Mazda 3 Transmission Oil Info Change Maintenance
Content
Mazda 3 Transmission Oil Info Change Maintenance
Transmission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_4F27E_transmission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-4EAT_transmission
The 4F27E (FN4A-EL) is an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission, used by
Ford and Mazda.
The 4F27E is a strengthened 4-speed F-4EAT automatic. It now has a four-element torque
converter that includes a torque converter clutch and geartrain with two planetary gearsets, a
transfer-shaft gear final drive, and a larger differential. The hydraulic control system of the 4F27E
transaxle has six electronically controlled solenoids for shift feel (through line pressure control),
shift scheduling (through shift valve position control) and TCC apply, controlled by pulse-width
modulation (PWM).
1
2.81:1
2
1.54:1
3
1.00:1
Applications:
Ford EcoSport with 2.0L Duratec engine
Ford Focus 2000-2011
Mazda3
Mazda6
Ford Transit Connect with 2.0L Duratec 2010-2013
Mazda2
4
0.73:1
R
2.65:1
Transmission Oil Info
0000-77-112E-01
http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=51&pcid=9
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/transmission-fluid/automatic/signatureseries-multi-vehicle-synthetic-automatic-transmission-fluid/?page=%2fstorefront
%2fatf.aspx
The ford P/N for Mazda M5 atf is: XT9-QMM5. It is priced at $8.68/qt. list. It has special
friction modifiers for compatability with the clutch material. Don't make the mistake I did.
Use it with no regrets. FWIW--Oldtommy PS --Yes, Ford calls it FNR5 fluid
http://www.clubmazdavenezuela.com/forum/index.php?
action=post;quote=11479;topic=1862.0;last_msg=15989
Los mazda 3 usan el ATF typeM-5 en mazda, aquí en Venezuela le colocan Mercon-V con buenos
resultados ya que el typeM-5 no se consigue,
http://www.clubmazdavenezuela.com/forum/index.php?
action=post;quote=13736;topic=1862.60;last_msg=15989
La caja del M3 lleva 7 litros, eso es correcto, la del M6 lleva 8 litros; esto cuando se drena
totalmente. Recuerda cambiar también el filtro de la caja
http://cararac.com/gear_oil/mazda/3.html
Mazda M-V (M-5) fluid
Mercon V and M-V are not the same thing
Got this info from this link.
http://www.imazda.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15847
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According to the Mazda Service Bulletin No: 05-005/08:
ATF M-V (Type M5) is not the same fluid as Mercon V.
Access the Bulletin at:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...05-08-1928.pdf
ATF M-V (Type M5) has a greater viscosity than Mercon V in low temperatures.
ATF M-V (Type M5) has a greater anti-judder specification than Mercon V.
Caution: Using ATF other than ATF M-V (Type M5) in A/Ts designed to use this fluid may
cause shift quality complaints. Note: for those using MerconV, Mazda doesn't say
damage will result rather shifting may not be optimal.
The following models should use ATF M-V (Type M5), Mazda Part No. 0000-77-112E-01:
Mazda3
Mazda5
Mazda6 2.3 L
2003-'04 Mazda6 3.0 L (5-speed A/T)
Amsoil Synthetic Universal Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) is listed as a suitable
replacement for Mercon V, Mazda ATF-III and ATF M-V (TypeM5). Check the website.
Edit: Although not listed as such on their website, a recent e-mail communication
between myself and Red Line has led Red Line to state that Red Line D4 ATF is also a
suitable replacement for ATF M-V (Type M5) fluid.
Although not a true synthetic (according to my operational definition), Mobil 1 Synthetic
ATF is listed as a suitable replacement for Mercon V, Mazda ATF-III and ATF M-V (Type
M5). Check the website.
There may be other suitable replacement fluids but I haven't investigated all
possibilities.
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The following model should use JWS3309 (T-IV), Mazda Part No. 0000-77-114E-01:
2005-'08 Mazda6 3.0 L (6-speed A/T)
Amsoil Synthetic Universal Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) is listed as meeting the
requirements for a T-IV fluid as specified in certain Aisan-Warner transmissions. Check
the website.
Red Line D4 ATF is listed as satisfying the requirements for a T-IV fluid as specified in
certain Aisan-Warner transmissions. Check the website.
Mobil ATF 3309 is recommended for use in transmissions made by Aisin-Warner requiring
a fluid approved for JWS3309 and T-IV, among other types. It's specifically noted to help
control transmission shudder and provide excellent vehicle driveability. Also not a true
synthetic (see above). Check the website.
