My car now has 102,350 miles on it. It's my daily driver and has been a good car to me since I bought it new. Even though the owner's manual says the manual transmission never needs to be flushed, I know better. Does anyone here have experience with draining his transmission, and, what brand/type fluid did you use to refill it?




"Beer is proof that God wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

Chances are its just 90 weight gear oil. to drain it there should be a plug on the bottom of the trans. Never actually done this on a J but on most of the old V8 I've worked on its a square headed plug.

You shouldn't have to change it unless it smells really bad, like a rotten smell, or is a strange color. Should be creamy beige.

just drain it out and add new...thats it. No flushing needed.



"I know not with what weapons World War III
will be fought, but World War IV will be fought
with sticks and stones."
-Albert Einstine-

the fluid in the getrag tranny is NOT gear oil. it is a automatic transmission fluid. I changed my transmission fluid to mobil one synthetic ATF and the shifting is noticeably smoother. to change the fluid you need to remove that little red vent cap on the top of the tranny, then pull the drain plug at the bottom of the differential. the plug is a 8mm allen key i believe facing the drivers side wheel. after draining re-fill the trans slowly through the vent cap hole in the top with about 2.5 (the amount i used) quarts of your choice of ATF. re-install the cap and enjoy.

if you go to your nearest GM dealership..they will sell you exactly the type of fluid you need. It should be synchomesh or something like that.

Yes, if you have MANUAL transmission, you MUST use GM Syncromesh fluid. Nothing but good things come from that stuff. I just replaced my tranny and filled it up with Snycromesh. Its pricey at about $12 per quart, but its much cheaper than putting in the wrong stuff and blowing your tranny apart.



2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
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Luke Heier wrote:Yes, if you have MANUAL transmission, you MUST use GM Syncromesh fluid. Nothing but good things come from that stuff. I just replaced my tranny and filled it up with Snycromesh. Its pricey at about $12 per quart, but its much cheaper than putting in the wrong stuff and blowing your tranny apart.

Yes, this is what I thought. Manual transaxles should be using a heavier weight fluid than ATF.

So it's 2.5 quarts poured into the vent cap, right? And the drain plug is on the driver's side?




"Beer is proof that God wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

OK so you learn something new every day...

Like I said...never done anything with a J trans...Lots of old V8 ones though....




"I know not with what weapons World War III
will be fought, but World War IV will be fought
with sticks and stones."
-Albert Einstine-

i had my tranny fluid changed a year ago its a manual so i figured iwould have the shop change it . my car should have syncromesh but the shop said that the fluid in it wasnt syncromesh becuase it was red and apparently syncromesh is clear or something so i showed them the manual and they argued that it had to be wrong and that syncromesh doesnt belong in my tranny according to their computer info so was it wrong to put the non- syncrmesh fluid ? i havent had any problems ... yet

I would think the Builders of your car (GM) would know what fluid to use

IIRC, 95-99 had the Isuzu Tranny, GM Synromesh, 00-05 has a Getrag, GM recommends ATF, any version i assume (in terms of synthetic or not)

well the year of my 2.4 is 2000 so no harm done then?

I change the fluid of my Isuzu 5-speed about every 50K miles. Had the original tranny up to about 130K when a spider gear blew in the dif-its only weak point. Cryo-hardened ones are available somewhere, but too involved and pricey to do a rebuild, so I got a new tranny. I use GM syncromesh fluid-factory recomended. Make sure you clean off the area around the flip-top fill plug BEFORE removing it. Drainplug is a LARGE hex nut at the bottom of the tranny, it faces driver side wheel.

DartBaron wrote:I change the fluid of my Isuzu 5-speed about every 50K miles. Had the original tranny up to about 130K when a spider gear blew in the dif-its only weak point. Cryo-hardened ones are available somewhere, but too involved and pricey to do a rebuild, so I got a new tranny. I use GM syncromesh fluid-factory recomended. Make sure you clean off the area around the flip-top fill plug BEFORE removing it. Drainplug is a LARGE hex nut at the bottom of the tranny, it faces driver side wheel.

Do you have a source for Cryo-hardened differentials? Hell, I'll rebuild it myself. BTW - What are the symptoms of when this has blown? I've had friction plates worn smooth that the car wouldn't move forward, and I've had the clutch plate spings pop out and rattle around.

Yours is the most knowledgeable answer yet. Thank you.




"Beer is proof that God wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

Cavy-Blazer wrote:Even though the owner's manual says the manual transmission never needs to be flushed, I know better. Does anyone here have experience with draining his transmission, and, what brand/type fluid did you use to refill it?

Initially (2000) GM said to use MTF. As time pased now GM says to use ATF and it is for a reason. That reason is the shifting will action will be a lot smoother then with MTF ESPECIALLY if you live in cold climates. The choice of fluid is B&M Synthetic ATF (Grey bottle).

DO NOT fill from red vent cap, if not it will spill all over, instead fill from the fill plug located towards the right of the red vent cap.











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-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----

Do a little searching in the 'Transmission' forum, and you'll get all the info you need. When mine blew, I could barely accelerate from a standing stop. It wanted to skip a lot if I didn't nurse it BIG time. Turning under power was out of the question. I simply don't know how I made it into work, then out to the shop afterwards without locking up the tranny. Musta been a bit of shrapnel in there. A rebuild would've involved to many parts replacing, I imagine. I didn't get the gears for the new one on account that I have the upper engine mount insert and neoprene bushing torque rod now. I had major wheel hop events on a number of occasions with the OE tranny. Couldn't've been good on those gears like that. Alot less hopping now, so they won't be subject to anywhere near as much impactive stress as the original ones were. I am considering on getting them for when I need a new clutch, though. Nice time to work on the tranny while it's out. Thing is, I got a 'Stage II' from Clutchmasters, so it'll be a while yet.

what about the royal purple tranny oil?


2.340 - 60,
16.591 @ 80.52 - 1/4

Guesswho69000@hotmail.com

royal purples made of synchromax is that better or the same as syncromesh?


2.340 - 60,
16.591 @ 80.52 - 1/4

Guesswho69000@hotmail.com

First off, as to the ATF or MTF or gear oil for the transmission fluid as to what is reccomended... different transmissions are made with different clearances and internal requirements, which is why there are different transmission fluids. This means 2 different manual transmissions may have different reccomended fluids.

This being said, I drove the car with presumably the stock GM syncromesh for my isuzu tranny in my 98 cavalier, which worked fine, and the stuff does come out clean other than any bits of metal that might be floating around in it....possibly from isuzu diff spider gears. After a rebuild I tried the Saturn manual transmission fluid as reccomended for the getrags, I was told it was good stuff. It again works, but I am fairly disappointed in the way it works, just not as smooth.

On the continuation, and as to the future of the fluid in my J, I have an 88 fiero that also has a 76mm isuzu transmission, and tried red line synthetic MTL, which is the BEST stuff I have ever tried. The tranmissions shifts so smoothly I can EASILY rpm shift with the syncros and totally skip the clutch once I'm rolling down the road. It almost couldn't be smoother, when I get off my ass I'm buying more for my cavalier's transmission.

I have a major newb question but im going to spit it out there to you guys! I just need to know how to check if i have enough tranny fluid in my trans. and also what is the problem to my 3rd gear grinding when i shift from 4th to 3rd. I have been told its my syncros but im just wondering maybe i just dont have enough fluid so ya! how do i check and whats my problem! Thanks guys/girls