Problem with Transmission Flush Please Help

[shuresh]

Hello experts,

I did a complete transmission flush for my Camry CE 1999 some 5 months ago. A few weeks later, (probably less than a 1000 km) I checked the transmission fluid and noticed that it looks dark purple. Since then, each time that I checked the transmission fluid the color was somehow the same. Since I did not know what is the color of the fresh oil, I did not take that seriously.

Last Friday, a mechanic checked my transmission fluid and told me that if I have flushed it 5 months ago the fluid should not have been dark. He then concluded that my transmission was about to fail. The ride looks fine to me and I have not noticed any irregularity in transmission. Moreover, the fluid does not smell like "burned" as mentioned the mechanic. Is there any way to sort this out? Do you think the first flush has not been complete? How much fluid should be used for each flush? (I can read 10 liters of DEX III from my last bill.)

Thanks for your help.

Shuresh

[Axxis8203]

dexron 3 is red, but may take on a purple hue when viewed on the dipstick.

the only atf i know of that may be close to purple in color is Honda/Acura ATF Z1, but you won't find this outside of a place that works strictly on those brands of vehicles.

i'm not sure how the flush you mentioned was performed (ie power flushed with a machine vs immersing the ATF return line in new fluid and letting the old fluid drain out to a catch container) but perhaps an additive added by the shop with the flush has caused this color. i'm not a fan of any oil additive.

i say if the tranny is not giving you a problem, let it be.

[JohnGD]

The Dexron uses a red dye. When viewed on the dipstick it's more pinkish than red. Maybe the particular manufacturer of the ATF used a different shade of red? Come to think of it, if it's GM certified (back when they still licensed D-III, now only D-VI), then it should have the standard GM Red color.

I'd have a competant shop drop the pan, change the strainer and gasket (if this hasn't been done since 1999), and refill with new Dexron III-compatible ATF. Then drain/refill 2 more times it should be back to the standard red color.

Basically 3 drains and refills is better than using those "flush" machines Some call "wallet flush" machines.

Originally Posted by shuresh

Hello experts,

I did a complete transmission flush for my Camry CE 1999 some 5 months ago. A few weeks later, (probably less than a 1000 km) I checked the transmission fluid and noticed that it looks dark purple. Since then, each time that I checked the transmission fluid the color was somehow the same. Since I did not know what is the color of the fresh oil, I did not take that seriously.

Last Friday, a mechanic checked my transmission fluid and told me that if I have flushed it 5 months ago the fluid should not have been dark. He then concluded that my transmission was about to fail. The ride looks fine to me and I have not noticed any irregularity in transmission. Moreover, the fluid does not smell like "burned" as mentioned the mechanic. Is there any way to sort this out? Do you think the first flush has not been complete? How much fluid should be used for each flush? (I can read 10 liters of DEX III from my last bill.)

Thanks for your help.

Shuresh

[shuresh]

Thank you very much for reply. I am pretty sure that the mechanic mentioned something about pink color. But I thought the color would change as soon as the fluid runs through the transmission. I probably need to do another flush as JohnGD mentioned and see what's gonna happen. I also had a chance to check a friend's car's transmission oil color and it was completely red with no darkness or tiny particles.

[DFBonnett]

Originally Posted by shuresh

......I checked the transmission fluid and noticed that it looks dark purple. ......I can read 10 liters of DEX III from my last bill.

The bill says DEX III but is that what they really used or was it some one-size-fits-all fluid that has a purple color?

[shuresh]

Originally Posted by DFBonnett

The bill says DEX III but is that what they really used or was it some one-size-fits-all fluid that has a purple color?

Thanks DFBonnett for your comment. Well, my very first guess was that the mechanic has not used enough (say 10 liters) of the DEX III to run through the system. The reason for this guess is that the fluid is not thick. I am not an expert but the color of the fluid kindda support this guess too. The only thing that makes me very worried is that this guess is not true and the whole transmission is about to break . I hope this never happens.

