Transmission fluid change without filter replacement

Thank you yrwei! I appreciate it (thumb)

I'll probably do 2 drain/fills. Going to place an order for the ATF fluid this week.
 
Thank you yrwei! I appreciate it (thumb)

I'll probably do 2 drain/fills. Going to place an order for the ATF fluid this week.
Are you going to get FZ ATF from tascaparts.com suggested by Kedis82ZE8?

You also have to decide which way you're going to reach the ATF dipstick. Personally I'd go from bottom side like tomcat1446 suggested. Make sure to clean up the AFT dipstick area first or the dirt will fall into the transmission! See post #103 by tomcat1446.
 
Are you going to get FZ ATF from tascaparts.com suggested by Kedis82ZE8?

You also have to decide which way you're going to reach the ATF dipstick. Personally I'd go from bottom side like tomcat1446 suggested. Make sure to clean up the AFT dipstick area first or the dirt will fall into the transmission! See post #103 by tomcat1446.

I was, but I just looked to go order and it says "call for availability" so I wonder if they sold out on that price. (scratch) Will call and find out. I'm not keen on buying 10 bottles at $15/each unless I have to I suppose.

Regarding access to the dipstick, may be hard to see that I'm not knocking dirt into the hole if I am doing it from the bottom isn't it?
 
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⋯ Regarding access to the dipstick, may be hard to see that I'm not knocking dirt into the hole if I am doing it from the bottom isn't it?
Read tomcat1446'a post and he has very detailed description.
 
I prefer access from the top (cheerbanana):)


On a serious note....only becuase that FZ oil is super super slick and thin. Easy for it to be flung into eyes/face.
 
I prefer access from the top (cheerbanana):)


On a serious note....only becuase that FZ oil is super super slick and thin. Easy for it to be flung into eyes/face.
Yeah I think I am going to go this route.
 
I prefer access from the top (cheerbanana):)


On a serious note....only becuase that FZ oil is super super slick and thin. Easy for it to be flung into eyes/face.
Then you have to have the engine running without the airbox while you're measuring the ATF level. Not only the dirt may get sucked into the engine, but also a CEL is expected without the airbox.
 
Then you have to have the engine running without the airbox while you're measuring the ATF level. Not only the dirt may get sucked into the engine, but also a CEL is expected without the airbox.

I cleaned the engine bay and worked inside a garage. unbolted the air intake nuts above radiator but kept intake hose (MAF) connected to engine at all times. no CEL and just moved box out of way each time I checked levels.

Engine wont even start without air box(MAF connected). I tried and it just stalls :(

I had success removing measured amount at cold ambient temps.....replacing measured amount at cold ambient temps. Dip stick is in spec when cold and Still in spec when hot (past 122 degrees). So far so good for me.
 
I cleaned the engine bay and worked inside a garage. unbolted the air intake nuts above radiator but kept intake hose (MAF) connected to engine at all times. no CEL and just moved box out of way each time I checked levels.

Engine wont even start without air box(MAF connected). I tried and it just stalls :(

I had success removing measured amount at cold ambient temps.....replacing measured amount at cold ambient temps. Dip stick is in spec when cold and Still in spec when hot (past 122 degrees). So far so good for me.
Thanks for the info. So basically you said it's possible to keep the air filter box and MAF connected all the time, but only move the whole air box around to access the ATF dipstick? If this's the case then I believe accessing from the top is indeed a better way!
 
I cleaned the engine bay and worked inside a garage. unbolted the air intake nuts above radiator but kept intake hose (MAF) connected to engine at all times. no CEL and just moved box out of way each time I checked levels.

Engine wont even start without air box(MAF connected). I tried and it just stalls :(

I had success removing measured amount at cold ambient temps.....replacing measured amount at cold ambient temps. Dip stick is in spec when cold and Still in spec when hot (past 122 degrees). So far so good for me.

Yeah. Assuming the level is not too low to begin with, I don't understand why you can't just measure what you take out and put the same amount new back in. Makes sense to me?

It's not like the new fluid you put in is at 122 degrees.

Can someone explain that one for me?
 
Thanks for the info. So basically you said it's possible to keep the air filter box and MAF connected all the time, but only move the whole air box around to access the ATF dipstick? If this's the case then I believe accessing from the top is indeed a better way!

