redline MTL fluid change

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

I changed my tranny fluid today since my MTX was getting especially hard to shift, and I knew it was only going to get worse as we head further into fall/winter.

Advice for anyone else that's a virgin to this procedure: Make 100% absolutely sure you have an ability to get the new fluid (yummy smelling btw :) into the fill hole quickly. I'd advise elevation by going through the engine bay and a long enough tube to do this comfortably. Even test it with the fluid first since the viscosity is significantly different than something like water...

I had this lame siphon with a smaller tube and it took forever, bah. But hey (!) now my shifting is sooooo much smoother!!

Yea mine is going under the belt this weekend probably

A Mity-Vac hand pump would also be helpful when changing MTX fluid.

Originally posted by hetfield:
A Mity-Vac hand pump would also be helpful when changing MTX fluid.

I woulda killed for this thing yesterday...
http://www.mityvac.com/kits.html#fluidtransferpump

thanks for the info!

Just for info adding, if your tansmission is haveing problems shifting, thats a sign that there are problems (potentialy serious) with your tranny....swtiching to a synthetic, while it seems to fix it, can cause it to become worse in the long run.

I had the smae problem with my 3rd gear. I went to redline MTL...the problem seemed to correct it self, but after 2 months, it returned (hard shifts and grinding) and it was worse than before.

So upon the advise of DemonSVT, i switched to ATF +3....not only did it feel much smoother but there was far less grinding.....Eventuall, it lasted long enough to where i saved up enough to rebuild my transmission completly.

Now,i cannot completly explain why it shifted better with ATF, but i know it has to do with somehting about the MTL being synthetic, and i was told not to use a synthetic when having transmission problems.

Just a little info i picked up that i proved my self right, through trial and error.

Not saying this could happen to you, but its somehting you need to know and consider

Lupe

Originally posted by Zetetic:

I woulda killed for this thing yesterday...
http://www.mityvac.com/kits.html#fluidtransferpump

just did a fluid change a couple weeks ago and used that same pump.
only 2-3 pumps on it and the bottle was empty.

so, if i've already had synchro work and such on my transmission, id be better off just using the MTL then using the ATF?

Originally posted by JasonJ:
so, if i've already had synchro work and such on my transmission, id be better off just using the MTL then using the ATF?

yes and no...as long as you used ATF 3 for the first 500-1000 miles for breaking in, then switch to MTL...Synthetic is not a good break in fluid for our cars.

Lupe

Originally posted by Roz 1999 SVT-C:
Just for info adding, if your tansmission is haveing problems shifting, thats a sign that there are problems (potentialy serious) with your tranny....swtiching to a synthetic, while it seems to fix it, can cause it to become worse in the long run

Hmm, thanks for the warning... I wonder if problems shifting primarily into first and reverse are signs of possible impending transmission doom?

I was chalking it up to general MTX-75 characteristics rather than failure, since other CSVTs I've driven seem to be a little hard to shift into 1st and rev as well. If 2-5 were giving me problems I'd definitely start worrying... do you think I should right now?

my first and second shifts were always a little tough before i rebuilt it....after i did and did the 1000 miles break in with atf 3, and switched to MTl, i had no problems....give ATF +3 a try and see how it is, if it shifts smoother then you may have a problem. But how long it takes to become a major issue, is all;based on your driving habits and how worn the parts are.

Lupe

Originally posted by Roz 1999 SVT-C:

Originally posted by JasonJ:
so, if i've already had synchro work and such on my transmission, id be better off just using the MTL then using the ATF?

yes and no...as long as you used ATF 3 for the first 500-1000 miles for breaking in, then switch to MTL...Synthetic is not a good break in fluid for our cars.

Lupe

Full synthetic is factory fill starting very early in the 2000 model year for the MTX75 in Contiques, Cougars, and Foci.

It has been suggested that it would be beneficial to change fluid before 1000 miles after an overhaul. If you do so, it would be somewhat wastfull for what the synthetic costs and thus the suggestion to use ATF+3 for break in and then drain it out with any metal particles and then use synthetic.

Originally posted by Big Jim:

Originally posted by Roz 1999 SVT-C:

Originally posted by JasonJ:
so, if i've already had synchro work and such on my transmission, id be better off just using the MTL then using the ATF?

yes and no...as long as you used ATF 3 for the first 500-1000 miles for breaking in, then switch to MTL...Synthetic is not a good break in fluid for our cars.

Lupe

Full synthetic is factory fill starting very early in the 2000 model year for the MTX75 in Contiques, Cougars, and Foci.

It has been suggested that it would be beneficial to change fluid before 1000 miles after an overhaul. If you do so, it would be somewhat wastfull for what the synthetic costs and thus the suggestion to use ATF+3 for break in and then drain it out with any metal particles and then use synthetic.

Jim, if i remember correctly, when i rebuilt my transmission, Terry Haines said i should use non-synthetic for proper break in...DemonSVT said they same thing in a post about a year ago or so...Thats why i suggest what i said...it has worked for me....besideds...none of thes tranmissions are avaiable new any more(unless you count the focus...but new is expensive)...so the ATF 3 could be considered a good guildline to follow for breakin on a rebuild.

Lupe