Transmission fluid change without filter replacement

So, I realize this is a DIY thread, but is there any reason not to have a trusted shop do the transmission fluid every 50k or so? They can get all of it replaced including the converter. I know it will cost more and use more ATF, but in my situation it would be very difficult to do this job, so that’s what I’m thinking.
 
So, I realize this is a DIY thread, but is there any reason not to have a trusted shop do the transmission fluid every 50k or so? They can get all of it replaced including the converter. I know it will cost more and use more ATF, but in my situation it would be very difficult to do this job, so that’s what I’m thinking.
Yes, you can have a trusted shop to do the ATF drain-and-fill for you. I believe the reason why we prefer DIY on this job is because there’re too many variables involved and it’s hard to verify the work after the job. For example, many shops will tell you you should do ATF flush which can replace entire fluid including those (more than half) in torque converter and valve body. In reality on SkyActiv-Drive automatic transmission there’s no ATF lines coming out to an external ATF cooler. The commercial ATF exchanger usually has to rely on these 2 ATF lines to intercept old fluid and feed the fresh ATF back into the transmission with engine running. This means there’s no way to do a flush replacing entire ATF unless those shops have hard-to-find special adapter to do the flush for our transmission. One way to prevent this is you buy your own Mazda OEM FZ ATF and take it to the shop, and ask them to leave all empty bottles in your trunk making sure they use the correct ATF with proper amount. If the shop says they need 4~5 quarts, they’re doing only drain-an-fill as the entire ATF capacity is 8.2 / 8.5 quarts.

The measurement of ATF level is tricky too. It has to be at the center mark of the dipstick at 122°F on fluid temperature. I doubt most indies would know this but the Mazda dealers do. And not like engine oil level, it’s hard for you to verify correct ATF level by yourself.

Lastly, if you ask Mazda dealer to do this, some dealers would insist Mazda’s recommendation and refuse to do the ATF drain-and-fill for you.
 
Only way I would trust a shop to do it is if they specifically had prior experience with this gearbox, and could demonstrate the knowledge of the quirks (and features :p ) associated with it.
 
can a 100mph long drive cause trans wear?
I don’t see why. a) it’s just a tad over the 1/2 way mark on the speedometer, and b) most of the wear on the transmission is during shifting. I’d have to think that for your prolonged 15 minutes at 100+ mph, you’d be in the highest gear the whole time. Just lubricated gears doing their thing.
 
Yes, you can have a trusted shop to do the ATF drain-and-fill for you. I believe the reason why we prefer DIY on this job is because there’re too many variables involved and it’s hard to verify the work after the job. For example, many shops will tell you you should do ATF flush which can replace entire fluid including those (more than half) in torque converter and valve body. In reality on SkyActiv-Drive automatic transmission there’s no ATF lines coming out to an external ATF cooler. The commercial ATF exchanger usually has to rely on these 2 ATF lines to intercept old fluid and feed the fresh ATF back into the transmission with engine running. This means there’s no way to do a flush replacing entire ATF unless those shops have hard-to-find special adapter to do the flush for our transmission. One way to prevent this is you buy your own Mazda OEM FZ ATF and take it to the shop, and ask them to leave all empty bottles in your trunk making sure they use the correct ATF with proper amount. If the shop says they need 4~5 quarts, they’re doing only drain-an-fill as the entire ATF capacity is 8.2 / 8.5 quarts.

The measurement of ATF level is tricky too. It has to be at the center mark of the dipstick at 122°F on fluid temperature. I doubt most indies would know this but the Mazda dealers do. And not like engine oil level, it’s hard for you to verify correct ATF level by yourself.