Again, there may be other suitable replacement fluids of which I'm not aware.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/2821228/Re:_Mazda_3_A
TF_Change
https://www.scribd.com/doc/37377479/Mazda-Service-Bulletin-05-005-08-1928
Subject:CORRECT APPLICATIONS FOR ATF M-V (TYPE M5) AND MERCON®V AUTO-MATIC
TRANSMISSION FLUIDS
Bulletin No: 05-005/08
Last Issued: 4/11/2008
Service Bulletin
Mazda North American OperationsIrvine, CA 92618-2922
MULTI MODEL - CORRECT APPLICATIONS FOR ATF M-V (TYPE M5) AND MERCON®V
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUIDS
APPLICABLE MODEL(S)/VINS
2004 - 2008 Mazda3 A/T2006 - 2008 Mazda5 A/T2003 - 2008 Mazda6 A/T2000 - 2008 BSeries A/T2001 - 2006 Tribute A/T2008 Tribute A/T2008 Tribute HEV
DESCRIPTION
Always be sure to use the correct automatic transmission fluid when replacing ATF. Using
the wrong ATF may cause shift quality complaints or may even damage the transmission.
NOTE:
•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) IS NOT THE SAME FLUID AS MERCON®V ATF.
•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) HAS A GREATER VISCOSITY THAN MERCON®V ATF IN LOW
TEMPERATURES.
•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) HAS A GREATER ANTI-JUDDER SPECIFICATION THAN MERCON®V ATF.
CAUTION:
•USING ATF OTHER THAN ATF M-V (TYPE M5) IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS DESIGNED
TO USE ATF M-V (TYPE M5) MAY CAUSE SHIFT QUALITY COMPLAINTS.
•USING ATF OTHER THAN MERCON®V IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS DESIGNED TO USE
MERCON®V MAY CAUSE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE.
Bulletin No:
05-005/08
© 2008 Mazda Motor of America, Inc.
Transmission Filter & Kit
http://www.amazon.com/FT1210-Internal-Transmission-Cartridge-Filter/dp/B000C33L1U
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/shop_parts/automatic_transmission_filter/mazda/
3.html
http://www.amazon.com/ATP-B-189-Automatic-TransmissionFilter/dp/B000C8T8B2/ref=sr_1_9?
s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1424810551&vehicle=2006-80-2435-1034--1--5-8062--11-2419--3-0&sr=1-9&ymm=2006%3Amazda%3A3
http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Arnley-044-0309-AutomaticTransmission/dp/B000CRZHI6/ref=sr_1_13?
s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1424810551&vehicle=2006-80-2435-1034--1--5-8062--11-2419--3-0&sr=1-13&ymm=2006%3Amazda%3A3
http://www.amazon.com/Wix-58617-Automatic-TransmissionFilter/dp/B000VL23XU/ref=sr_1_20?
s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1424810551&vehicle=2006-80-2435-1034--1--5-8062--11-2419--3-0&sr=1-20&ymm=2006%3Amazda%3A3
http://www.amazon.com/Baldwin-18267-Polyester-AutomaticTransmission/dp/B000CAYPTK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_4?
ie=UTF8&refRID=076S4BWHSVES8T72YV6Q
Filter / Strainer Oil Mazda (FN0121500A) / Ford (XS4Z7A098AC) / Motorcraft (FT131)
http://www.jimellismazdaparts.com/showAssembly.aspx?
ukey_assembly=301201&ukey_make=995&ukey_model=14356&modelYear=2006&ukey
_category=20243
WIX Part # 58617 More Info {#FT1210}
PARTS AUTHORITY Part # 46710 More Info 4 SP FWD 4F27E Transmission
PIONEER Part # 745202 More Info 4 speed trans.; Trans. code 4F27E
PRONTO Part # PTK1288
ATP Part # B189 More Info {#FN0121500, XS4Z7A098AB, XS4Z7A098AC} FILTER
KIT-TRANSAXLE One of our most popular partsAutomatic trans.; Trans. code
4F27E
FRAM Part # FT1210 More Info {#FN0121500, XS4Z7A098AB} Internal cartridge
One of our most popular partsTrans. code 4F27E
AUTO EXTRA Part # 61658617
HASTINGS FILTERS Part # TF160 More Info {#FN0121500, X54X7A098AB,
XS4Z7A098AB, XS4Z7A098AC}Trans. code 4F27E
MOTORCRAFT Part # FT131 More Info {#XS4P7B155AB, XS4Z7A098AC}
Trans. code 4F27E
Auto Tranny Oil Pan Gasket Fel-Pro® TOS18731
http://www.carid.com/fel-pro/automatic-transmission-oil-pan-gasket-mpntos18731.html
Transmission Fluid Change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex3DBmi3aGs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inNGvw_Kl1M
http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=262875
How to: Install Transmission Cooler & Flush 8 quarts of ATF.
