6L90 Fluid Change?

[NickMaul]

I picked up a new to me 2013 2500 burb with 145k miles. Everything drives great and feels good. I told myself when I bought it that transmission durability could be a total shot in the dark so set aside money for transmission work one day.

Until that dark day I wanted some input from the bros on what to do about it now (can’t trust Facebook since @CasterTroy and @BigClay are constantly trolling).

Fluid seems pretty normal looking to me. However there is a chance the previous owners might have missed some fluid change intervals (rear differential pretty much had refried beans for diff fluid).

What is my best course of action assuming maybe the transmission fluid has only been changed once?

 

[CasterTroy]

Never "flush"

 

[paradisePWoffrd]

Never "flush"

x2, esp with over 100k on it. I would change the fluid and filter, and add a cooler. Not super familiar with those trans, but getting the engine and trans tuned to have higher and more firm shifts, esp in "tow/haul" mode, is typically better for its life.

 

[Mac5005]

Drop pan, change filter and fluid. Add cooler.

Then change fluid only 2 more times after driving. This nets like 98% all new oil.

 

[CasterTroy]

I don't know why you are concerned about a GIANT cooler...you're NEVER going to be towing with this pig.

The MOST you will see is some trips with the family. Your kid(s) will all be thru college and married before you finish that XJ build

 

[StretchASU]

Fluid, Filter, Cooler. No flush.

 

[NickMaul]

I don't know why you are concerned about a GIANT cooler...you're NEVER going to be towing with this pig.

The MOST you will see is some trips with the family. Your kid(s) will all be thru college and married before you finish that XJ build

I’m curious. When you go all capital letters do you hit the CAPS button or hold shift down the entire time

 

[CasterTroy]

I’m curious. When you go all capital letters do you hit the CAPS button or hold shift down the entire time

Keyboard. Sitting at my office dicking off...like gubment employees

 

[Mac5005]

Being there is no drain plug on these, if you leave the front 2 bolts and the rear 2, you can get a lot of oil out of the pan before spilling it.

A bunch will hit the crossmember and spread out side to side. I use a cheap concrete mixing tub from Lowe’s as the drain pan.

Once that Initial level is down, then remove the back two pan bolts to dump some more.

Then remove the last two at the front, and the only oil left is in the bottom 1/2” or so of the pan. Makes it way better than getting covered in it.

The filter pulls out easy, but the filter seal can be a pita. I used a small sharp flat head screwdriver to pry the lip of that seal over, being careful what to pry against.

Then grab the filter seal with small needle nose vise grips and pull straight down.

Installation of that seal is pretty easy I used i think 13/16 socket on 3” extension as a seal driver for that filter seal.

Initially I tried to use my vacuum setup for shocks, to pull oil out the pan via dipstick, but couldn’t find the right size and hardness tubing to get all the way down the dipstick tube and into the pan. After wasting about 30 mins, I facepalmed then slid under it with my dewalt 1/4” impact and pulled the pan.

 

[NickMaul]

Being there is no drain plug on these, if you leave the front 2 bolts and the rear 2, you can get a lot of oil out of the pan before spilling it.

A bunch will hit the crossmember and spread out side to side. I use a cheap concrete mixing tub from Lowe’s as the drain pan.

Once that Initial level is down, then remove the back two pan bolts to dump some more.

Then remove the last two at the front, and the only oil left is in the bottom 1/2” or so of the pan. Makes it way better than getting covered in it.

The filter pulls out easy, but the filter seal can be a pita. I used a small sharp flat head screwdriver to pry the lip of that seal over, being careful what to pry against.

Then grab the filter seal with small needle nose vise grips and pull straight down.

Installation of that seal is pretty easy I used i think 13/16 socket on 3” extension as a seal driver for that filter seal.

Initially I tried to use my vacuum setup for shocks, to pull oil out the pan via dipstick, but couldn’t find the right size and hardness tubing to get all the way down the dipstick tube and into the pan. After wasting about 30 mins, I facepalmed then slid under it with my dewalt 1/4” impact and pulled the pan.

Is there a pan to buy with a drain plug built in? Definitely don’t want to do that 3 times in the span of a year.

 

[Mac5005]

Is there a pan to buy with a drain plug built in? Definitely don’t want to do that 3 times in the span of a year.

I’m not sure, I haven’t looked.

The first time is longest time wise dealing with filter seal.

The next two can be done in abt 30 mins.

Really not that bad even without a plug in the pan.

 

[BigClay]

Leave that SOB as is and let er rip until you get two new neutrals and then worry about it