Lastly, if you ask Mazda dealer to do this, some dealers would insist Mazda’s recommendation and refuse to do the ATF drain-and-fill for you.
Good points. I used to do two or three drain and fills on my Subarus, like what I'm reading here. I do trust this particular shop a lot, but I didn't realize they wouldn't be able to use their machine. So essentially, they would have to do the same thing as far as doing 2 or three drain and fills anyway. Do I have that right? One of the things I still don't understand about this is how to tell that you fluid is actually at 122 degrees exactly. Is it at least 122, or exactly 122. Just seems pretty fiddly. I'll have to read the how to thread, then if I have questions I'll ask. My car is only at 30k right now anyway.

They are fine with using the ATF I provide though. I used to bring in what I wanted for my BMW and they would use that.
 
my manual says nothing about atf change ever,strange.
Right. That’s because it’s “lifetime” fluid. But most people, especially those like me that want to put 2 to 3 hundred K on a car, want to change it often enough to keep the transmission healthy.
 
Good points. I used to do two or three drain and fills on my Subarus, like what I'm reading here. I do trust this particular shop a lot, but I didn't realize they wouldn't be able to use their machine. So essentially, they would have to do the same thing as far as doing 2 or three drain and fills anyway. Do I have that right? One of the things I still don't understand about this is how to tell that you fluid is actually at 122 degrees exactly. Is it at least 122, or exactly 122. Just seems pretty fiddly. I'll have to read the how to thread, then if I have questions I'll ask. My car is only at 30k right now anyway.

They are fine with using the ATF I provide though. I used to bring in what I wanted for my BMW and they would use that.

You use a bluetooth or wifi OBD2 device that plugs into your car, and you monitor the ATF temp on your phone. I had mine plugged in with the engine idling, and had my phone on the front ledge of the car, watching the temp come up. When it got to 122 I pulled the dipstick out to check the fluid level.
 
Right. That’s because it’s “lifetime” fluid. But most people, especially those like me that want to put 2 to 3 hundred K on a car, want to change it often enough to keep the transmission healthy
 
Since you can't get all the fluid out by just draining once, and you have to actually do it at least 3 times using 12 quarts of fluid (expensive) to end up with mostly new fluid, I like the idea of doing the first drain/fill at 100K and then every 50K thereafter. Or every 50K if you really want to be extra safe.

Just remember that the gearbox is a closed system, not subjected to all the vapors and blow-by that engine oil sees, so the fluid lasts much longer. And most of the metal shavings in the factory fill and on the magnet are from the gearbox's initial break-in from when it was new. So each drain/refill after that first one shouldn't have nearly as much metal in it.
 
You use a bluetooth or wifi OBD2 device that plugs into your car, and you monitor the ATF temp on your phone. I had mine plugged in with the engine idling, and had my phone on the front ledge of the car, watching the temp come up. When it got to 122 I pulled the dipstick out to check the fluid level.
I have one of those already too. I haven’t used it on this car yet. I’ll need to get familiar with the live information portion. Thanks.
 
Since you can't get all the fluid out by just draining once, and you have to actually do it at least 3 times using 12 quarts of fluid (expensive) to end up with mostly new fluid, I like the idea of doing the first drain/fill at 100K and then every 50K thereafter. Or every 50K if you really want to be extra safe.

Just remember that the gearbox is a closed system, not subjected to all the vapors and blow-by that engine oil sees, so the fluid lasts much longer. And most of the metal shavings in the factory fill and on the magnet are from the gearbox's initial break-in from when it was new. So each drain/refill after that first one shouldn't have nearly as much metal in it.
In my case, I had to look at the type of miles driven rather than go by other people's or recommended mileage intervals when servicing my CX-5. As opposed to some others, most of my driving is local "around town" so to speak, not bumper to bumper slow moving city but shorter hops of maybe 5-10 miles. Certainly not the easy highway miles. There's a lot of stops and lots of transmission shifts. Therefore, I did 2 drain and fills at 44,000 miles and wish I had done it sooner. The improvement in shifting and overall feeling of 'smoothness' was noticeable.
Not everyone's situation is the same, but for me, a first drain and fill at 100k was totally out of the question just like a first oil change at 5k was out of the question (changed at 2k). Just my thoughts.
 
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