Low tranny fluid=flashing check trans light!

[Triathlete]

Anyway, what I am saying, is that they don't call dash indicators "idiot lights" for no reason. It seems that until you actually have a catastrophic breakdown, the lights don't come on (sorry Billy).

Thats alright....I've never claimed to be the smartest guy in the world!

[Triathlete]

Quick?????
Is there a gasket on the main pan or just the make-a-gasket type stuff? If the later, what works best?

[nfpgasmask]

Quick?????
Is there a gasket on the main pan or just the make-a-gasket type stuff? If the later, what works best?

Autozone carrys a replacement tranny filter for our VXes. The filter comes with a cork gasket. I have been using these type of gaskets with my VX since my first tranny service with no problem. If you have never done a tranny service, it makes me wonder if the filter is clogged and that is why your indicator is lit.

Go buy the filter today. Should be around $35-$40. Take the gasket out and compress it between 2 heavy books. This will get the folds out and be ready for you by Saturday morning. It will be WAY easier to install without the folds. If you really have never done your trans, you might want to pick up a hard plastic scraper too. When we did Clint's tranny, his original gasket was broasted onto the pan and housing pretty bad. Yours will likely have this issue also, in which case you will spend some time scraping off the old gasket.

Now, I know I have and several others on here have spelled out the whole tranny fluid and filter change procedure in detail. But, I would be more than happy to spell it out again. I've done mine twice now, and I feel really comfortable and confident about doing it now. Just say the word.

Bart

[Triathlete]

Are any brand better than the others for the filter? Here is what checkers has. The fram is available for store pick-up and is hugely discounted.

And don't worry, I knew what you were saying about the "idiot" lights...I rarely take anything TO serious!

[tom4bren]

Billy,

I did a pdf of the ATF change. Lemme know if you need me to send it to you to print a copy to have outside when you do the job.

Tom

[nfpgasmask]

Billy, I am not sure what brand I got. Both times, the filter and gasket came in a thin white box with no markings on it at all. AutoZone just said it is OEM.

Bart

[Triathlete]

Well, the deed is done! Today I dropped all my skid plates, dropped the cross member, dropped the trans. pan and changed the trans. filter. Buttoned it all up and filled it up again. Test drove it and all seems well...will give it a few weeks to see if the CTL comes back on again. All in all this is not a hard job to do yourself with just a few basic hand tools...although if you have access to a lift it would make things WAY easier. Took me about 4-5 hours. Could probably do it in half the time now that I know what to do. I used the Fram filter. Was $40 at Checkers. Filled the trans up with Valvoline Max Life. The fluid smelled like fluid...no burnt smell. It was dirty but not black. There was a bit (maybe 1/18th of an inch) of sludgey metal on the magnet...but I guess for 115000 miles thats not to bad. I cleaned everything up...that is a pretty good size magnet! I'll post a few pictures I took in the morning. I am tired now!

[nfpgasmask]

Good job, Billy. Personally, I noticed smoother shifting after my trans fluid/filter change.

Bart

[Diogenes]

Looks like I'm having the same problem.. Just drove cross country about 7 weeks ago and the Check Transmission light started blinking in Iowa after I dropped in a quart of oil. Had a local mechanic check the codes and there was nothing mentioned for the Transmission so he reset them and I drove another 1500 miles with no reoccurence.

But then a couple of weeks ago, the damn light started blinking again.. Reset the computer and it stopped blinking until last weekend. So now I'm starting to get a bit worried.

I've only put 15K on the vehicle since I bought it 3 years ago, and had ALL the fluids replaced 2 summers ago, including tranny and differentials. So I have a hard time believing that I'm running low since I'm not seeing any leaks.

As I recall, it's a major hassle to replace the tranny fluid, let alone replace the filter, but might have to do it.

Diogenes

[nfpgasmask]

As I recall, it's a major hassle to replace the tranny fluid, let alone replace the filter, but might have to do it.

IMO, it is really not that hard to do. That said, it does take the proper know how, and that is why I think you should definitely, at very least, check your trans fluid level using the instructions posted earlier in this thread. Reason being, is that it is very possible that the mech who did your fluid change did not have the aforementioned instructions, and may have not filled your trans with enough fluid. Its very easy to not fill the VX trans properly. Does your VX shift hard/clunk between gears?

Also, imo, simply draining and refilling the trans fluid is not enough. You have to drop the pan and replace the filter. If this has never been done on your VX, it is very possible that your filter is dirty and clogging, and this may cause your check trans light to blink.

Changing the fluid AND filter is a chore, and will take you some time (like a whole Saturday afternoon), but it is really not hard. Its dirty, messy and hot, but not hard. And given the money you will save doing it yourself, it is rather worth it, imo.

Bart

[nfpgasmask]

Thats alright....I've never claimed to be the smartest guy in the world!

Billy, sorry about the idiot light comment, I didn't mean it that way, what I meant was, "sorry Billy, your light may be indicating that you have a catastrophic tranny problem", not, "Billy, you are an idiot!"

Bart