[size=12pt]How to perform an 8 quart ATF Flush on a 2006 Mazda3 2.3L
Sedan[/size]
READ FIRST: A number of people are asking me where they can buy
a transmission fluid pump. Well the answer is YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE... It's installed in
your car and all you have to do is start your engine (in park) and the pump will
automatically cycle automatic transmission fluid through the OEM transmission cooler. To
take advantage of this, all you have to do is disconnect the "output" fluid
hose that connects to the existing OEM cooler, and then you attach a clear vinyl tube to
the "output" nipple. Then start your car and your car will AUTOMATICALLY
spew old atx fluid out of the clear vinyl tube and into a container. Once the old fluid has
come out, you replenish the fluid via the ATX fluid dipstick. Remember not to let the
transmission pump ALL of your ATX fluid out of your car and to stop once it's pumped
about 3 quarts of fluid out. Then replace that 3 quarts and do it again to avoid getting air
trapped in the system.
OUTLINE (per Bombsquad):
1. Drain old fluid from pan (~3-3.5 quarts)
IF YOU DON'T DROP THE PAN, SKIP TO STEP 4
2. (optional) drop pan and clean circle magnet and replace filter if necessary
3. (optional) replace pan with new high temp silicone gasket maker
4. Refill with new fluid through dipstick hole
5. Attach clear tube to outlet of your atx fluid cooling block into collection bucket
6. Pump out 3 quarts of old fluid by putting car in drive with e-brake and regular brake
on
7. Refill with new fluid through dipstick hole
8. Repeat Steps 6-7 until fluid coming out of clear tube is red and bright. (or the same
color of your new M-V compatible fluid)
9. Top off the fluid level, test drive, check for leaks, re-check fluid level after fluid is
warmed up and top off if necessary.
Needed:
Basic Metric Socket set and pliers to remove clips that hold on transmission line.
(Look up the oil change "how to" in order to remove the black skid plate, and
battery covers)
Metric Hex to remove transmission pan drain bolt. (It's either 6mm or 8mm)
6-8 feet of 3/8" I.D. clear tubing available at Home Depot for ~$6. (Get a
clamp too) (My writeup suggest 5/16" I.D., but this is very tight and will need a
little stretching and some oil as lube to get it to fit)
Container or low profile catch basin to catch old transmission fluid and tape to
secure the tube so it doesn't move when draining.
Funnel that fits in the ATF dipstick to put fluid in. Get one that u can shove in there so
you don't have to hold the funnel while you pour. (When pouring, do this slowly or else it
will burble and splash ATF fluid all over the engine bay.)
8-9 quarts of ATF Mazda M-V or compatible. - I personally use Mobil 1 ATF (full
synthetic). If this wasn't in stock, I'd get Mazda M-V Fluid due to the latest TSB bulletin
that does not recommend Mercon V to be used as a substitute for Mazda M-V fluid.
(Mazda M-V is to be used in the Mazda3).
For informational purposes: The OEM fluid for 5-speeds is Motorcraft Mazda V (M-V)
or Ford FNR5, for 4-speeds it is Mercon V. M-V is available at your local Mazda or Ford
dealer while Mercon V is available pretty much everywhere. Your dipstick most likely has
an M-V engraved on the tip if you drive a 5-speed ATX. M-V does not stand for Mercon V,
it stands for the Mazda-V atf fluid which is ASP17 as opposed to ASP11 (merconV).
Yes you may use Mobile 1 Full Synthetic or Castrol Import Multi-vehicle ATF (that says
it's M-V compatible). Personally i've got almost 50K miles on my car and no transmission
skips, noises or jerks and I've been using Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF.
Keep putting in fluid until the fluid comes out bright red. You'll want to make sure you
save some fluid for the end for topping it off to the "max" fill level.
Transmission filter (if you want to replace this while you drop the pan) To get the filter I
suggest you visit your local dealership and order the filter that your car requires. You'll
have to give them your VIN, and I believe this to be an easy way to get the right part.
