Silverado owners, a question if you have but a moment

[jimbob200521]

I've got a 2001 Silverado 5.3L Auto with about 105,xxx miles on it. I've been planning for winter maintenance on the truck (oil change, tire rotation, cleaning, waxing, lube, etc) and it occurs to me; I've had this truck for about a year or so now and haven't touched the transmission since I've had it. It's always shifted butter smooth and never given me even a hickup from the hottest summer days hauling loads of gravel and sand (weighed in at around a 2 ton load, I have the slips to prive it ) to getting me to work at 4:00am on the coldest, snowiest, iciest days of winter. Getting this Chevy has been the best vehicle decision I've ever made and I never plan on getting anything other than a Chevy, but that's a discussion for a different thread

My questions is this, as odd as it may sound: do ya'll change your transmission fluid and if so, how and how often? Did you have any problems afterword?

I ask because as far as I know, it's never been done and I want to take care of my machines the best I can. I've done quite a bit of research on this and heard conflicting opinions: one side ways if it ain't broke, don't fix it. What's in your transmission now is holding it together so don't mess with it. The logic behind this is as parts wear, the fluid thickens up and thus "holds things together". Needless to say, this doesn't sit well with me. The other side says if you're going to change it, do it right with a flush from a mechanic where you disconnect the pressure side and hook it up to a machine that puts in equal parts of new fluid while the old is being pushed/pumped out. The reason you do this instead of draining/dropping the pan is because if you drop the pan, you'll never get all the fluid out of the passages, channels, etc.

I've heard/read one too many horror stories of people changing fluid in these 4L60E transmissions and them dying after so I'd like some opinions from a group of people I have some trust in. I hate the idea of letting it go because it isn't broken but if I'm going to do it, I want to do it right so this truck will run for another 100k+. Thanks guys!

[Merk]

I had a 1999 Chevy Suburban 2 wheel drive with the 4L60 and a 5.7 (350) and 3.73 gears. I was pulling trailers that weigh up to 7000 pounds several times a month. I change the trans oil once a year. I did not flush the system out.
First trans held up for 104000 miles.
Replacement trans didn't back Suburban out of bay where the trans was replace (company that replace trans said they ran it on their machine).
Next trans you could watch the tach jump 300 to 500 rpm when the 1-2 and 2-3 shift happen.
Next trans you could watch the tach jump 300 to 500 rpm when the 2-3 shift happen. when pulling a 4000 plus trailer. You had to watch how you pass someone......hit rev limiter when passing.
Next trans did the same thing as last trans did. Shop that put trans in knew someone that had this style trans in their race car. Suggested to bump trans pressure up 20 pounds. Fix the rprm jump problem....now have hard shifts.

Every trans was suppose to be tested at the shop that rebuild it.
I did contact the company that rebuilt the trans. He said I was pulling too big of a trailer. Suburban was rated to pull a 7000 pound trailer.

I had a 3 year 36000 mile warrenty on the trans. Sounds good-warrenty started and ended 3 years after the first trans was installed. I finally traded the Suburban with a 175000 miles on it. The trans was acting up again and I got a good deal on a new Chevy 2500 HD pick up.

The 4L60 is a good trans if you take care of it. I went to the wrong shop to get a rebuilt trans.

[fisherman1526]

Ive got 224,000 miles on my tranny in my 2004 silverado. I always change and flush the tranny every 50,000. I also run a can of sea foam trans tune in it for a couple hundred miles before I do the flush. Had a 2001 that shifted hard when it had 50,000 miles on it and a mechanic told me to run the sea foam and flush the tranny and it cleared right up. I sold that truck with 212,000 miles with out any other issues. So my personal belief is to have it changed. But I would definately make sure you do the flush.

[J-Mech]

Here at my shop, we recommend what chevy does. Every 60K miles, fluid/ filter change. We change fluid and filters all the time on these truck, without the fluid machine you are referring to. Oh, I suppose it probably does a good job. We also rebuild tranny's and I have done LOTS of 4L60E's. These are pretty good transmissions. I also work with a pretty big trans shop (we trade back and forth). They have a flush machine for the cooler. I don't see any need to have it "professionally" done. (If you were closer, of course I'd tell you to bring it to me!) Drop the pan, get a filter and change it yourself. It will be fine!

[TheIHMan]

On our 03 Duramax we change the oil and filter every 25,000 but over 80% of the time the truck is running it is hooked up to some kind of trailer.

[cubby102]

The way I do it if I get a vehicle to keep is if the fluid does look good in it I drop the pan put in a new filter and fill it. If it smells the slightest bit burnt or is dark in color I'd do a full service change on it

[rweaver]

what I do is not by miles but since all that my 2004 1ton dually does is pull trailers I change it every other inspection which is yearly might be often but it works great and it has a allision 5 speed in it

[Whizdbiz2]

Did my '05 2500 Crewcab at 60,000 miles. Believe this was the recommended interval, especially since we do towing with it.

[fpatd]

I have a used & abused chevy astro 4.3 v6 engine , it is showing 253, +++.+ And i don't believe the trans fluid has ever been changed, lack of maintenance has been the p.o 's claim to fame! I guess that is why i got it so cheap 100.00 dollars, complete tune up, replace brakes all the way around & replaced the fuel pump , my moto is do what ever you want with the engine,but if the Trans has not been serviced at or around 60, 000 miles you may be asking for trouble ! The most milage I have ever gotten out of a truck was 711,651 miles on a truck i bought for parts, the truck to be repaired got hit & cracked the rusted frame s i pulled the engine & trans out rebuilt them & ran the hell out of that little ford ranger i had for 7 years , til it' s untimely demise , i got married & needed a family car , so with cash for clunkers we traded it in , took over 1 year to kill that truck & yes i do miss it!

[PaulS]

My 2001 Chevy Silverado got all its fluids changed at 60,000 miles. I also have a posi trac rear end. That fluid needs a special additive to keep the posi working. Forget the additive and the posi trac works no more.