Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Is it necessary to use a mechanic to change the auto tranny oil? I thought they have to pump it out using a machine to get it all out??? I figured the oil in the cooler lines etc would not drain out under gravity and hence had to be pumped out.

Is gravity enough to empty all of the oil?

Do you have to drop the oil pan to clean out the filter as well or is just changing the oil enough?

dude besides the fact you don't say what car its on,do your self a favour and buy or downlosd a workshop manual.
it will tell you everything you need to know with all these pretty pictures.
And yes you should do the filter as well if whatever your working on has one.

I think the fact that my avatar is a picture of a Grand Vitara badge then it's a good guess I'm talking about a Grand Vit.

I have the workshop manual and all it states is drain and refill. Nothing about the filter.

I dont know about vit auto's, but my the wifes astra has no filter that you can change so you just refill.

Hmm, interesting. I just thought all auto transmissions have a filter, since my last car (BMW) had one.

It should have a filter or at least a filter screen inside the gearbox. It won't be a ryco screw on job, but will be inside the gearbox.

Also most autos by design need the bands to be retentioned at regular intervals. This is a specailised job. You can do it yourself but check the manual for all tools required, and make sure you are confident in what you are doing first. Get it wrong can cost $2000 uppwards so sometimes its best left for the pros to do.

2 ways of doing a grandy auto trans change, Just drop the pan change the filter and put it back this does a 50% fluid change and is what most mechanics do, OR pull a cooler line off at the rad start the car and idle until the line starts to splatter and then drop the pan and change the filter, this is safe and changes 95% of the fluid in your trans,

yep vit autos have a filter 100%. its just inside as u open the sump. if u buy the seal and filter pack u will see it comes in the pack. 3 speed autos (2dr) have no bung hole and need whole sump to come out to change oil, messy job, but 4 spd autos (4dr) have a bung hole to drain oil. what id suggest it get a pro to do it now, that way u know its done properly. cost $200, and then next service u can just undo the bung and change the oil, no need for filter, as long as its not like 5 yrs. the penrite auto oil i used last up to 160,000 km so when they say service it every 2 yrs, i think its ok to change to oil after 2 yrs and then 2 yrs later do it properly again. this is just what i do, but i think its ok. to get to 4sp auto sump u have to move a few things like shafts from memory.