Should I change my trans fluid?

[Wild one]

I have put about 11,000 miles on the truck since that trans service was done, and it has been quiet and smooth as when I first bought it. It never gets above about 185F. I've never towed and only haul a bed full of seasoned firewood a short distance once/year. So far so good?

At the rate I'm driving, another service won't be due for at least 10 - 15 years, although I know I could actually do it at any time.

Given everything I would have to buy, including a tool capable of cutting the tool I need to do the job, it would probably make more sense for me to pre-purchase the Maxlife/pan/filter and find a shop I can trust to follow the green sheet procedure.

If you're still reading, does anyone know the max number of years before the fluid/pan/filter should be replaced again?

ZF says change it between 80,000 and 130,000 kilometers or every 8 years,which ever comes first

 

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks, 8 years from last change in 2022, so I'll be 73.
Maybe I should get some exercise and start buying 10mm sockets again.

 

[Wild one]

I still think you can do #9 on the ground. Anyway, I can still do the "full" check starting from cold the next day to see where I'm at. When it warms up, I'll post the results.

I think it's like T. Anders says,you have to slowly accelerate till the truck makes the shift into 2nd,so the way i read that,it looks like the rear tires need to be in the air

 

[mdc1990zr1]

How would you accelerate slowly to 2nd gear with the wheels on the ground?

Put the gear selector in 2 and drive? Am I missing something? The trans would go from 1 to 2 and no further.

 

[Wild one]

Put the gear selector in 2 and drive? Am I missing something? The trans would go from 1 to 2 and no further.

If you drive it,you'll be well past the checking temp.If you drive it one day,then decide to check it the next day,you still have to go through the procedure all over again.The idea of the procedure is to fill the clutch circuits,and as soon as you park it,they will empty,and you'll be back to square 1 again. If at all possible try and get the back tires in the air,so you can follow the green sheet to a T. The 8 speeds don't like being off on the fluid level,even a 1/2 quart low seems to affect them. The ideal checking temp is closer to 110F,so you need to start with a cold transmission,to get through the procedure before it hits that temp.The 122 temp listed is the very max temp for checking them,110 to 115 are better checking temps. Your ramp idea is good,but only to help you get it close to the optimal height to level the pan rail,to get it to the proper height,you should jack it up off the ramps,and use a set of tall jackstands to support the rear-end in the air

 

[mdc1990zr1]

If you drive it,you'll be well past the checking temp.If you drive it one day,then decide to check it the next day,you still have to go through the procedure all over again.The idea of the procedure is to fill the clutch circuits,and as soon as you park it,they will empty,and you'll be back to square 1 again. If at all possible try and get the back tires in the air,so you can follow the green sheet to a T. The 8 speeds don't like being off on the fluid level,even a 1/2 quart low seems to affect them. The ideal checking temp is closer to 110F,so you need to start with a cold transmission,to get through the procedure before it hits that temp.The 122 temp listed is the very max temp for checking them,110 to 115 are better checking temps. Your ramp idea is good,but only to help you get it close to the optimal height to level the pan rail,to get it to the proper height,you should jack it up off the ramps,and use a set of tall jackstands to support the rear-end in the air

I wasn't keen on the idea of having it running on jack stands while I'm under it. I've chocked wheels before, but never crawled under a running car. Thats how accidents happen. I was trying to keep the wheels on the ground (ramps).

 

[CanRebel]

@Wild one posted good instructions.

But here is one I like. It even has pictures. Just ignore the part of them, selling you their stuff.

https://www.blauparts.com/blog/how-to-change-ram-1500-transmission-fluid-8-speed.html

IF I was going to do it. depending where you live. I would rent a bay with hoist for few hours. Or watch someone younger do it.

 

[Wild one]

I wasn't keen on the idea of having it running on jack stands while I'm under it. I've chocked wheels before, but never crawled under a running car. Thats how accidents happen. I was trying to keep the wheels on the ground (ramps).

