When should I flush fluids?

[chuyler1]

Dealership tech suggested I do both coolant and gear oil on my MS6 at 36K. I'm pretty sure the owners manual doesn't say anything about this until at least 60K. I can do both of these myself so when is the best time to do it?

Also, when's a good time to bleed the brake system?

 

[chuyler1]

Anyone?

 

[wannabe]

manual says nothing about the gear oil, but does say that the coolant shouldn't be replaced until 120,000 and then every 60k after that. i've never replaced coolant before 60k.

 

[Killer]

manual says nothing about the gear oil, but does say that the coolant shouldn't be replaced until 120,000 and then every 60k after that. i've never replaced coolant before 60k.

(werd) Never listen to the dealer on fluids and such...they would have you change your oil every week if they could.

Owner manual only.(drive2)

 

[Reitrof]

(werd) Never listen to the dealer on fluids and such...they would have you change your oil every week if they could.

Owner manual only.(drive2)

+1 on that. You sure there is nothing in the owners manual for the trans/gear change? Usually there is.

 

[Keno1542]

i wouldnt wait till 120k to change my coolant, as coolant becomes acidic and will rust up your system if it left in there too long

 

[wannabe]

+1 on that. You sure there is nothing in the owners manual for the trans/gear change? Usually there is.

i have it right in front of me: http://www.ugnius.lt/mazda/

Nothing about the tranny at all. it does say that if the transfer case gets wet to change it, and to change the rear diff every 45k, but nothing about the transaxle

 

[wannabe]

i wouldnt wait till 120k to change my coolant, as coolant becomes acidic and will rust up your system if it left in there too long

i agree. but 36k is WAY too soon. like I said above, 60k is about where I change it.

 

[chuyler1]

Ok, just making sure. I'll plan to do this stuff around 60K. That's when I did it with the Protege5 and none of the fluids looked all that bad.

What about the brakes?

 

[wannabe]

brakes are an "inspect" every 15k. no set timetable on those.

 

[Sledgehammer]

In regards to the fluids. I changed out my brakes using a brake line "sucker", Also added Lucas to my rear diff. Changed out my transaxle and added lucas. As well as changed my motor oil and added lucas. The engine seems to run better and after adding lucas to the tran, shifting seems to be smoother. (first post)

 

[GioDiGreek]

i wouldnt wait till 120k to change my coolant, as coolant becomes acidic and will rust up your system if it left in there too long

Not with the new technology. Coolant is more advance now than ever. Even when you buy from auto parts store they gurantee for 100k miles.
Also nothing to rust in our engines all parts are aluminum. Going by mazdas owner manual and maintainance schedule is by far the best. As far as all fluids in the new cars are superior compare to what ever is on the market. I was working in a high performance auto repair shop. Mercedes Benz, BMW etc. never service transmision fluids before 300K.

 

[Keno1542]

Not with the new technology. Coolant is more advance now than ever. Even when you buy from auto parts store they gurantee for 100k miles.
Also nothing to rust in our engines all parts are aluminum. Going by mazdas owner manual and maintainance schedule is by far the best. As far as all fluids in the new cars are superior compare to what ever is on the market. I was working in a high performance auto repair shop. Mercedes Benz, BMW etc. never service transmision fluids before 300K.

this may be true about the fluids becoming a lot more advanced and such, but i still would not wait 120k for coolant changes, and i would certainly not leave my tranny fluid in there for 300k miles...what shop did you work for? so i can stay as far as possible from them

 

[GioDiGreek]

Well if you know better than Mercedes Benz engineers then I am not saying anything else. The shop I was working is in Tampa. We serviced cars like Porsche, Mazerati, Ferrari, Meybach, Bentley, Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW etc.Just for your info the MB cars have no oil "deep sticks" for trans. just because is nobodys job to touch them. If you are authorized service shop you buy from MB as a tool. Not the same for all models. Each cost about 180$. Depending the trans. Also you can NOT use generic fluids. It may damage the trans. All have to be order from the manufacturer. Otherwise you can void the warranty. As of Mercedes Benz regulations.
I hope you understand that i know what I am talking about. Again the best is to go with the manufacturers standards. You can find fluid specs in the cars Manual. You can order any fluid from MAZDA "original" with part number from the SHOP MANUAL book. Not generic or anything else. Specially for the trans. and transfer cases. Anyone can do what ever he wants. Just my 2c.

