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7) SEVERAL managers of dedicated oil change places which include transmission service on their menus have told me there are no differences among transmission fluids. That makes them dirty, stinking, unwashed, unshaven, out-of-shape, meth head, lying thieves."

+1000
 
Oh, I think it did make a difference, on at least 3-4 instances.
The fluid was never replaced until after a driveability problem presented.
Problems were: Severe shuddering when (trying) to back up on a hill, to the point I had to give up for fear of breaking the trans. The shudder was violent and the van wasn't moving at more than 2 mph with 1/2 throttle. It won't last long under that stress level. I also had a Mazda MPV that no one else would drive anymore due to erratic behavior in the shifting, randomly occurring down shifts, very very harsh upshifts, etc. The van had been abandoned by other family because of this.
In all cases a fluid change has restored fully driveability, symptoms are entirely gone. In the case of the Caravans, the issues began to re-surface again 2 to 3 years after I changed out the 4 litres and it appears the MPV is on a similar schedule.
In the distant past I've owned several vehicles that I never required trans fluid change, but none of these vehicles I have now would be delivering daily service without this change, it was that obvious. I cannot speak to others experience but that is how mine has gone.
As for changing to a drain sump, the vac pump works great on these 4th gen vans as well as my son's current 2009 caravan and the MPV.
 
7) SEVERAL managers of dedicated oil change places which include transmission service on their menus have told me there are no differences among transmission fluids. That makes them dirty, stinking, unwashed, unshaven, out-of-shape, meth head, lying thieves."
Hmmmm. It's hard to figure why a person would talk to a lot of these managers. Just for confirmation, I guess. It's tough out there. I wonder if someone could start a business advising managers of dedicated oil change places how to know which fluids to use for different vehicles.

OT, but one question I like to ask at service places is how do they decide how much air to put in the tires. Many will say that they run it up to just below the maximum printed on the tire, which is a dangerous proposition, and a clear signal to run away, if not try to explain to them that this is a dangerous proposition. Along the same lines, after a care is left for servicing, show up with pressure gauge and check all the tires before paying. Huge variations, tires not checked, all that... OK, end of OT.
 
Some shops have posters on their walls as to what a particular Manufacturer is recommending per vehicle. Lug nut torques can be wrong (high) on those posters.
60271


Tire pressures should be per the door placard (cold), although I tend to up those by a couple psi.

Universal transmission fluids are often stocked and used. Examples would be Amsoil, Valvoline MaxLife Multi-Vehicle ATF, and such.

Motor oil is pretty much 5W-20 these days even if the filler cap says 5W-30. Me, I use 5W-30 even if the filler cap says 5W-20. I haven't drank the kool-aid yet. :)
 
Wow, watched that video in post #51. New found respect for this level of knowledge of a very complex transmission. This skill rivals or beats old-time watchmakers. I'm impressed. And how he knows the name of every single part without hesitation and exactly how to remove without even guessing. Amazing.
 
valleyrock said above, "It's hard to figure why a person would talk to a lot of these managers. Just for confirmation, I guess. "

The reason is that the AW55-50 series transmission in my "new and unfamiliar to me at the time" car required a "JWS 3309" spec fluid. I asked at parts stores and even bigger distributors for a source. Nobody had it. Nobody knew what it was. One warehouser actually looked it up and found real Mobil 3309 in his book. He read the description aloud and told me nobody had ever ordered it. That was reassuring.
After calling his "warehouse central" he told me they didn't have it.

When I listened to the first quick-lube guy stupidly clamber about his limited vocabulary I was hooked. I had to see if I could find ONE who knew the score. I never did. Keep in mind that No. New Jersey is population dense so asking 6 of these creeps didn't take much searching. Perhaps I was sharpening my ability to discern liars.

I learned early that Toyota sold the stuff as T-IV so there was never a panic on my end.
 
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