Correctomundo. I originally took off the entire airbox and piping, ect for clearance. Car would not start. Proceeded to put everything back together and car started. Its been awhile but on my 3 attempts between the m6 and cx-5 I've always had the airbox connected. Just take your time and ease the thing to the side.

To be honest now I may have removed the section between airbox to inlet on top of radiator. This section is what gets in your way from dipstick. The airbox with MAF sensor was definitely in place.

I may have also kept everything in 1 piece and simply move sections aside. Chances are I probably did both ways.
 
I'm gonna put mine up on 4 ramps and come in from the bottom. I can reach the dipstick from the underside with splash shield off. I think when I first checked my fluid I used some long reach socket extensions and and as well as as some long reach pliers. I didn't need to remove anything other than the bolt holding the dipstick in. I got the bolt on dipstick loose enough I could extract the bolt with one of those long reach HF tools with the spring loaded grabber on the end.



ColoradoDriver: That should be fine. Just make sure new fluid is same temp give or take a couple degrees and replace on volume removed & replaced... you can always weigh fluid as well and then the temp won't matter.
 
Thanks guys. I think I have a plan for attack now. I took some extra time to read through some threads.

Will warm up the engine and then check current level to see if it is low and then adjust what I put in from there.
 
Yeah. Assuming the level is not too low to begin with, I don't understand why you can't just measure what you take out and put the same amount new back in. Makes sense to me?

It's not like the new fluid you put in is at 122 degrees.

Can someone explain that one for me?
The reason why you don't put the same amount of fresh ATF drained out back into the transmission is because the factory-fill could be low been reported by many. Other cases the old ATF level could be too high as the result of over-fill by the Mazda dealer. So take time to measure the old ATF level first before you drain it.
 
The reason why you don't put the same amount of fresh ATF drained out back into the transmission is because the factory-fill could be low been reported by many. Other cases the old ATF level could be too high as the result of over-fill by the Mazda dealer. So take time to measure the old ATF level first before you drain it.
Got it.

Will do that's I don't have or know how to use those scan tools to measure actual temp, so is the consensus that it is good to measure after the blue light turns off?
 
Got it.

Will do that's I don't have or know how to use those scan tools to measure actual temp, so is the consensus that it is good to measure after the blue light turns off?

I have the scan tool....only used it the first time ever. The 2nd and 3rd attempts I relied on the blue light.
 
So...just did my transmission fluid drain and fill this morning.

Overall success, though something peculiar happened. I measured it when the blue light went off. Maybe slightly warmer as I took it for a spin around the block. Let it cool down a few minutes. Slightly low, not too low though.

Put it up on the ramps. Drained 3 1/2 qts as measured by my catch pan with measurements. I did also capture a little bit to send for analysis.

So...I proceed to put 3 1/2 qts in of the new fluid. When I go to put the old fluid in the now empty bottles, suddenly I only have enough old fluid to fill 3 at which point I say where did the other half quart go.

Perhaps I added too much now...I don't know. But everything is running fine and I have put 100 miles on today since performing the work.

I measured and filled from the top with airbox removed. Was easy.

As I plan to do this procedure again in a couple weeks, perhaps I will just check it cold? I don't know. 3 1/2 drained out but I only filled up 3 qts with the old fluid. (scratch)
 
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So...just did my transmission fluid drain and fill this morning.

Overall success, though something peculiar happened. I measured it when the blue light went off. Maybe slightly warmer as I took it for a spin around the block. Let it cool down a few minutes. Slightly low, not too low though.

Put it up on the ramps. Drained 3 1/2 qts as measured by my catch pan with measurements. I did also capture a little bit to send for analysis.

So...I proceed to put 3 1/2 qts in of the new fluid. When I go to put the old fluid in the now empty bottles, suddenly I only have enough old fluid to fill 3 at which point I say where did the other half quart go.

Perhaps I added too much now...I don't know. But everything is running fine and I have put 100 miles on today since performing the work.

I measured and filled from the top with airbox removed. Was easy.

As I plan to do this procedure again in a couple weeks, perhaps I will just check it cold? I don't know. 3 1/2 drained out but I only filled up 3 qts with the old fluid. (scratch)

Only one possible answer; the marks on the drain pan were inaccurate.
 
Yeah...that makes sense. If that's the case I probably overfilled then by a bit. But it was a little low to bein with so maybe it's fine. Will measure again soon when I do the next drain and fill and perhaps will use a pitcher or something instead.
 
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