Keep in mind that changing your ATF filter is not mandatory and mine looked very clean.
I will probably change my filter at 80k miles or more. I do not think that this filter is a
regular "Mazda" maintenance item to be replaced on a certain interval.
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1. I recommend jacking up car and put front on jack stands, then remove black plastic
skid plate. It probably can be done if you drive on ramps, or perhaps flat on the garage if
you have not lowered your car. First, drain old transmission fluid by removing the hex
bolt in the middle of the blacktransmission fluid pan and observe color and odor of fluid.
If there is a burnt smell and flakes then begin to worry. If it's dark red or brownish and
no strange odor then this is normal. If it's pink, then there may be coolant/water mixed
with your transmission fluid. Mine is normal, though darker than I'd like it to be after
having done a double 3qt flush about 8k miles ago. My car has 23k miles on it right now.
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2. (OPTIONAL) Drop the transmission pan by first removing bolts, and then gently prying
off pan with wide flat head screw driver or plastic scraper and remove and clean circle
magnet. Try not to scratch the metal. Scrape off silicone best you can and replace with
high temp silicon gasket maker when you re-install pan (I used permatex high temp
silicone RTV sealant/gasket maker). Replace the filter if you bought one, I didn't have
one so I didn't and just removed the filter and emptied it. I found NO gunk whatsoever
and minimal residue on the magnet. Spread a thin coat of the liquid gasket on the rim of
the pan. Once the pan is back and the drain bolt is tightened, re-fill with transmission
fluid till it's full on the dip stick. (This is considered the drain and refill since it only does
about 3-3.5 quarts at a time)
Keep in mind that there is a higher chance of a leak, the more old silicone you leave on
the transmission pan rim. Also, DO NOT leave any harshsolvents or cleaners in the pan
or on the filter. This will mix with your ATF fluid and may cause problems.
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3. Now locate the OEM transmission oil cooler which is the cylinder shaped cooler next to
your transmission. It's maybe the size of a can of tuna and has one inlet and one outlet
for oil. Locate the "line out" of the cooler and attach the clear tube to this
and run it to a container that can hold a couple gallons of fluid.
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4. Remember to have NEW transmission fluid in your car... Set your parking brake firm,
depress the brake (Hold the brake) and then safely start your engine and put the car into
drive. This will allow fluid to flow through your torque converter (at least on most cars).
The old fluid will be gushing out of the clear tube and into the catch pan. If it's not, then
maybe you chose the wrong outlet on the OEM transmission cooler. DO this until 3 quarts
have emptied into the container and stop your engine. I eyeballed it, but you can mark
the container with tape at the 3 quart line. Refill the drain pan via the dip stick tube
again. Turn your engine on and wait until it fills a couple more quarts and your fluid turns
RED again easily visible through the clear tube. Your last 3 quarts are reserved to fill up
the drain pan.
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5. Re-install transmission line, (recommended to replace the clamp, or at least put the
old clamp in its original position when reinstalling the oil line) Put everything back
together and you're good to go.
So by starting your engine, your OEM ATX fluid pump will automatically be pumping fluid
through your OEM ATX cooler. So by letting this pump fluid OUT of your car, it will be
taking fluid from the transmission pan/reservoir. So you have to make sure your ATX pan
has NEW fluid in it to make sure you're getting almost all of the old fluid out.
Yes this method can be done without taking off the ATX pan, and it will save some time.
It just is more of a complete job if u drop the pan and clean it.
EDIT: Take the following link to my SECOND ATX flush after about 15k miles.
More pics, and more info:
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=103492.0
For another walkthrough more detailed on dropping the transmission pan and
changing the ATX filter see this link:
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.ph...833#msg1122833
(Though I suggest you use a more material friendly tool and more careful prying
methods for removing the pan and gasket material from the atx pan)
UPDATE: - For those wondering what fluid Mazda uses at their dealership
for Power steering? Well I went to the dealership and they most likely useMercon V fluid.
So there is no special fluid... just Mercon V they put in our power steering reservoir.
