Re: Changing Transmission Fluid and filter...Difficult?

[Elliott Potter <epotter@abraxis.com>]

>89 Audi 100
>122,000 Mi
>
>I now have friends telling me "they have heard.......<all kinds of terrible
>things>....will happen if you change the transmission fluid in a car that has
>high mileage and possibly has not had it's ATF changed in known history.  Those
>same friends recommend I leave the existing ATF right where it is and don't
>touch the transmission.  None of them own Audis.  Few of them are car mechanics.
> What should I do?
>
>TIA,
>DPowell
>

You should get some new friends, or at least stop asking the ones you
have about car repairs.

The transmission grinds away at itself, and makes little scale deposits
in there from the little pieces of metal that get ground off.
Your friends are referring to the myth that "disturbing" an older
transmission will somehow cause irreversible problems.  This myth is
based on the belief that the transmission has gotten used to its old,
dirty fluid.  And if you drain out that old fluid and introduce new,
clean unfamiliar fluid, the transmission will be upset and won't
remember how to work right.  This, of course, is complete BS.  A
transmission fluid and filter change is never harmful, no matter how
many miles you have on the car or how many scale deposits you have in
your transmission.

Go ahead and do it.

Elliott