Many thanks, Geoff. You provided excellent advice. Just what I needed. I greatly appreciate. EJ >>
----- Original Message ----- From: Geoff To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 12:50 PM Subject: Re: [dodge_intrepid] Transmission Maintenance No benefit to the flush service IMO. Be aware that these cars left the factory without a transmission pan gasket. A bead of specialized RTV sealant is used instead, and the stuff is available for about $7 a tube from your dealership parts department. One tube will last the probable life of the car. Alternatively, there is a special, multiple-reuse steel gasket also available from the dealer. It eliminates the need to wait for the sealant to cure before installing the transmission fluid. It is a bit pricey at around $30, but it lasts for three re-uses, so actually it's not all that bad. You will have to have the dealer look up a TSB to get the part number. Don't use a rubberized cork gasket in this application, even if one comes with the filter. Throw it away! Just a reminder: the only fluid you should use in your transmission is ATF+4. Do not use ANY other fluid plus an "additive that makes it just like the Chrysler fluid." Don't allow any additives to be installed along with ATF+4 fluid, either, even if it's a Chrysler dealer making the recommendation. If the shop you take it to doesn't have genuine ATF+4 fluid on hand, run, don't walk, for the exit. If they insist their fluid is just as good, insist on a written guarantee that they will pay all parts and labor to overhaul the transmission and torque converter when it fails, regardless of mileage. (It will be sooner rather than later.) One final point. Your transmission has a separate sump for the differential gear oil that is not normally serviced by the average transmission shop because they usually don't know it is there. You may or may not wish to have this service performed at the same time. You should, at minimum, have the sump checked to see that it is full, since there is no indication on the dipstick. I drove my car 118K miles and never had it changed and sold it with the transmission in good operating condition. YMMV. --Geoff On Tue, Nov 4, 2008 at 7:55 AM, mrejh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > My 2000 Intrepid has 41,552 miles and there is fluid seepage around the > bolt/gasket area of the transmission pan. No fluid appears on the > garage floor. Is it beneficial for me to spend the extra dollars for a > complete "flush" filter, gasket and fluid change (about 14+ quarts) as > opposed to a simple routine filter, gasket and fluid (4-1/2 quarts) > change. I'm having no transmission problems and plan to keep the cer as > long as possible. Thank you. EJ > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Web: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid> > Subscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Unsubscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Moderator: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Yahoo! Groups > Links > > > > -- --Geoff Cell: (313)506-7295 Sterling Heights CERT '04 Grand Cherokee | '05 Town & Country http://www.moparmailinglist.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Web: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid> Subscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Unsubscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Moderator: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