The transmission is in "park" when you're under the truck,with the wheels chocked you should be perfectly fine with it on jackstands.The only time it's not in park is when you're in the drivers seat going through the gears.

 

[Quick_Shifter]

The process isn't difficult.Jack the truck up till the transmission is level,unbolt the original pan/filter,replace it with the new pan/filter,put as much fluid in the transmission as you can,then it's just a matter of going through the gears,and rechecking the fluid level after. It seems intimidating,but after you read through these instructions a couple times,you'll see there's not much to it.
Step 1 and steps 5 to 14 are the only ones you need to worry about.Ideally you want to start with a cold transmission,that way you can get through the procedure before the transmission is at it's max checking temp of 122,apparently the ideal checking temp is between 110 and 115,with 122 being the max temp you can be at to get a proper fluid level

Exactly there are a lot of YouTube videos over complicating the process to change the “lifetime” fluid. They want to sell transmissions guys.
@Burla youre right most shops can barely change oil unfortunately because nobody cares anymore. Trusting someone to plug a scanner in and check fluid vs temperature when they won’t even torque the drain bolt on an oil pan. Good ones are out there but hard to find.

 

[Wild one]

@Wild one posted good instructions.

But here is one I like. It even has pictures. Just ignore the part of them, selling you their stuff.

https://www.blauparts.com/blog/how-to-change-ram-1500-transmission-fluid-8-speed.html

IF I was going to do it. depending where you live. I would rent a bay with hoist for few hours. Or watch someone younger do it.

Tough to level the pan rail on the majority of hoists. You'll never get the tranny level on a 2 post hoist,unless you just use the arms to pick-up the rear of the truck,and leave the front tires on the ground

 

[Wild one]

Exactly there are a lot of YouTube videos over complicating the process to change the “lifetime” fluid. They want to sell transmissions guys.
@Burla youre right most shops can barely change oil unfortunately because nobody cares anymore. Trusting someone to plug a scanner in and check fluid vs temperature when they won’t even torque the drain bolt on an oil pan. Good ones are out there but hard to find.
View attachment 537188

That chart makes me think of my Nag1,lol. I'm glad i bought the dipstick with temperature chart for it,while Chrysler still sold them,now i think the only way to get a Nag1 dipstick is off Amazon or Ebay

 

[T. Anders]

Put the gear selector in 2 and drive? Am I missing something? The trans would go from 1 to 2 and no further.

You're reading the directions differently than I am.

 

[mdc1990zr1]

You're reading the directions differently than I am.

Maybe, but I think it can be done without the rear on jack stands. At least thats the mission at hand. I'll post back.

 

[Wild one]

Maybe, but I think it can be done without the rear on jack stands. At least thats the mission at hand. I'll post back.

I think if you drive it off your ramps far enough for it to shift into 2nd ,then drive back so you can put it back up on your ramps to get the transmission level again to check it,you'll probably be close to having it too warm to check the fluid level. You don't want the transmission any hotter then 122,that's the max checking temp,but if you can check it at 110F that's a better temp to check it at. But i'll be the first to admit,i've never done it that way so i can't say positively if you'll have exceeded the max checking temp or not.
A good set of sturdy 6 ton jackstands are fairly safe,and the truck is in park when it's running for the final check,and that's the only time you'll be under the truck while it's running,and it's only idling in park. You're in the drivers seat when you shift it through the gears for the rest of the procedure.
When you swap the pan and do the initial fill by all means have it on ramps if they make you feel more comfortable,but i honestly think you should have the rear tires off the ground to do the checking procedure

 

[mdc1990zr1]

