How often do you change your Trans Fluid in Dmax

[doc73]

Coming up on my 45,000 change the filter or change the fluid and filter and curious how often you change the fluid. Severe duty says to do them both at 45k but I am not so sure I am severe duty with what I tow. Of the 43k miles on the truck I have 15k towing miles. So just curious. 8k lbs trailer.

[Bikersarge]

I wouldn't worry about doing it yet, Maybe 75000, if you continue to pull with another 20k miles with the Trailer. Best to ask your dealer.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by Bikersarge

I wouldn't worry about doing it yet, Maybe 75000, if you continue to pull with another 20k miles with the Trailer. Best to ask your dealer.

Yeah I considered that (dealer)... But they want to treat the truck like I use it in Iraq with new filters (air and cabin) every oil change and such... I will ask my mechanic. Just looking for some good old real world usage.

I did think of just doing the filter, I am not being cheap, just do not know if it was a waste and I have been told changing the fluid to much can also bring problems sometimes.

[Bob_Loblaw]

The spin-on Allison filters are easy to change (don't throw away the magnetic ring) and I see them as cheap insurance. I change mine every 3rd oil change and you don't lose enough fluid dropping the spin-on filter to worry about topping off.
I did a 2x drain and fill with Transynd about 10,000 miles ago so I figure I'm good for at least another 40-45K miles towing the TT once or twice a month.

[Jim34RL]

I don't have a Chevy any more but oil is cheap compared to a failed transmission or component in the drive train. I always change my transmission oil between 40K and 50K miles with new filters. I do this myself since I have a Mag-Hytec pan with a magnetic oil plug in the pan, I simply open up the plug and let it drain. I then will drop the pan and replace both of my filters in the transmission. I also change my front and rear differential fluid at the same time too.

Why people will spend $65,000+ for a truck or over 100K on a motor home and than skimp on fluid changes always beats me!

[325BH]

Originally Posted by Jim34RL

Why people will spend $65,000+ for a truck or over 100K on a motor home and than skimp on fluid changes always beats me!

Totally agree.

[doc73]

Its not necessarily an issue with not spending the money it is just wasteful if not needed. Using the every third oil change would be a trans fluid change once or possibly twice a year. I also read people who do it every oil change along with a fuel filter... Again, it is just wasteful and an inefficient usage of my time.

It will cost me about $60 for the fluid and about $10 for the filter and probably (never done it before) a hour or so of my time to change the fluid. But while I am not poor I am not in the midset of throwing away extra money "just because" if it needs it it will be done.

I have read not to throw out the ring thing, thank you for that advice though good to know that it is in there.

As for the 65k for the truck... Must have bought a ford... LOL My chevy was a lot less than that! Besides, if something does go wrong that is why I have a 100,000 miles warranty.

[Bob_Loblaw]

I may not have been clear in my previous post. I change my spin-on trans filter every 3rd oil change not the trans fluid itself. I change the fluid every 45-50K miles.

[doc73]

Ok, thank you. I took it as you did the oil every third oil change.

[Comanchecreek]

Since I tow I do mine every 30 grand. Like others have said oil is cheap tranny's are not. With a 33 foot fifth wheel just makes sense to over service rather than under service. I pull in Colorado so pulling passes, and get things toasty going down the hill.

[DouglasReid]

Here is my opinion, FWIW:
Oil (either engine, xmsn, differential, etc.) is Cheap, mechanical parts are Expensive!
Id MUCH rather change it too soon than Too Late!
If your manual says 45,000 for severe service, id follow that schedule
When did you last change your brake fluid, power assist, coolant, differential, transfer case? Look at Duramaxforum.com for recommendations on the change interval for these vital fluids too.

[NMWildcat]

My manual for Allison says 25k for severe duty, otherwise 50k. I see that model years from 2012 on are almost double that. We tow often enough that we just do it every 25k.

Like others have said, why push it? Oil is cheap. If you tow at all just use the severe numbers and don't worry about it.

And I've never heard or experienced that you can hurt something by changing fluids too much

[Livin the Life]

X2 with fluids are much cheaper than repairing tranny or engine.

Only you can ultimately decide what's wasteful or overkill. Quite a few Duramax/Allison forums will help you decide.

I put Transynd synthetic in my Ally trans as it is recommended by Allison and on most Duramax/Allison forums. Have done the two time fluid change as well. I change the tranny external spin-on filter every third oil change and pull the drain plug, drain and refill every 25,000 miles. (Overkill, maybe, but for me piece of mind and cheap insurance).

I change my engine oil every 5,000 miles. Again, cheap insurance. My 2002 2500HD Duramax just turned 250,000 miles with over 90% of those mile being towing miles. So far no issues.

In my pre-retirement years my rep jobs have always included driving all over the western states and my vehicles always went over 300,000 miles before I sold them. Always religiously changed fluids and never had issues. Lucky, maybe.
But as most good mechanics would tell you, "Pay me a little now for maintenance, or a lot more later for repairs".

[fkovach1]

Keep in mind that in order to keep that warranty in effect you MUST follow the recommended maint as per factory schedule. In my previous life I worked in dealers and they can deny you warranty work if you do not have receipts for the services you are performing in your driveway. Severe duty is anything harder than freeway driving with no load. Do the minimum that the factory says to protect that warranty. I know the dealer is more expensive sometimes, but a good dealer has access to after warranty adjustment money for loyal customers. Even if you are on the road, if the work is done at a dealer the factory has all the repair info. A call to GM can produce good result. Today's high quality filters and synthetic fluids last a lot longer than they used to. The days of 3/3000 oil changes are long gone.

[DocGTO]

I changed my spin off at 5K as a precaution and then every 15K miles. At $12/ea it is cheap insurance. The factory schedule is fluid every 45K if used in severe cases. My master tech locally says let your eyes and nose tell you when as well. He says one at 45K check it at every oil change and look and smell the fluid. He saud if I change the spin every 15K and fluid looks reddish and smells good then 60K will be fine. The internal filter is not suppose to be changed until a rebuild is needed as per Allison.