 

[Keno1542]

Well if you know better than Mercedes Benz engineers then I am not saying anything else. The shop I was working is in Tampa. We serviced cars like Porsche, Mazerati, Ferrari, Meybach, Bentley, Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW etc.Just for your info the MB cars have no oil "deep sticks" for trans. just because is nobodys job to touch them. If you are authorized service shop you buy from MB as a tool. Not the same for all models. Each cost about 180$. Depending the trans. Also you can NOT use generic fluids. It may damage the trans. All have to be order from the manufacturer. Otherwise you can void the warranty. As of Mercedes Benz regulations.
I hope you understand that i know what I am talking about. Again the best is to go with the manufacturers standards. You can find fluid specs in the cars Manual. You can order any fluid from MAZDA "original" with part number from the SHOP MANUAL book. Not generic or anything else. Specially for the trans. and transfer cases. Anyone can do what ever he wants. Just my 2c.

OR MB doesnt put the tranny dipstick on so you have to take it to a shop, everything they say is not always the best for the car, most of the time it is to make more money after the initial car buying transaction has taken place...and there is a reason that most MBs spend more time in the shop than they do out on the Road!!!

EDIT: I dont think I know more than the MB engineers(cause i dont), but the engineers are also pressured by management outside the engineering field, that is why all the students studying to be engineers here and Georgia Tech MUST take and Engineering Ethics Course...because there are a lot of time when Engineers and Mangers dont see eye to eye on cost efficiency and Safety/Longevity

 

[GioDiGreek]

I understand that you are a student at Georgia Tech. Right? I am sure you have access on a huge database with manufacturers specs and repair procedures. You can see why every single repair or check takes much more time and the use of special tools in order to perform it correct. Dealers in US at my knowledge don't have always the personel like you from a well known tech school. Mechanics on dealers don't have always the right tools for all maintenance procedures. For example; How many mechanics you know that using a torque wrench to tight the oil plug on the correct ft/lb? I know 1 exluding my self.
Mechanics on the dealers working with book hours in order to get paid. Just by looking in AllData on a simple repair claims time and skill of the mechanic. That means you need a specific amount of time to do something. You can perform faster but something you have to skip or over look. MB have problems because lack of mechanic skills. 100% proven. Every dealer is for the quick buck. Again I dont want to argue. I am writing to help the fellow owners to do something right because they love their cars and paid a lot of money for those. That's all.

 

[Keno1542]

i dont wanna argue either, but i would also change the fluids more often than the intervals you recommended, as that is one of the cheapest forms of insurance you can have...and the old fluid will tell you a lot about how you car is running.

Also, if you are not familiar with Georgia Tech, it is not a 'Technical school', it is a university that focuses on Engineering and Sciences

 

[protege02]

i kinda agree with him ^^^^(when do you graduate and what are u majoring in by the way, i just graduated in december, and I'm class of 03?) I would recommend changing fluids/flushes at 60k miles, but I've known people not flush coolant over 100k miles, and my g/f's mom had an 06 navigator that got it's first oil change at 12,4xx miles three years back(i remember being outside, and she's like what's wrong with the truck. it was boggin a little. I'm like it's new? then I popped the hood, and everything seemed fine, and I was like do you change your oil? She said no, and I'm lookin at the tach, and I'm like the engine should of fried miles ago if she hasn't changed it at all, and I get the dip stick and it was bone dry. I'm like no way, and so I opened the lid and it was bone dry, so I went to pep boys to get 3 quarts of oil and put it in with a k/n filter, and told her to take it to get an oil change, and it ran fine after that. Plus, the oil light wasn't even on.), so some cars/engines will take a beating. they now have 2 benzs, and I try to remind her about tires and oil. anyway, I would change the brake fluid along with the brakes. the fronts usually go out a lot earlier than the rears, so I usually change it when I change the rears. i've only done all 4 at the same time once, but I'm not 100% sure about when to do the brakes to be honest.

 

[protege02]

i dont wanna argue either, but i would also change the fluids more often than the intervals you recommended, as that is one of the cheapest forms of insurance you can have...and the old fluid will tell you a lot about how you car is running.

Also, if you are not familiar with Georgia Tech, it is not a 'Technical school', it is a university that focuses on Engineering and Sciences

I tell everyone I went to an Institute, and they are like what institute.

 

[Keno1542]

i graduate in 2011, I just switched to Management Major, but i was ME for like year and 1/2...found out it wasnt for me