

hey don't feel bad i use to work at pep boys and they take pride in being fine print experts, I can't stand them and i'm actually in the middle of a law suit with them right now.

[BillyCobin]

Since they only did 5qts, that would be the "Transmission Maintenance Service". Since the fluid still stinks, I would go get the whole thing flushed.

Its cheaper than a rebuild...

[99Camaro99]

well I checked the fluid before and it really doesn't "smell" bad at all. It's a tad dark, but it's not that bad. Plus the tranny shifts like a beauty right now. I'll wait 30,000 and then flush it.

This is what I'm going to do. If you disagree, speak now, or forever hold your peace! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Mikey]

Would you go kiss your girlfriend without brushing your gums?

[pvtschultz]

Dude, that is a normal tranny service. If you do it often enough, you won't have any problems with durability. Gm recommends 100,000 miles on some cars. Mine wasn't changed for that long and was terrible, now it shifts like ****...keep in mind that I got it with 100,000. But I change it every 30K now.

[99Camaro99]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by pvtschultz:
Dude, that is a normal tranny service. If you do it often enough, you won't have any problems with durability. <hr></blockquote>

if that's the case I'm going to wait until about 80,000mi to change the fluid. I'm at about 51,900 right now.

[chas]

newer transmission fluids are a very dark red. its easy to confuse this with burnt or dirty fluid. look for small carbon particles or smell it. burnt trans fluid has a rather distinctive odor (somewhat like burnt crayons i guess). if you just changed it and didnt flush it (and you would need more than 5qts for that) there will be some mixing with old fluid. you probably dont need it changed again.

i made an earlier post about trans fluid life. at 195 degrees its 50,00 miles. your engine/radiator (trans fluid runs through the radiator for cooling) should run about that hot on warm days. changing at the service interval of 36,000 miles is a good idea. although i personally prefer 24,000 miles.

[chas]

i should mention that 100,000 interval only seems to be on gm's fwd vehicles.

[strobhen]

A lot of us fall under "severe duty" maintenance schedules

I for instance, do, just because I live in Florida.

Keep that in mind.

[AZ3.8Camaro]

Tell your mechanic that you payed him to change the oil. Keep his greedy hands out fo your tranny. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] .

I think all of those mechanic scams you see on inside edition start out with smearing some fluid and comparing it to new fluid.

When you change your oil and drive somewhere, your oil isn't clean any more. Doesn't mean its bad.