6hp26x transmission fluid change 3.0D

[chris_barry]

Thought I would post a summary of my experiences changing fluid in my 3.0d's gearbox. 2006 Australian delivery

Vehicle has 149,000km on the clock. For the past few years it has been lurching if you roll slowly rather than stop dead. Kickdown shifts were also getting harsher. Unfortunately I hit a Kangaroo and 2 months and $22K insurance repairs later I got the car back last week.

It appears the repairer had a leak issue on first statup with the connection to the oil cooler. They claim the topped up the gearbox but it did not feel right. The first few shifts from cold felt like they slipped a little and some shifts were harsh. They claimed they topped it up but I didn't trust them enough to send it back. I was also planning a fluid/filter change so got the truck into the workshop to do it myself ( I normally work on race cars)

I ordered in 7 litres of the ZF lifeguard 6, pan gasket and filter. The car has the metal pan with the filler on the underside of the pan. I also got the mechatronics sleeve.

Draining was easy enough and removed the pan. I pulled down on the mech/sleeve lock and the original sleeve popped out easily. Unfortunately installing the new one was really tough. The white lock would not push up. After a lot of comparison of the two sleeves and how far they were pushing into the hole I realised that the new one was stopping a few mm further out than the original. After lots of hard pushing/rocking while putting gentle pressure on the lock it slipped into place. It appears that the sliding lock mechanism latches in the unlocked position and needs the sleeve to release it so it can be pushed back upwards.

Pan was pretty clean, oil like coffee and bad smelling.

Refilling was easy enough, about 3.5 litres in, start the motor and another 1.5 of so litres in. It took 5.75 litres to fill it to the point where fluid stopped dribbling at 40C. I had left it draining for about 3 hours before putting the 5.75 litres in. I then drained another litre and refilled using my 7th litre to try and increase the concentration of new fluid.

End result comparing what went in with what came out was the gearbox was approx 1.5 litres underfilled. Glad I picked it and didn't drive it much. Going to be having a word to the panel shop. I chose them as their paint shop is really good. Sadly not too good on the mechanical side.

Before heading home I reset the transmission adaptive stuff. ( hold accel 30 secs, brake and start)

Driving home from the workshop the car is as I remember it 100K km ago. Shifts are much smoother and the lurch while still there doesn't kick any more. You can feel it shifting back to 1st but there is no abrupt kick.

[Homerlovesbeer]

Thanks for the info. I found the white lock on mine was a pain just like yours.

I didn't know that holding the accelerator for 30 secs then brake start reset the adaptive learning.

Is that right?

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by Homerlovesbeer

Thanks for the info. I found the white lock on mine was a pain just like yours.

I didn't know that holding the accelerator for 30 secs then brake start reset the adaptive learning.

Is that right?

Nope. Urban myth.