Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Transmission winterization


Malibudoc

Recommended Posts

I looked at my transmission fluid today as I waxed my boat. It is cleaner than any car I've ever had! Yet winterization suggests to suck the fluid out and replace it every year. Is there science to this or is there something wrong with this fluid???

Link to comment

I keep reading alot of posts stressing not to overfill transmission fluid. I changed mine out, 2 quarts. I may have overfilled mine by a cup or two. I have received conflicting info regarding how to measure. One says push dipstick all the way in to measure, another source says do not push it in. If I don't push the d/s all the way in, the fluid level is perfect. Velvet drive 1:1

What is the possible damage from overfilling atf?

Not that I want to intentionally do it! I just want to know what to look for.

Link to comment

when measuring you can push the dip stick all the way back in. My boat has about a 5inch plastic dipstick that screws out of the transmission. When I check the level I wipe it off and then put the dipstick in, but don't screw it in. If yours just pushes in, then push it all the way in to measure the level.

Link to comment

No, my d/s is about 3 in. long and has a rubber gasket as well. It is not easily put in. On mine, when you put the d/s carefully in so as not to damage the rubber gasket and then continually turn to the right so the gasket tightens up against the fill hole. Not an oil d/s.

If I take a measurement with the rubber gasket touching but not in the fill hole the reading is perfect.

Obviously if I put it in all the way the reading is high. Which reading to go by??

Link to comment
I looked at my transmission fluid today as I waxed my boat.  It is cleaner than any car I've ever had!  Yet winterization suggests to suck the fluid out and replace it every year.  Is there science to this or is there something wrong with this fluid???

I think that partly it is to protect warrenty (new oil every year must be good),

partly to get your boat back into the dealers service bay, and partly legitimate,

moreso if you live in a wet climate.

Where I live it is dry "the High Desert". I, and 4- 5 v-drive boat owners that I

can think of pretty much ignore their trans fluid (with the exception of checking

the level once a year) with no obvious ill effects. We only put 100 or so hours

annually on our boats up here. I try to change mine every three years or so.

I am not trying to convince you to ignore your owners manual, just letting you

know what is probably "common" care, and you don't hear of many trans

problems on these boats.

Link to comment

How much further would the d/s go in if you screwed it in or whatever? Transmissions are built with wiggle room anyway. as long as you can see the level on the stick well, you have plenty of fluid.

Link to comment

yeah but why change things if it's pointless. You don't change the transmission fluid in your car every year or your anti freeze every year or all of your lightbulbs every year. Why change things out just because it's moderately cheap??? A waste of money is a waste of money. It adds up.

Link to comment

My owners manual says to change it every year. For something that costs me less that a Taco Bell dinner, I think I'll splurge. True, things do add up, however; when one puts into perspective that cost of a boat (payments, insurance, and maintenance) $5.00 and 10 minutes is nothing. I wouldn't want to be in the position where my trans goes to crap and I'm stuck with "gee, I wish I spent that $5.00".

I can see a guy putting somthing off if it's like changing an impellor on a v-drive, PITA, but like I said it took me all of 10 minutes tops with my TEMPO.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

So whats the consensus about over-filling?

I just changed mine for the first time (about 75 hours) and it had a pretty decent amount over the high mark. I re-filled with a little less, but it is still over the "upper" mark, but not where it was. Is this bad?

Link to comment

Overfilling will potentially blow the seals on the transmission. Read your manual and fill it to the proper level. As to changing fluids - the lubrication qualities of oil and transmission fluid diminsh over time - with heat, age, and contamination. Comparing oil and transmission fluids to lightbulbs is not (IMHO) a valid comparison Biggrin.gif

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...