Guide ATF Drain/Fill

From your description I do believe your ATF level is a bit low, like it was from factory.

Like Mazda's factory service manual and ATF dipstick say, you have to measure ATF level with its temperature at 122F. Apparently your ATF temperature could reach 192F when your engine was fully warmed up at the time you took the measurement. ATF expands a lot more than engine oil when their temperatures are getting warmer. That's why all car manufactures will specify ATF temperature when ATF level is measured. Your ATF level is right on the central maker area when ATF was hot, it'd be below that level when ATF is colder at 122F. You need a bit more ATF to bring up thd level at 122F.

Let me put it this way. I drained 3.5 quarts and it took 3.7 quarts to get it to the correct level at the correct temperature.
 
From your description I do believe your ATF level is a bit low, like it was from factory.

Like Mazda's factory service manual and ATF dipstick say, you have to measure ATF level with its temperature at 122F. Apparently your ATF temperature could reach 192F when your engine was fully warmed up at the time you took the measurement. ATF expands a lot more than engine oil when their temperatures are getting warmer. That's why all car manufactures will specify ATF temperature when ATF level is measured. Your ATF level is right on the central maker area when ATF was hot, it'd be below that level when ATF is colder at 122F. You need a bit more ATF to bring up thd level at 122F.

Let me put it this way. I drained 3.5 quarts and it took 3.7 quarts to get it to the correct level at the correct temperature.

You guys are extremely patient, this makes total sense. Thank you! I went out to the garage and pulled the inspection plate, removed the ATF dipstick and added 0.2 QTS.
 
What is/are your sources for ATF type FZ

Has your local Mazda dealer been a positive experience for you? How much is FZ at your dealer?

Or have you found another source?

I bought my CX-5 recently, which has close to 80,000 miles, and to me the transmission fluid's pretty dirty looking. This thin looking stuff seems to only have one way to drain it... from the pan. Am I right? Perhaps by the third change it'll be looking blue for a while.

I noticed that it's about $18/quart and I'm likely going to go through a case to get the dirty stuff changed out from my car. That's close to $240 with tax, without a filter. Online I saw prices that go as low as about $13/quart once shipping is considered, buying it with a filter. Wondering if the filter will get shipped in a box with fluid by someone not thinking how the filter will hold up to being banged around.

What source(s) have you found for FZ fluid?

Thanks!
 
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I did 3 drain and fills total at 71k miles and by that 3rd drain I can't say it looked any bluer personally which was disappointing but fresh fluid is fresh fluid. I first bought 10 quarts for around $150 (if I recall). Needed an 11th to finish the job and that bottle was $15.

There are sources online closer to $10, but shipping costs can kill that savings unless you find on Amazon or something.
 
Amazon is like $18/quart with free shipping. At this point $15 might be a good deal.

I see this being touted as a compatible AT fluid but not seeing any real price savings. I'm just gonna stick with OEM.

Ravenol J1D2160-004

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

81zTVNTwC1L._SL1500_.jpg
 
I did this over the weekend, pretty smooth sailing thanks to all of the great info in this thread. Thanks to all who have contributed.

One minor snag though, a dealership which shall remain nameless had done a drain and fill at ~30K. When I pulled the dipstick, the end was snapped off and I only had the remaining part up to just below the center dot. Now I'm concerned that the missing piece is floating around somewhere in the transmission. Grrrrrrr.

For peace of mind I'm going to end up doing it again but this time dropping the pan to see if the missing bit is in there.

It's never easy!

ETA: Part number for the dipstick is FZ0119AA0 and the o-ring is FS5219822 if anyone runs into the same problem.
 
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I did this over the weekend, pretty smooth sailing thanks to all of the great info in this thread. Thanks to all who have contributed.

One minor snag though, a dealership which shall remain nameless had done a drain and fill at ~30K. When I pulled the dipstick, the end was snapped off and I only had the remaining part up to just below the center dot. Now I'm concerned that the missing piece is floating around somewhere in the transmission. Grrrrrrr.

For peace of mind I'm going to end up doing it again but this time dropping the pan to see if the missing bit is in there.

It's never easy!

ETA: Part number for the dipstick is FZ0119AA0 and the o-ring is FS5219822 if anyone runs into the same problem.

Why don't you name the dealer? Because the evidence is circumstantial and you aren't certain they are responsible? If you know they did this, why not tell us?
 
Why don't you name the dealer? Because the evidence is circumstantial and you aren't certain they are responsible? If you know they did this, why not tell us?

It's been 15K since they did the drain and fill. If I'd caught it right after then I'd name them. Put it this way: having been on the receiving end of some of their other "work" I don't doubt for a moment that it was them, and they're the only ones who'd have had any reason to have pulled the ATF dipstick. There's a reason I'm doing any work that's within my skill set myself these days. But without 100% incontrovertible proof it's not worth it.
 
It's been 15K since they did the drain and fill. If I'd caught it right after then I'd name them. Put it this way: having been on the receiving end of some of their other "work" I don't doubt for a moment that it was them, and they're the only ones who'd have had any reason to have pulled the ATF dipstick. There's a reason I'm doing any work that's within my skill set myself these days. But without 100% incontrovertible proof it's not worth it.

Not worth what? A few seconds of your time that may save others the same headache that you have? It doesn't cost you a dime to mention the name of the dealer who did the work.
 
Is it possible to extract most or more of the trans fluid from the top through the dipstick hole? I have a Schwaben extractor like in the picture and was wondering if anyone has tried yet? It comes with 4 or 5 different diameter tubes, so I'm sure the very smallest one would fit down in there.

DH_ECS_SCHWABEN_FLUID_EXTRACTOR_GLOBAL_01.jpg
 
I have no idea, but isn't a lot of the fluid stuck in the torque converter? Wouldn't going down the dipstick hole just get the same fluid in the pan when you drain?

