Hello,

I have Mazda MPV 2005 at 15K and I want to flush my transmission since I sometimes tow a boat (around 800lbs in total). I used to own Dodge Caravan and was flushing my transmission, changing filter and so on. It happened MPV does not have a filter and all I can do (as I was told at dealership) is pump out old liquid and put new one. I can not even clean the transmission screen since I need (as I was told) to take transmission apart. I sort of do not believe that I can not easily enough to clean the screen. So, my question is what 1) how do I drain out the transmission? (plug, pan?) 2) how do I clean the screen?
Other question, is it worth it to switch to synthetic ATF (like Mobil1 or ASM Oil) or should I stick w/ Dexron III?

Thank you for replies.

 

I believe there is a screen in the oil pump pick up but even getting to that means pulling the side pan and entire valvebody out. There is just not a oil pan with replaceable screen like on older vehicles.
There is a drain plug on the bottom of the transmission but you will only drain out 3 qts or so. Look for a 24mm bolt on underside for the drain.
The best way to flush is to remove an oil cooler line, attach a separate piece of hose to oil cooler and direct both hoses into a drain pan. Start engine and trans oil will flow out of the hoses and into the drain pan. Allow to run untillpressurized flow stops, measure amount removed bypouring into an old gallon milk jug, then refill with same amount and repeat this 3 or 4 times. This is the best shadetree method without any special tools needed. Oil cooler is mounted iin front of the radiator at bottom and is easily accessable. See diagram below of cooler and lines.
There are fluid exchange machines that transmissionand other shops would have.Might check into one of these if you want togo synthetic as this will ensure that you have a complete fluid exchange and are not mixing with regularATF.

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Babyhuey,
thank you for the reply, it helps a lot.
I am just thinking if I do this pressurized drying out and refilling repeatedly 3 or 4 times some amout of new and old fluid will get mixed. So, I am thinking about slight change in your procedure. What if I disconnect the lines, then the line the liquid goes out of tranny I put into an empty container, the line the liquid goes in I put in a container w/ fresh liquid. After I start the engine and just wait till the fresh liquid starts flow out from the output hose. What do you think? To do that I need to know which line is in and out? If I am not wrong w/ my old Dodge Caravan the line which goes from the cylinder attached to the engine radiator is the input line (like upper line for MPV), and the output line connects the tranny w/ the oil cooler. Is it the same for MPV?
Thanks.

 

Do not think you will develop enough suction to draw new fluid in but would sure be worth a try. Have not tried this myself so let me know if it works if you would. This diagram should help you out.

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Babyhuey, thanks for your replies.

Just if somebody esle looking... In some other forum I found that instead of chaning the transmission fluid every 15/30K people do partial change every engine oil change. They just unplug the bold on the tranny bottom, drain out about 3qt, and then add fresh one. Doing in this way you alway have not completely fresh but and not completely old fluid. One guy was claiming his tranny did $200K and still going. I am not saying it is the best way of doing this but just another approach.

Thanks.