Transmission Fluid Change: Gravity Method or Flush Machine?

[McStephanie]

From an economic perspective, the gravity method is more cost-effective for transmission fluid changes. Gravity fluid changes are typically cheaper than flush machine changes. Differences between the two methods: The gravity method is relatively simple to perform. Most automatic transmissions have a fluid level port that can be used for draining, checking fluid levels, or changing fluid. However, the fluid in an automatic transmission cannot be completely drained by gravity alone. The flush machine method consumes significantly more fluid per change and has a relatively more complex procedure. The gravity method can only replace 50% to 60% of the old fluid, as the remaining fluid in the torque converter and oil cooler cannot be removed. The flush machine method allows for more thorough fluid replacement. Transmission fluid change intervals: Different vehicle models have different change intervals. For manual transmissions, it's generally recommended to change the fluid every three years or approximately 100,000 kilometers; for automatic transmissions, every two years or about 40,000 kilometers; and for continuously variable transmissions (CVT), every two years or around 60,000 kilometers.