Quote:
Originally Posted by Thymeclock
It can't hurt, it can only help.
I've been doing it for decades but not primarily to save gas. The worst enemy of an automatic transmission is heat. If you can take a load off the transmission, especially in summer, so much the better. Considering that rebuilding a tranny is one of the most expensive repairs, I like to avoid problems. I also drain and refill it every six months. Transmission fluid is relatively cheap - again it can't hurt, it can only help.
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Some think that this might actually hurt more than help... I'm on the fence about that, but I do think it's a waste of money. In six months, unless you drive cross-country twice a month, you haven't even broken in good fluid.
That's where the thought that it does more harm than good comes from. If the fluid isn't broken in (additive package isn't fully released), it's not working as well as it could.
Considering that the only time I
ever change fluid or filter is if I have to pull the engine, axle, etc... something that will cause fluid to leak out, which is seldom and far between, I don't think it's really necessary to change the fluid even as often as the MFG says it is (60k, is it?). I've never had an auto fail, and I beat the hell out of them.