Decided to do it myself and change my own Transmission Fluid and Filter

Given "drainplugs" rant with the oil change and my recent encounter with discount tire doing very basic work and still messing it up, I am going to change my transmission fluid and filter. It just seems that I cannot trust someone to do it. I mean, Did they really change it? Same feeling when I took my truck in for a recall about a potential wire shorting out and causing an engine fire. Well I had an engine fire! So I can only assume they Pencil Whipped the job.
Yeah it is a very simple job, but a very messy one!
Just that laying down and getting under the truck is not an issue, but, damn, that standing back up is a B***H.

Kudos. Wish I had the skill and time to do all of my own maintenance. I fear that "pencil whipping" is happening more than we could imagine. My biggest speculation offender is tire rotations. I always want to mark a tire but never remember to.

Did my Duramax last year. Wasn't too bad. If you have an Allison transmission, don't throw away the magnet on your spin-on filter. Good luck.

I don't have "Mechanic" in front of my name and I've done it once or twice or three times...............:laugh:

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Originally Posted by paulrodbender

I don't have "Mechanic" in front of my name and I've done it once or twice or three times...............:laugh:

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I had done it many of times! But between the mess and getting up and down, I am SPENT. :doh:
Joints, my joints, just don't agree to the abuse! Maybe I need a few JOINTS to get through the job!

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Originally Posted by Mechanic Bob

I had done it many of times! But between the mess and getting up and down, I am SPENT. :doh:
Joints, my joints, just don't agree to the abuse! Maybe I need a few JOINTS to get through the job!

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I hear ya........ I can still move around pretty good but don't look forward to getting under cars. Went to go do an oil change on my daughter beetle the other day, looked under it and said, I'll take it to the garage and put it on the lift. I was just in my bilge changing the fuel filter and I thought I was hearing fiberglass crack, it was my body.

Tire rotations for sure, busted my dealer claiming they did it but not, one of my rims had a mark on it and it was in the same spot.

Discount tire has a window where you can sit and watch them, never had a problem with them rotating or installing tires on my vehicles.

I have a ram 2500 with a Cummins diesel, called around to get the oil changed, air filter changed and both fuel filters done, they wanted between $600-and $800 dollars to do it, I said there was no way I was paying someone to do that, not at that price point, so I bought it all and did it myself for under $300 bucks. I was sore the next day but it was worth the savings.

I used to do my own oil changes and tune-ups until I figured it out it wasn't worth saving a few bucks for the mess and aggravation. I also stopped when they started to use computers in vehicles, yea I'm old.

I remember trying to check it years ago and that why I have not did it again..

Not much different than changing engine oil. I will do my own till I can’t. 70 and still can. Don’t forget rear differential. Transfer case and front differential if you have one.
Shop prices are ridiculous

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Originally Posted by Mechanic Bob

Given "drainplugs" rant with the oil change and my recent encounter with discount tire doing very basic work and still messing it up, I am going to change my transmission fluid and filter. It just seems that I cannot trust someone to do it. I mean, Did they really change it? Same feeling when I took my truck in for a recall about a potential wire shorting out and causing an engine fire. Well I had an engine fire! So I can only assume they Pencil Whipped the job.
Yeah it is a very simple job, but a very messy one!
Just that laying down and getting under the truck is not an issue, but, damn, that standing back up is a B***H.

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As far as telling if they changed the engine oil, you should be able to view the dipstick and see if the oil is new.

If I had a lift in my shop i would still be doing my own maintenance and repairs because i did it for years and years. At this point in my life I'm not lying under a car to work on it. It just hurts too much.

I used to do my own maintenance as well. Nothing feels better than knowing it's done by you and done to what you feel is right. With my truck, when I bought it new, it came with 4 years maintenance package. I got spoiled and haven't been on the ground to change the oil in either of our vehicles since. Only service I do now is on my yard equipment and some minor stuff on my boat.

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Originally Posted by lakebouef5

As far as telling if they changed the engine oil, you should be able to view the dipstick and see if the oil is new.

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Not true with a Diesel Engine!

it’s not too bad of a job. I’ve done it a bunch of times on both of my trucks, the biggest thing that’ll make your life easier is to get a pan with a drain plug or install a drain plug. I put on an aluminum pan with a drain plug from PPE on my 2020 F250, it also holds extra fluid. I think I ended up putting in close to 20 quarts.

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Originally Posted by Michael333

it’s not too bad of a job. I’ve done it a bunch of times on both of my trucks, the biggest thing that’ll make your life easier is to get a pan with a drain plug or install a drain plug. I put on an aluminum pan with a drain plug from PPE on my 2020 F250, it also holds extra fluid. I think I ended up putting in close to 20 quarts.

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Agreed. In the past, I did get a pan with a drain plug and also modified a pan by drilling a hole, welding a Castle Nut (Upside Down) on the inside and using a bolt and washer to make my own drain plug.
But my truck is a 2017, 63000 miles, and highly unlikely I will ever need to change the transmission Fluid and Filter ever again.
The pan is very easy to access. Lots of room under the truck. It is the ole guy having to do the Ups and Downs. But if it takes me the better part of the day, so be it, as I will feel better about the job being done.
Not about cost savings, just I have little faith in someone else doing the work.

I do almost everything to all our vehicles as well as my moms.
If i get in a bind and cant figure it out I got a buddy still that works at the local dealer that is a master mechanic so I just go ask him
If I don't have the tools I borrow it from him.
I can do pretty much anything I need other than stuff like changing tires etc.

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Originally Posted by Luke

I do almost everything to all our vehicles as well as my moms.

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Yes, I was a YOUNG BUCK at one time too!

I do my own, my issue is the truck is lifted, and removing the oil filter can be messy and potentially very messy if it slips. had it slip and drop into my drain pan once. I was covered in oil.