I don't usually post, but thought this might help someone as I've used this forum quite a bit to learn about ATF changes on the CX-5.
I have a 2013 2.0L CX-5. First trans oil change was at 136k miles 5yrs ago (2/2018). At the time I opted to use a beck arnly trans pan gasket and trans filter as it was the only gasket type available at the time and I wanted to simplify future trans filter changes. The gasket is a silicone/rubber type (not cork) and seemed to be of high quality. I also completely cleaned the oil pan and magnet during that service and there were the typical shavings along with the grey sludge on the magnet.
Fast forward 5 trouble and drip free years, at 164k (28k miles later) while doing an oil change I noticed a non-trivial amount of oil leaking from the transmission pan side. It was kind of a mess on the under tray. On closer inspection, I could see some cracking on the oil pan gasket. Checking the trans oil, it was about 1/2 quart low (this is what it took to bring the oil level up to normal on the trans dip stick). I re-torqued the oil pan bolts as I knew I wouldn't have time to get around to dropping the pan for some time.
3k miles later, I went in to drop the oil pan and replace the gasket. I was surprised to see that re-torquing the bolts just about eliminated the leaking (there was a little, but no serious weeping or mess and the dip stick level looked good. When I got the pan off, it looks like the gasket was still nice and pliable in the areas covered under the oil pan mating surfaces. I could even bend it back on itself without it cracking. The parts of the gasket exposed were totally cooked and brittle and the areas around the bolt holes were deformed.
The oil was dirty, but no shavings/sediment. For what it's worth, I did not "flush" on the 1st change at 136k, just did a single fill after replacing the transmission filter. My plan was to just do a drain/fill without dropping the pan every 30k and change the transmission filter every 2nd or 3rd service (ie 60 or 90k miles)
In the oil pan itself there were no metal shavings on the magnet this time around. There was the usual grey sludge, but no filings or anything solid. The transmission filter was also pretty clean looking. I didn't send for an oil analysis, but based on what I see, I would not spend the effort to change the transmission filter after the 1st time and would not have were it not for the leaky gasket.
Overall if the gasket maker can solve the problem of the gasket becoming weak around the holes, I would go for the gasket again in a heart beat over using RTV - it was such a joy to remove the pan and see clean mating surfaces vs the original. I do notice Wix offers a pan gasket for newer models, that might be worth a try. With the cost of Type-FZ fluid now (it is much more expensive than it was in 2018), I think I would still just opt to RTV the pan and just change the transmission filter 1x for the life of the car.
I have a 2013 2.0L CX-5. First trans oil change was at 136k miles 5yrs ago (2/2018). At the time I opted to use a beck arnly trans pan gasket and trans filter as it was the only gasket type available at the time and I wanted to simplify future trans filter changes. The gasket is a silicone/rubber type (not cork) and seemed to be of high quality. I also completely cleaned the oil pan and magnet during that service and there were the typical shavings along with the grey sludge on the magnet.
Fast forward 5 trouble and drip free years, at 164k (28k miles later) while doing an oil change I noticed a non-trivial amount of oil leaking from the transmission pan side. It was kind of a mess on the under tray. On closer inspection, I could see some cracking on the oil pan gasket. Checking the trans oil, it was about 1/2 quart low (this is what it took to bring the oil level up to normal on the trans dip stick). I re-torqued the oil pan bolts as I knew I wouldn't have time to get around to dropping the pan for some time.
3k miles later, I went in to drop the oil pan and replace the gasket. I was surprised to see that re-torquing the bolts just about eliminated the leaking (there was a little, but no serious weeping or mess and the dip stick level looked good. When I got the pan off, it looks like the gasket was still nice and pliable in the areas covered under the oil pan mating surfaces. I could even bend it back on itself without it cracking. The parts of the gasket exposed were totally cooked and brittle and the areas around the bolt holes were deformed.
The oil was dirty, but no shavings/sediment. For what it's worth, I did not "flush" on the 1st change at 136k, just did a single fill after replacing the transmission filter. My plan was to just do a drain/fill without dropping the pan every 30k and change the transmission filter every 2nd or 3rd service (ie 60 or 90k miles)
In the oil pan itself there were no metal shavings on the magnet this time around. There was the usual grey sludge, but no filings or anything solid. The transmission filter was also pretty clean looking. I didn't send for an oil analysis, but based on what I see, I would not spend the effort to change the transmission filter after the 1st time and would not have were it not for the leaky gasket.
Overall if the gasket maker can solve the problem of the gasket becoming weak around the holes, I would go for the gasket again in a heart beat over using RTV - it was such a joy to remove the pan and see clean mating surfaces vs the original. I do notice Wix offers a pan gasket for newer models, that might be worth a try. With the cost of Type-FZ fluid now (it is much more expensive than it was in 2018), I think I would still just opt to RTV the pan and just change the transmission filter 1x for the life of the car.
