Noticed on the Mazda Forums that they have a method that is different to the one we use. It looks easy and might work on our cars. I will try to describe it as best I can.

Step 1 Locate the Automatic Transmission Fluid drain plug and remove. This should cause the fluid to run out. Clean the plug and put it back in.

Step 2 Working from the top of the engine pour in new fluid. On the Automatic Transmission, the dipstick is set into the fill cap. That is how you find the fill cap. You will need a suitable funnel.

Step 3 There isnt one --- jobs done :nuts: Easier than an oil change.

This method gets out about half the stale fluid. It doesnt flush the cooler. It might suit people who dont believe the recommended change intervals. If you want to change your fluid more often, then maybe this is an easy way to do it. Part change every 20k instead of a full change every 100k.

Do it while you are doing the oil change. Every second oil change or whatever. Very little effort, no mess.

Tried this over the weekend-- too easy. I put the stale fluid in an old oil bottle that was marked in litres and just added the same amount back into the transmission. Seemed to come out pretty close.

Why go to the effort if you are doing it half arsed?

Do it properly and do it every 40k kms or yearly

Doing this is a complete waste of time and money.

All the old, stale oil in the system is still there and will just mix with whatever you've just poured in. The same problems will still be there.

It's kind of like putting a band aid on an amputation.

Doing this is a complete waste of time and money.

All the old, stale oil in the system is still there and will just mix with whatever you've just poured in. The same problems will still be there.

It's kind of like putting a band aid on an amputation.


WINNING post!

Hey Mecha, Disciple.

A full flush every 40k kms is better than a part change every 20k kms I would say. If you can get rid of all of the old oil every 40k kms then that is a better result because two part changes every 20k kms will not achieve that.

On the other hand, the process to achieve a complete flush at home is a major pain.

It can be messy, because the fluid spurts out pretty strongly. Some mess is almost guaranteed unless it is a job you do all the time. It also takes a long time, at least for me. The hose clamps can be a little tricky to see and hard to reach as well.

Cost is not a major factor for me. With the full flush method you will use up some new fluid driving out the last of the stale fluid. A car manual which I have says to have an extra 2.5 litres on hand. I doubt you would waste that much but you do waste some.

Guys, if you are doing a full flush every 40k kms then you are getting a better result than me. You are also working harder or are a lot cleverer (maybe both) but also having the occasional minor oil spill.

I do think that a half change every 20k kms will give a lot better oil quality than a full flush every 100k kms, which is the manufacturers recommendation. Maybe roughly equivalent to every 50k. But there is a lot of knowledge on this forum (free as well) and I am happy to benefit from any opinions.

If you're happy to benefit from any opinions, then take mine and don't bother with a drain and fill.

I taught myself to change my own transmission fluid after I bought my TL Magna a few years ago. It's made even easier on the 380 with the different location of the fluid tubes. It's a bit of a messy job, yes, but I do my own every 20k-40k and it's not a big deal. Alternatively, just drop it off to any reputable automatic transmission place, pay that bit extra, and get it done properly. I like to do things myself because at least then I know they've been done properly. I am by no means a mechanic. I taught myself to do things with information and workshop manuals found on this forum.

I urge you to please not post this kind of information in the technical section of the forums. This kind of info, while I understand you think is helpful, might give some members the wrong idea about car maintenance. We need to keep only good information in the technical sections of this forum.

have to agree with Mecha and Disciple... doing it half way makes no sense... unclamping hose to flush cooler is as easy as anything... mess is irrelevant if you know a bit about gravitation and expect where the fluid is gonna drain/stream... my wife started car for me so i could catch the fluid drain from the cooler... I did my full flush 20k ago when car had 66k (just bought it then-it had lots of metal bits on the drain plug)... now almost for 90k service so ill have mechanic to do full fluid change... and then full-flush every 40k my self...

In case anyone is interested there is more discussion of this issue on a Mazda Forum here:http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123801506-Pricey-Transmission-Fluid-Change&

The Mazda Forum is then discussed on an ATF Forum here:http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2341350#Post2341350

There seems to be a few different methods of doing this job. My feeling at this stage is that any of them will give a clean result if you change the fluid often enough.

too much reading mate ;-) id only say to this theme ;-) like Jesus said it in Bible; "He warned His audience about the folly of putting a new patch on an old garment. Scripture says: “No one puts a piece of un-shrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment and the tear is made worse” (v. 16)." i personally don't see any benefit of mixing/diluting old fluid with new one... and as I mentioned unclamping the hose and drain it 100% is so easy that its foolish to go half way... after all the hustle of preparation ;-) - and I'd go with the advice of pro mechanic on this issue ;-)