First Transmission Drain and Fill

[Hootbro]

Doesn't appear there is a real margin of error because you can't over fill it and can only under fill it by not following the procedure. Trail Recon ran into this issue and it caused a transmission whine. Based on that I'm going to say it's imperative you make sure the fluids at proper levels.

I seen that video when it came out. I was surprised to see them under fill it the first time.

As someone that has done this service on the ground in my driveway, it is not that hard to get it right the first time following the procedure for getting up to temp and cycling it through the gears, checking level and adding until spill over. 90% of the difficulty is just doing the prep to be ready to fill it once up to temp and before going out of temp range.

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[ShadowsPapa]

I seen that video when it came out. I was surprised to see them under fill it the first time.

As someone that has done this service on the ground in my driveway, it is not that hard to get it right the first time following the procedure for getting up to temp and cycling it through the gears, checking level and adding until spill over. 90% of the difficulty is just doing the prep to be ready to fill it once up to temp and before going out of temp range.

Exactly.
Prep and be ready to go when the temperature is right.
If a person wanted, I suppose one could use a phone with software - even some of the free stuff, or perhaps JSCAN or whatever and you can be under the truck and watch the transmission temperature.
One video out there has the guy doing just that. He's under the vehicle watching the temperature from below.

 

[MrJeep]

I can tell you guys a few things with absolute certainty about ZFs from hardcore experience.
It is NOT lifetime fluid. I also live in the Land Rover world and their magical "lifetime" fluid cost me an entire LR4 and almost a second one I recently revived. It gets BURNT.
Measure what you took out and put the same amount back in and you will be safe. BUT you must account for spillage.
There is more "wiggle room" than you think. Zee Germans love precision but generally if you get it near the proper temp zone and follow the methods above the tranny will be very happy. Don't get overly scared by it.
You don't need to rev the engine in gear. The specs call for shifting into each gear for 5 seconds. I did ten to be safe and only because I took the entire mechatronix and valve body apart in my LR4s ZF6 and this all the passages were empty. (I installed a Sonnax Zip Kit) If you do a quick drain and fill this should not be the case.
Video for proof.
I'm changing my fluid with a pan drop every 60k in my Gladiator.

 

[MrJeep]

Exactly.
Prep and be ready to go when the temperature is right.
If a person wanted, I suppose one could use a phone with software - even some of the free stuff, or perhaps JSCAN or whatever and you can be under the truck and watch the transmission temperature.
One video out there has the guy doing just that. He's under the vehicle watching the temperature from below.

I just used an infrared probe on the fluid leaking out. It is much easier in winter as you have more time for the fluid to get warm than in AZ in summer according to the LR fellas.

 

[rr11]

When I approached 60K I approached my dealer about servicing the transmission, they looked like I had two heads, normally they always suggest other services. But they acted like they didn't want to service my transmission.

 

[Mr._Bill]

When I approached 60K I approached my dealer about servicing the transmission, they looked like I had two heads, normally they always suggest other services. But they acted like they didn't want to service my transmission.

It's a more involved procedure than with previous transmissions. If they don't have someone that knows how to do it right, there is the possibility they may have to eat the cost of a transmission replacement at some point. Plus, Jeep says it doesn't need to be done. They can make money doing the service for those that want it done, but management may have decided it's not worth the risk.

 

[rr11]

I know I am comparing apples to oranges, but I have changed the fluid in my F250 over the last 260K with out incident. I bought a extended capacity pan drained and refilled in my driveway at 70K. 10K on it with out issue. The new pain holds 2 extra quarts of fluid and has a drain plug.

 

[713gladiator]

SERVICE UPDATE

Current Mileage: 68,500
No issues
Transmission runs exceptionally well
Shifts are smooth between all gears

I plan to do another transmission drain and fill at 80,000 miles which I expect to happen around November 2025. That will be 2 years from when I performed my first drain and fill. That will leave me with approx 21% of the original fluid. I'll do another drain and fill at 100,000 miles around November 2027

 

[DanW]

Nice!

Did you change the pan gasket and filter, or just drain/fill?

 

[713gladiator]

Nice!

Did you change the pan gasket and filter, or just drain/fill?

Yes, I installed a new Mopar gasket and filter while doing the service.

 

[AmosMoses]

So do you put in what you took out or do you put in enough that fluid comes out of the fill hole at a designated temperature?

Iam coming up on 45k miles. I got this jtr used with 30k and it's always had a gear whine in 1st and maybe 2nd gear but I can only hear it when the trans temp gets warm. It's faint and the truck drives great otherwise. My 2020 sport did not do this.

 

[Hootbro]

So do you put in what you took out or do you put in enough that fluid comes out of the fill hole at a designated temperature?

Iam coming up on 45k miles. I got this jtr used with 30k and it's always had a gear whine in 1st and maybe 2nd gear but it I can only hear it when the trans temp gets warm. It's faint and the truck truck drives great otherwise. My 2020 sport did not do this.

Only proper way is to level check it at temp.

 

[DanW]

Only proper way is to level check it at temp.

How do you level check it?

 

[Viper501]

ZF internally says 60k miles for proper maintenance. “Lifetime” is only for the manufacturers to be able to say the costs of ownership are lower than someone else, like Lexus. Thank you to the folks at JD Powers and Consumer Reports for that and the ’flexible’ maintenance intervals.

 

[Hootbro]

How do you level check it?

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