I changed the trans fluid in my Jeep this weekend. For anybody who is going to use the drain, refill, drive, drain, refill etc method the question I searched an answer for was how much drains from the pan each time. The answer I came up with is 2 1/2 quarts. For how many times you want to drain, refill , drive and repeat is entirely up to you. Since I was changing over to synthetic I opted for 3 gallons which ended up with 5 fluid changes. My Jeep is at 194k, last trans fluid change was at 130k

 

Thats seems. Low. I get 3.5 to 4 quarts out. Have for the 3 auto XJs ive had.

 

The easy way around getting all the fluid replaced is:

[edit] Drain and replace the fluid/filter. Before initial start-up do the following:

1) Overfill the trans with new ATF by a couple quarts.
2) Disconnect a transmission cooling line at radiator and run a hose into a 5 gal bucket. (clear hose works best).
3) Have a partner start the vehicle (in P), and watch the hose till the fluid runs 'clear'. Takes about 12-14 seconds.
4) Signal helper to shut down vehicle immediately once fluid runs clear.
5) Refill trans, re-connect the cooling line.
6) Ensure the AFT level is correct.

There you GO. Complete fluid change!!!

[NOTE:] If you need or want, you can shut down the vehicle half-way, say after 10 seconds, add more ATF, and run till fluid runs clear. I've done this procedure with many vehicles for over 25 years and never had a problem. And almost all my vehicles run over 250k till I get rid of them.

 

It's a really bad idea to run it until you think it's almost empty.

It's much better to continuously add fluid as it pumps out. As with your method, run until it's clear.

Now adjust the fluid level as needed.

See my sig, #3, and also check out this post on a Ford forum. The author is Mark Kovalsky, a retired Ford transmission engineer. He knows his stuff.

 

Yeah I am with downs on this.
I dump mine every other year.
Don't tap the engine to try to push more out.
Just whatever comes out when removing the plug.
I am usually in the vicinity of 4 quarts too.

 

I probably need to do mine. On my F150 I usually drain pan and remove plug from torque converter and drain it. So I guess the XJ's don't have a drain plug on the torque converter ?

 

Nope. But we dont have to pull the pan to do a fluid dump.

 

Factory recommended is drain and fill, about 3.8 quarts, every 30,000 miles. 15,000 miles for severe duty like constant towing, taxi, or delivery service.

 

If we all did that from the time our vehicles were new, we'd probably find that transmission failures were about as common as honest politicians.

 

I should have been more clear: Replace the filter and fluid FIRST, upon startup, that's when you perform the over-fill and pump-out procedure. I'll go back and edit my instructions.

 

Save yourself a ton of aggravation and don't change the "screen". It's not a filter, and there is no service interval for replacing it.

 

Yeah, if that thing ever gets clogged, your trans died a long time ago!

 

My Jeep was sitting on a level floor and the amount each time was exactly the same when I drained the pan. The fluid level was at the max mark, tested in neutral and the transmission temp read 150 before draining the pan. I have no Idea why such a difference in what quantity you posted to what I got.

 

I get the same results as downs. I am pretty sure I do mine when cold.
Wonder if that is part of the problem.
Does torque converter fill up when running?
Drain back down into the pan when not?
Could account for your discrepency.
Never really thought about any of this till now.

 

Quick search did not seem to yeild answers to the questions above.
But it did occur to me that when I check my vehicle cold it is showing it being overfilled on the dipstick.
After a good run when nice and hot in neutral I am right where I want to be.
Makes me think that there is less in the pan when running, and as cooling down when stopped, then there is cold.
I know about where it reads cold so every Monday morning when I give the Jeep a once over as long as it is there
cold I know I am good.
I check hot every once in a blue moon when it occurs to me.
And faithfully every day for about a week or so after I swap out the tranny fluid. LOL.