10 Break
Senior Member
FWIW, I just did the 4th tranny fluid and filters replacement on my 2007 545RFE that has 220,000 miles on her now. 8 qts came out, 8 back in. Sounds like much less tedious procedure than what most of y'all have to do.
Transmission Fluid / Service
- Thread starter Pat G
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Marshall
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Being a service manager, you just write work orders I suppose, bet you never did any real work on these?
Kind of a funny post, I am too old to crawl under trucks now. Mine is at 80Km 2014 and thinking about that time, but It sits in the garage 90% of the time
But I could have done it a couple yrs ago, with blocks and ramps,
I not sure if it can be done on a lift as the trans. has to be level, not the truck.
I have serviced lots of stuff over the years that where not servable if you listen to factory.
But I like fixing, building stuff.
Buying new is simple, but the company is not paying the damn bills on it, unless it is newer.
I read more posts after I posted this, which I guess would be the smart thing to do, But first read of your post I thought " WTH" Sorry if I spoke out of turn.
My son was doing the same as you, but with GM and he was the Trans guy and serviced everyone that came in ,Oil patch, and lots of service on new trucks, but that was yrs ago.
Teaching the trade now.
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Podcast
Senior Member
Negative ghost rider. I wrenched for 15 years prior to advising and now managing for 10 years. The rear wheel drive version of these trans don't even have a serviceable trans filter, it's located within the molding of the trans pan itself and there is no access less a small port.
JohnLoves2Ski
Junior Member
Holy crap you guys. Let me break something down for you:
"Not Serviceable" in dealer speak does not mean you can't repair or rebuild it. It means it is a far better financial decision to replace rather than repair/rebuild.
You guys arguing your perspective will not change the data they have from building and repairing cars for decades.
"Not Serviceable" in dealer speak does not mean you can't repair or rebuild it. It means it is a far better financial decision to replace rather than repair/rebuild.
You guys arguing your perspective will not change the data they have from building and repairing cars for decades.
star_deceiver
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I can walk into the parts department, today, at Airdrie Dodge and buy a transmission pan/filter combo. They will charge me around $250 as I recall for this. And $30/L for fluid.
There is nothing difficult about accessing the 845RE transmission on this truck. They even have a sticker below the fill port about servicing.
Yes, these parts and oil are not cheap. Yes, the procedure is a little cumbersome. But the aftermarket has cheaper parts and oil, all of varying quality and cost.
Stellantis may not care about the transmission as it will last the warranty period, but most of us do care about long term issues that may pop up. Stellantis does, however, have a drain and fill procedure. A good tech should be able to do this in his/her sleep.
Also, there are many posts on this and other forums of successful transmission fluid changes on the various 8speeds. This is not a glass gearbox that will grenade if you’re a hair off on fluid level.
Tominator223
Senior Member
Brondo ! It what plants crave. Lol. Sorry couldn’t help it
Podcast
Senior Member
This is true as well. The issue with the sayers perspective on this is that it's "not about the transmission failing but about doing maintenance
Yes, you sure can. That's my point. The filter is in the pan so the entirety has to be replaced. Stellantis doesn't care about the transmission because it will out last the truck without maintenance. Of course there are drain and fill access points, it doesn't mean it should or is recommended to be serviced and these transmissions on new models are now coming without a drain point as well. Fact is that if you want to, go for it. I'm not going to hold anyone back from doing so. The reason they recommend not servicing this is to not expose anything to the atmosphere, and that's straight from ZF themselves. It's not just a Stellantis recommendation. It's not about fluid level, it's about particle contamination.
Wild one
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Well i think we've proven for the OP, the 8 speeds can be serviced ,contary to what any dealer is telling him. There are a few dealers who will service the 8 speed,but they are usually in smaller farming communities where word of mouth will kill a dealership in short order,so they're a little more progressive in keeping and maintaining their customer base then the big city dealerships are
Frontbutz
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So these tranny's are not vented to the atmosphere at all? It seems the case pressure would build up and affect line pressures. Or is the head space purged with nitrogen at the factory?
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And that’s another reason I bought the lifetime warranty. Lol
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Hate to get involved here, but if you service your eight speed, do you stick with the ZF fluid or do you use after market compatible? Thanks and sorry if I’m opening a can of worms here.
Wild one
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They're vented,you can find the hose up towards the back of the engine,and it's not filtered either.
Wild one
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After buying one 8 speed on my dime,i've got in the habit of changing the fluid yearly,and my ass puckers,but i suck it up and buy the gold plated Mopar 8/9 speed fluid
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Thanks again.
Snapper 60
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Dude,
Oil break becomes dirty and additives within break down overtime, change it out and use whatever Mopar oil is recommended but you can used some others that meet the Mopar Spec. But they must meet spec, you can look up on the FCA/Ram site for approved oils.
I change my 2500 trans oil at 30 months regardless of clicks.
Oil break becomes dirty and additives within break down overtime, change it out and use whatever Mopar oil is recommended but you can used some others that meet the Mopar Spec. But they must meet spec, you can look up on the FCA/Ram site for approved oils.
I change my 2500 trans oil at 30 months regardless of clicks.
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jimboschnitz
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As I recall, the major problem with servicing the transmission is there is no drain plug and the original pan has the oil filter incorporated in it. If you do service the transmission, the OEM replacement is the same, throw out the pan and filter assy as a unit. There are however aftermarket kits available with a drain and a replacement filter that has a reusable pan.
BLUEDERANGO
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Alright, just my input..ZF transmissions specifically the 8 speed is used in several different manufacturers vehicles. Other Manufacturers using these transmissions recommend oil changes at between 70 & 100K miles. Now my own experence was I was being lazy so I called my friendly dealer,(yes they are reputable and good) and was quoted $850 to do the job...Well I got un-lazy real quick and ordered a pan and MoPar fluid and changed it myself.. Cost, less than $300 and an 90 min. of time. With the exaggerated price of a new truck it is a small amount of insurance against trans failure and the cost to replace. If ZF say's change it, jusy do it.
BBJYD
Junior Member
I have a 2014 6.4 with the 66rfe. It has 130k miles and I have never "needed" to change the tran oil..... cause they automatically change it, everytime it get rebuilt! So it was changed 3 times under warranty and now the jasper trans has already been changed once....