Shuresh

[hill8570]

Originally Posted by shuresh

Thanks DFBonnett for your comment. Well, my very first guess was that the mechanic has not used enough (say 10 liters) of the DEX III to run through the system. The reason for this guess is that the fluid is not thick. I am not an expert but the color of the fluid kindda support this guess too. The only thing that makes me very worried is that this guess is not true and the whole transmission is about to break . I hope this never happens.

Shuresh

Not sure what sort of flush he did, but when I do a shade-tree fluid exchange (unhook the output line going to the tranny cooler, let the tranny pump out into a container while I add fluid through the dipstick until the fluid starts coming out red), I go through a couple of gallons. I'd think 10 liters would be more than sufficient. Maybe this was a real high-end place and they added Royal Purple synthetic out of the goodness of their hearts?

[Venom_5]

TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHES SHOULD NEVER BE RECOMMENDED BASED ON THE COLOR OF THE FLUID!

we have had several people fired for this exact practice in my company (which is a world-renown corporation, not some mom & pop shop)

the reason being: ATF is one of the strongest detergents you will find in a shop, no matter how great the flush ... if your fluid was dirty before, this detergent will begin working immediately (and of course, lubricating as well) and the new fluid will appear dark as well which doesnt mean its dirty and time to be replaced

now if you flushed it through the cooler lines (like with a t-tech machine) or through the dipstick tube with the car off & on with a machine like i use at work, then you probably did upwards of a 90% flush and should be fine .... if you just dropped the pan and filled it back up, you wasted your money and only got half the old fluid out

Just get your transmission flushed out every 30k miles and you wont have anything to worry about For a good guideline, i would set our machine to flush 8 qts through my own Camry .... also, Dex III or something Dex III compatible is what you should be using, which is normally red/pink but people add dyes to everything nowadays

[shuresh]

Thanks everybody for comments. I did not do the flush myself. I took my car to a mechanic which had quite a good reputation and he was supposed to use a machine for flushing.

Venom_5, I am not sure if I understood you well, but it seems as though that the transmission fluid would never get clear pink/red once it got dirty, right?

How can I find if the transmission is about to fail? I mean what sort of change in the transmission fluid or the ride should one be expect?

[Venom_5]

pretty much ... once its black/brown/dark red it will never look brand new anymore - all that means is the fluid is doing its job as a detergent and the fluid is picking up deposits and dirt

if the transmission is going to fail, the fluid isnt going to be an indicator ... it will slip, grind, whine, etc. if theres a problem with it - as long as you keep the fluid at a full level & flush it every 30k miles then youve done your best to maintain it

with proper maintenance, shifting should be smooth - usually the shift into reverse is the most harsh, just keep that in mind

[hill8570]

Originally Posted by shuresh

How can I find if the transmission is about to fail? I mean what sort of change in the transmission fluid or the ride should one be expect?

The big symptoms are shifting delay (like, you start to wonder if you actually shifted Park-to-Reverse or Reverse-to-Drive) or (the kiss of death) slipping during shifting. If the fluid has a strong "burned" smell long before it's due for a change, that's sign that things are overheating, usually due to slipping. There's nothing particularly subtle about a tranny on it's way out.

[shuresh]

Thanks Venom_5 and hill8570 for your elaboration. Thank God I have none of these signs (so far though). I will flush the transmission fluid anyways to prevent any possible disaster in future.

[whip_cracker]

Thank fark about the "colour" bit...

Mine's sorta light brown... I'm guessing then that the fluid's doing what it's meant to be doing? Anything else I should check though? Can't recall the last service. I got the oil changed along with the filter about 18 months ago...

Cheers

[Venom_5]

just because its brown doesnt mean its doing its job .... but if you flush the fluid after its been filthy, its still going to look filthy because the transmission itself is dirty from the old/crap fluid its had in it plus whatever garbage is floating around -- youre reading my reasoning backwards

the only way to keep it looking clean is operate the car under "normal driving conditions" every time you drive, and keep up with / stay ahead of the maintenance schedule

[whip_cracker]

Yeah righto,

So... regardless on how much I put through, it's still gonna be lookin dirty?