memtiger
Well-known member
I was looking to change my transmission fluid in my 2000 Fleetwood Flair. Does anyone have a best guess on how many quarts it will need? I would like to make 1 trip to the store if possible, lol.
Automatic transmission fluid change
- Thread starter memtiger
- Start date
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Lou Schneider
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What engine and transmission, lol?
memtiger
Well-known member
I changed the engine oil already and saw the plug for the transmission fluid drain and thought it was time for that as well so transmission fluid only.
memtiger
Well-known member
It is a gasoline workhorse engine.
Roy M
Well-known member
Who made the engine and transmission? Allison transmission with GM 8.1?
memtiger
Well-known member
Roy M
Well-known member
GM TH350, one of the most popular transmissions ever built. Add 8 quarts then start the engine, warm it up and add oil using the dipstick as a guide. Cycle it through the gears to ensure full circulation.
dktool
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OP has a 2000, no way does it have a TH350 in it.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Other posts state he has a 2000 Flair, which was available with a Workhorse P32 chassis and 7.4L engine in that year. The Workhorse Chassis Guide says the GM 4L80-E was used in all models 1999-2002.
The 4L80-E uses 5 qts of Dexron III ATF but Dexron VI is backward compatible.
Get a free copy of the excellent Workhorse Chassis Guide at http://www.deserttruckservice.com/pdf%20folder/workhorse_chassis.guide.pdf
The 4L80-E uses 5 qts of Dexron III ATF but Dexron VI is backward compatible.
Get a free copy of the excellent Workhorse Chassis Guide at http://www.deserttruckservice.com/pdf%20folder/workhorse_chassis.guide.pdf
memtiger
Well-known member
Gary is right only takes 5. I just let it drain and made best guess as to how much was in my drain pan and it turned out only around 5. I was surprised as well.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I only repeat what the Workhorse Chassis manual says. I never changed the tranny fluid when I owned a Workhorse and it was a W22 anyway (Allison 1000MH tranny).
If its only the fluid in the pan, that makes sense. I refer to that as a partial change. A full change would be to detach the lines from the cooler and using a transfer bladder or 2 buckets. The inlet usually connects to a pan or bucket full of clean fluid and the outlet into a drain pan and running the transmission pump until the outlet fluid is only pouring out old fluid; a bladder tank is essentially the same with a bladder of clean fluid and a bladder of dirty fluid. As the dirty fluid fills one bladder, the other one shrinks inside of the tank. The whole transmission should be about 14 quarts; not including the amount of fluid that mixes with old fluid.
I have never seen a shop use an external pump as the old wives tale claims to damage the transmission. If there is a fault after changing the fluid, its usually caused by the loose friction material which aided the shifting in an old transmission being flushed out, which means that the transmission was already due to service if the friction material has actually detached that much from the shift plates.
I usually use the Amsoil for a reference of capacities. I couldn't find the P32, but the 4L80-E in a 2000 E3500 lists 7.7qt initial fill and a total of 13.5 in the entire transmission system.
I have never seen a shop use an external pump as the old wives tale claims to damage the transmission. If there is a fault after changing the fluid, its usually caused by the loose friction material which aided the shifting in an old transmission being flushed out, which means that the transmission was already due to service if the friction material has actually detached that much from the shift plates.
I usually use the Amsoil for a reference of capacities. I couldn't find the P32, but the 4L80-E in a 2000 E3500 lists 7.7qt initial fill and a total of 13.5 in the entire transmission system.
JayArr
Well-known member
Changing transmission fluid because "you think it's time" is not a smart idea.
How does the fluid look? Does it smell burnt? How many miles since it was last changed? If there isn't a good reason leave well enough alone!
Unlike oil changes that can only help, a transmission fluid change can speed up the end-of-life of the transmission by swirling all the debris around and removing friction material that was keeping clutch plates from slipping.
Go check out a GM forum and see how many stories there are of people changing the fluid and then having the transmission fail shortly after. It's not an uncommon event.
If the fluid is burnt then the damage is done and changing only the fluid won't help. If the transmission isn't abused or overworked the fluid should last about as long as the clutch plates and should be drained and replaced when the transmission is removed for a rebuild. My 4L60E went 350K kms (220K miles) and the fluid was still OK (a little dirty) when the clutch pack for third gear started slipping.
How does the fluid look? Does it smell burnt? How many miles since it was last changed? If there isn't a good reason leave well enough alone!
Unlike oil changes that can only help, a transmission fluid change can speed up the end-of-life of the transmission by swirling all the debris around and removing friction material that was keeping clutch plates from slipping.
Go check out a GM forum and see how many stories there are of people changing the fluid and then having the transmission fail shortly after. It's not an uncommon event.
If the fluid is burnt then the damage is done and changing only the fluid won't help. If the transmission isn't abused or overworked the fluid should last about as long as the clutch plates and should be drained and replaced when the transmission is removed for a rebuild. My 4L60E went 350K kms (220K miles) and the fluid was still OK (a little dirty) when the clutch pack for third gear started slipping.
A Traveler
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- Aug 25, 2014
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How does someone own a motorhome and not know what engine and transmission they have? That seems unbelievable to me.
Larry N.
Well-known member
In exactly the same way that it happens with cars, for the same reason...
JayArr
Well-known member
LOL, some people don't need to know and aren't curious. I had been dating my wife for 6 months when someone asked her what kind of car I drove and she said BLUE.
memtiger
Well-known member
I think there are probably a lot of people like me. On my personal car I have changed the alternator, wiper motor, spark plugs and brakes. But when I go to an auto parts store and they ask if it is a 2.4 , 6, 7L. I ask if it is relevant and if so I have to open the hood because it is printed on the plastic piece that bolted onto the motor, lol! I still have no idea how much horsepower both my and my wife's car have. I have no problem admitting what I don't know.
I have friends that are car guys and when they get on a roll a lot of what they say goes over my head. I know just enough to get the job done.
I have friends that are car guys and when they get on a roll a lot of what they say goes over my head. I know just enough to get the job done.
