Tranny fluid change Advise

I recently purchased a 1997 Chevy Express 1500 with 52,000 miles on it. I'm taking it in to have the oil and trans fluid changed and everyone is telling me I shouldn't change the trans fluid. All I planned on doing was having a fluid change not a flush job. If the trans is in good shape (had it for 2 weeks and rides good) shouldn't it withstand a fluid change.

 

The one's telling you not to don't happen to sell cars do they?

The only valid reason for not changing fluid would be if you had a high mileage vehicle that had maybe never had the fluid changed. In those cases, the fresh fluid can actually cause some leaking and slipping. Presumably this isn't the first tranny service on the vehicle? Even if it is, I wouldn't loose too much sleep. If a simple fluid change causes problems at 52,000 miles, the tranny was likely headed for an early death anyway. I do my personal vehicles every 25k miles and our wreckers get fluid change every 10k w/filter change every service.

 

Thanks tow guy, that was in the line of my thoughts. I'm not sure if the trans fluid was ever changed I bought the car from a dealer.

 

I would change it. You don't know the vehicle history.
Change the fluid and filter in the trans. It's good insurance.

 

you can smell the fluid for a burnt smell, color can be somewhat of a indication. get both, filter and fluid....i'd also a few thousand down the road, change em again..... just insurance. plus it gets all the old out.

 

Go for it. In addition to dropping the pan, changing the filter, and cleaning the magnet, have the fluid completely exchanged. I agree with a no-flush, there's no need to introduce chemicals that don't belong in the fluid.