I think if you drive it off your ramps far enough for it to shift into 2nd ,then drive back so you can put it back up on your ramps to get the transmission level again to check it,you'll probably be close to having it too warm to check the fluid level. You don't want the transmission any hotter then 122,that's the max checking temp,but if you can check it at 110F that's a better temp to check it at. But i'll be the first to admit,i've never done it that way so i can't say positively if you'll have exceeded the max checking temp or not.
A good set of sturdy 6 ton jackstands are fairly safe,and the truck is in park when it's running for the final check,and that's the only time you'll be under the truck while it's running,and it's only idling in park. You're in the drivers seat when you shift it through the gears for the rest of the procedure.
When you swap the pan and do the initial fill by all means have it on ramps if they make you feel more comfortable,but i honestly think you should have the rear tires off the ground to do the checking procedure

My thinking is safety first. I'll keep a close eye on the trans temp. If I can do it on the ramps with all four wheels on the "ground" and in park, I can also chock the front wheels and use the emergency brake which will lock the rear wheels on the ramp. With the wheels in the air, park doesn't do anything with the wheels in the air.

 

[Wild one]

My thinking is safety first. I'll keep a close eye on the trans temp. If I can do it on the ramps with all four wheels on the "ground" and in park, I can also chock the front wheels and use the emergency brake which will lock the rear wheels on the ramp. With the wheels in the air, park doesn't do anything with the wheels in the air.

Keep the ramps under the wheels,but have the wheels about 2" above the ramps,that way if it does somehow manage to vibrate itself off the jackstands (highly unlikely) it won't fall very far. You do realize the wheels are still on the truck,so even if it did vibrate itself off the stands,while you're under it,unless you're one hell of a chunky guy,it shouldn't crush you,and with the truck in park and the front wheels chocked it's not going to run over you.
I don't really approve of your idea of doing it on a driveway facing downhill either,as that just compounds your worry,do it on a level spot,less chance of it falling off anything,and trying to run you over.A bit of common sense needs to be employed,and doing it on a parking pad that's not level isn't the best idea
With the way you're worrying about it,you might be better off letting a shop do it,that way if it falls off their hoist,you won't get hurt,lol

 

[mdc1990zr1]

Keep the ramps under the wheels,but have the wheels about 2" above the ramps,that way if it does somehow manage to vibrate itself off the jackstands (highly unlikely) it won't fall very far. You do realize the wheels are still on the truck,so even if it did vibrate itself off the stands,while you're under it,unless you're one hell of a chunky guy,it shouldn't crush you,and with the truck in park and the front wheels chocked it's not going to run over you.
I don't really approve of your idea of doing it on a driveway facing downhill either,as that just compounds your worry,do it on a level spot,less chance of it falling off anything,and trying to run you over.A bit of common sense needs to be employed,and doing it on a parking pad that's not level isn't the best idea
With the way you're worrying about it,you might be better off letting a shop do it,that way if it falls off their hoist,you won't get hurt,lolI

I'm not afraid and do everything I can myself. That's my plan, wether it works or not I'll see. It's just a thought now and I've cut the wood and made the ramps. I have all kinds of heavy duty 2 and 3 and even 4-ton jack stands. The last thing I want is someone else to screw it up and I have to live with the aftermath.

 

[Wild one]

I'm not afraid and do everything I can myself. That's my plan, wether it works or not I'll see. It's just a thought now and I've cut the wood and made the ramps. I have all kinds of heavy duty 2 and 3 and even 4-ton jack stands. The last thing I want is someone else to screw it up and I have to live with the aftermath.

I'm not sure a set of 4 ton stands are tall enough,i have to use my 6 ton stands to have enough height to level the pan rail.That's with them under the axle tubes on the rear diff. You can always place the 4 ton stands on 2X6's or 2X8's to get more height if needed though

 

[DILLIGAF]

Thats how far mine was up

 

[greg mayrhofer]

I changed my trans fluid two years ago, it wasn't that hard. Just jack up your truck till it is equally level , remove the pan and reinstall new pan and filter, got mine from rock auto. I measured the amount drained and for me it was 4 1/2 liters, not a complete flush of course but better than leaving it not done. through the procedure listed by Wild one I added the same amount of fluid, . It is a very good Idea to change it, remember all fluids will have there break down point. here is a shot of what the old fluid looks like from the drain.