Automatic transmission: oil filter. Do-it-yourself oil change in automatic transmission

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Modern cars are equipped with different gearboxes. These are tiptronics, CVTs, DSG robots and other transmissions. However, most motorists trust the classic machine. This box appeared much earlier than all of the above, and as practice shows, the percentage of breakdowns is small. As you know, automatic transmission works thanks to oil - this is the main working fluid in the box. And today we will talk about such an important element as the automatic transmission oil filter.

Destination

The task of this element is simple - to clean the working fluid from waste products and prevent it from entering the channels of the valve body, torque converter and other transmission elements. What mining products are we talking about?

This is a small metal chip that is formed during the operation of the planetary gearbox mechanism. A small amount of it settles on the magnet, which is located below. But most of it circulates through the system, clogging the channels and the radiator. Thus, the automatic transmission filter serves to clean the ATP fluid in the transmission.

Views

There are several types of element data. Depending on the location, the automatic transmission filter can be:

• External. located outsideboxes and fastened with a threaded connection. The installation scheme is identical to the engine oil filter. Externally, these filters look about the same and are a metal cup with a rubber gasket at the bottom.



• Internal. It is located inside the gearbox housing. This arrangement is practiced by many automakers. And there is an internal automatic transmission filter at the bottom of the hydraulic plate. It is without a case and changes only with a partial parsing of the box. How exactly this is done and which bolts to unscrew, we will consider at the end of the article.

About design

The first four-speed automatic transmissions were equipped with extremely simple filters. They were an ordinary metal mesh. Such automatic transmission filters did not need to be replaced. When servicing, it is enough just to dismantle the mesh element and rinse it in any solution or plain water under pressure. Now such an oil filter design scheme is used only on some American pickups. If we talk about most crossovers and passenger cars, a different filter is used in the design of the automatic transmission. This is a double-layer felt element.

Thanks to this design, better oil filtration is carried out. The felt element retains not only metal chips from the planetary mechanism, but also the emulsion from the clutch pack. This ensures reliable operation of the valve body and solenoids. These mechanisms do not "stick" and do not wedge. But there are also disadvantages of two-layerfilters. The first point is their fragility. Such elements become contaminated after 50-70 thousand kilometers. The second point is that the two-layer filter cannot be cleaned. He changes completely. Thus, the felt elements are changed at each oil change in an automatic transmission. Most manufacturers regulate a period of 60 thousand kilometers. If the oil change in the automatic transmission with your own hands is carried out later, there may be malfunctions with the box. These are various kicks and jolts when shifting gears and modes.

In order not to face premature repairs, you need to properly operate the box and change the oil in it on time. This is the only way to guarantee the smooth and uninterrupted operation of the box.

About replacing ATP fluid

There are several methods for changing fluid in automatic transmissions:

• Full. It implies a complete oil change in the box. It is carried out using special equipment. The device is connected to the box through the radiator pipe and expels the old liquid under pressure. At the same time, new oil is pumped into the system. the advantage of this method is that the oil will be replaced by 100 percent, in full. But there are also disadvantages. This is the impossibility of changing the oil in an automatic transmission with your own hands, as well as the high cost of the procedure. Most of the amount should be spent not on service stations, but on ATP liquid. After all, for a standard automatic transmission you will need from ten to twelve liters of oil. This is twice as much as its full volume.
• Partial. In this case, the oil is partially drained. Nearhalf of the volume remains in the torque converter and automatic transmission unit. This volume is then replenished to a normal level with new oil. In total, the replacement takes about three liters of liquid. The advantages of the method are obvious - the possibility of carrying out the operation with your own hands, as well as a small amount of consumables. But there are downsides too. With a partial method, the oil change schedule should be reduced to 30 thousand kilometers.

Thus, the partial replacement method is more economical. But from a technical point of view, the method of complete replacement is still more correct. Next, we will look at how to drain and fill the automatic transmission oil yourself, as well as install a new filter.

Do-it-yourself automatic transmission oil change

To do this, we need at least three liters of new fluid, an empty container to drain the old one, as well as a standard set of tools. Work is best done on a viewing hole. So, we drive our car onto it and find a drain hole.

On most cars, the cork is unscrewed with a “19” key. Next, we substitute an empty container and wait until all the liquid has poured out of the block. After that, unscrew the bottom cover of the box. It is attached with 20 bolts. You need to remove it carefully, without turning it over. Be careful - some of the liquid may remain in it. The block will contain a filter. It is removed by hand, without any tools.

Please note: before replacing the automatic transmission filter, you should clean the walls of the pan from old oil. Suitable for thisregular carburetor cleaner spray.

What's next?

Next, install the new filter in place and screw the pan of the box back. Then we move on to the underhood space. We find the dipstick - it will be our filler neck. It is better to fill in oil through an extension cord. It is better to use a watering can and a meter tube with a diameter no larger than that of the hole. It is necessary to fill in exactly the volume of liquid that was drained earlier. Then we remove our device and start the engine. Having switched the selector several times in P-R-N-D modes, we turn off the engine and check the probe. The level should be in the middle. This completes the automatic transmission oil change. It remains only to make a note in the logbook, so as not to miscalculate after 30 thousand the next replacement of the ATP fluid in the transmission. By the way, you can leave the filter. It will serve its entire life - 60 thousand kilometers.

In closing

So, we found out what an automatic transmission filter is, as well as how to replace it with oil. As you can see, the operation is not particularly difficult and any car owner can do it.