I honestly don't know, but that's just my initial inclination.
 
I have no idea, but isn't a lot of the fluid stuck in the torque converter? Wouldn't going down the dipstick hole just get the same fluid in the pan when you drain?

I honestly don't know, but that's just my initial inclination.

Yeah, I would probably still only get 3-4 quarts out, but thought it would be easier when doing 3 drain and fills this way rather than pulling plug under car.

Guess I'll find out. I just ordered 12 quarts from Scarboro Mazda in Ontario. $11.17 per quart, no tax, free shipping if anyone is interested. Best I could find in the states was around $10.50 per quart, but with $25-30 for shipping. Local dealer wanted $20.33 per quart plus tax if I would drive to them to get it.
 
Is it possible to extract most or more of the trans fluid from the top through the dipstick hole? I have a Schwaben extractor like in the picture and was wondering if anyone has tried yet? It comes with 4 or 5 different diameter tubes, so I'm sure the very smallest one would fit down in there.
Like ColoradoDriver said, more than half of the ATF is stuck in the torque convertor and valve body. You can only drain less than half of the ATF out, about 3.5 ~ 3.8 quarts with 8.2 quarts of total capacity. The same you can only extract less than half of the ATF from the top through the dipstick hole if you can manage to land the tube at the lowest point of the ATF pan.

Never be a fan of using extraction method to get the old engine oil or ATF out. There's no way to tell your tube has landed at the lowest point of the fluid pan. You also lose the opportunity to drain the heavier microscopic metal particles and shavings out when you use the drain hole to get those out with old fluid.
 
Yeah, I would probably still only get 3-4 quarts out, but thought it would be easier when doing 3 drain and fills this way rather than pulling plug under car.

Guess I'll find out. I just ordered 12 quarts from Scarboro Mazda in Ontario. $11.17 per quart, no tax, free shipping if anyone is interested. Best I could find in the states was around $10.50 per quart, but with $25-30 for shipping. Local dealer wanted $20.33 per quart plus tax if I would drive to them to get it.
How many miles on our 17 CX-5? If it's less than 50K miles, I believe one drain-and-fill should be sufficient.

And thanks for the info to a good source of getting Mazda FZ ATF!
 
Like ColoradoDriver said, more than half of the ATF is stuck in the torque convertor and valve body. You can only drain less than half of the ATF out, about 3.5 ~ 3.8 quarts with 8.2 quarts of total capacity. The same you can only extract less than half of the ATF from the top through the dipstick hole if you can manage to land the tube at the lowest point of the ATF pan.

Never be a fan of using extraction method to get the old engine oil or ATF out. There's no way to tell your tube has landed at the lowest point of the fluid pan. You also lose the opportunity to drain the heavier microscopic metal particles and shavings out when you use the drain hole to get those out with old fluid.
Agreed, let gravity do the work.
 
How many miles on our 17 CX-5? If it's less than 50K miles, I believe one drain-and-fill should be sufficient.

And thanks for the info to a good source of getting Mazda FZ ATF!

I'm approaching 50K miles. Thought I would do 3 drain and fills at 50K and again at 100K and also replace the filter and clean the pan and magnet at that time.
I'm giving this car to my son next spring when he turns 16 and need it to last him through high school and college, so I want to keep the trans in top shape, plus it's only $134 to do the 3 drain and fills. If I don't get at least 3.5 quarts from extracting through the top, I will pull the plug from underneath, but maybe I can get more from the top.

I also thought about drilling a small hole in the torque converter housing and tapping a hole for a 1/4" plug, but have decided not to try it just yet.
 
I'm approaching 50K miles. Thought I would do 3 drain and fills at 50K and again at 100K and also replace the filter and clean the pan and magnet at that time.
I'm giving this car to my son next spring when he turns 16 and need it to last him through high school and college, so I want to keep the trans in top shape, plus it's only $134 to do the 3 drain and fills. If I don't get at least 3.5 quarts from extracting through the top, I will pull the plug from underneath, but maybe I can get more from the top.

I also thought about drilling a small hole in the torque converter housing and tapping a hole for a 1/4" plug, but have decided not to try it just yet.

I'd still drain from the plug instead of going from the top. Much better to go through the plug to drain any of the metal shavings and such that settles in the pan.
 
I'm approaching 50K miles. Thought I would do 3 drain and fills at 50K and again at 100K and also replace the filter and clean the pan and magnet at that time.

I'm giving this car to my son next spring when he turns 16 and need it to last him through high school and college, so I want to keep the trans in top shape, plus it's only $134 to do the 3 drain and fills.
Nothing wrong to do it 3 times just more time and money. :)

If I don't get at least 3.5 quarts from extracting through the top, I will pull the plug from underneath, but maybe I can get more from the top.
You'll never get more ATF out through extraction than draining, but chances are you'll get less with the reasons I stated in my previous post. I strongly suggest you to do draining method. If you really want to get most of old ATF out, getting some sort of ATF cooler adapter designed specifically for SkyActiv-Drive transmission and try some flush method.

And make sure to measure the ATF level for factory fill with proper procedure and temperature posted before. Many has found the factory fill on ATF is low, hence don't rely on how much you drained out as the ATF volume measurement to put the fresh ATF back in!

I also thought about drilling a small hole in the torque converter housing and tapping a hole for a 1/4" plug, but have decided not to try it just yet.
Glad you didn't do that. Besides torque converter, valve body also has plenty of old ATF in there. My previous 1974 Chevrolet Impala got transmission rebuild and I hated to see that plug on the torque converter each time I was changing the ATF. It'd also affect the balance of the torque converter which may cause vibration.
 
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