Take the following link for a Power Steering Flush Walkthrough:
http://www.flex-innovations.com/power_steering.htm
Here is a link to the TSB regarding Mazda M-V atx fluid:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...05-08-1928.pdf
[size=12pt]OPTIONAL - How to install an auxillary transmission oil cooler on a
2006 Mazda3 2.3L Sedan[/size]
This cooler adds a secondary cooling ability to the car with the purpose of pro-longing
transmission life, and reducing overall engine temperature. Engine coolant serves the
purpose of cooling the transmission fluid in the OEM setup and I believe that a LPD (low
pressure drop) cooler can safely and effectively reduce temperatures without decreasing
ATF pressure too much. It will also add ATF capacity by approx. 1 quart.
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The idea is to run the new cooler AFTER the OEM transmission cooler, then back to the
transmission. You have to remove the two front skid plates and maybe your OEM intake.
I have a CAI so there was plenty of room for me to work and find
the transmission oil inlet on the transmission from the top of the engine. It will be
somewhat difficult to find this from the bottom. I used about 4-5 feet of rubber tubing
plus the cooler (i discarded the old oil line that goes from the OEM cooler outlet, to
the transmission fluid inlet). I tried to not have tubes bend with a curve of more than
3.5" radius. I also protected the tube with the plastic tech flex at the area where it
curves around the radiator and secured the flex in place with electric tape.
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I'm just going to post my installation pictures. It's pretty straight forward and the cooler
is behind the air bag sensor at the bottom of the radiator. It is attached with 2 regular
zip ties, and one long "rod" type zip tie that came with the transmission
cooler kit.
The tru-cool transmission cooler kit I got was ~$40 shipped from Bulkparts.com If you
want an anodized aluminum fin type cooler, check out the coolers from
hotzoneperformance which are $40ea. I chose the least "flow" restrictive
cooler. If you want a complete kit with stainless steel lines and instructions then check
out the $160 kit at SCI.
For the record, I bought 5 feet of goodyear transmission cooler rubber pipe from
Autozone for $1 per foot. (even though my kit came with tube)
Mounted Pictures:
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TEST IT: Run the engine top off your ATF fluid since this will increase your fluid capacity.
If you bought 8 quarts to flush your ATF, then you'll need an extra quart if you do the
cooler too, so that makes 9 quarts total to be on the safe side. (I got 10 quarts of
MerconV)
Run your engine, check for leaks, drive it around before you put the
two skid plates back.
Warnings and disclaimer! - Hopefully you'll find the best possible routing of the lines and
maybe you went with stainless steel lines. I don't want something rubbing on the line to
wear through the tube and cause a fluid leak and transmission failure. I take no
responsibility for anything that is written on this page so work on your car at your own
risk.
Do not overfill your transmission fluid, or underfill.
Reinstall all tubes securely so there are no leaks, route all tubes so that they do not
damage anything or become damaged themselves.
Use a Mazda factory manual if you are unsure what does what and "where",
etc.
If my transmission fails due to a high pressure drop as a result of my transmission cooler
or installation I will let everyone know. This IMO is one risk. Another risk is warranty on
your transmission, as well as there is an increased likely hood of leaks due to more
connections and tubing to watch out for.
Tips:
I lubed the tube and inlet/outlet to facilitate sliding the oil tubes over the metal
nozzles... Boy is this the PAIN, as is removing them. You'll need gloves, patience, and
twisting motion. (don't damage any surround parts please, and don't break anything)
Conclusion:
I can't specifiy whether it lowered fluid temperatures or engine temperatures because I
have no way of accurately measuring transmission temps.
I put approximately 10,000 miles on this cooler and my fluid still looks red and shifting
quality remains consistent. I plan on changing my fluid with a 9qt flush after 20k miles.
The cooler is robust and only minor paint chips in it since the cooler is right behind the
front lower grill. There also has never been a leak and my ATX fluid level has been the
exact same.
Right after the install, my transmission felt smooth and pretty much the same as
before.
Perhaps "slightly" less jerky.
The only reason I changed the fluid and added the cooler was to hopefully
"prevent" anything bad from happening, prolong transmission, and for
diagnostic purposes.
I'll probably edit and revise this as necessary.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=297948
My 2nd ATX Flush at 38K
So my first ATX flush was at 23,122 Miles on the odometer. I used 6 quarts
of Castrol Mercon V, 1 quart of Mobil 1 Full Synthetic, and 2 Quarts of Penzoil Mercon V.
(I know this blend probably wasn't a good idea but oh well...)
So fast forward 14,849 miles and WOW my fluid turned to crap again. Keep in mind this
is with a Tru-cool LPD atx cooler too...
My reason for doing another flush is because my shifting quality has slightly degraded, I
can feel the shifts a little bit more and the transmission felt barely more sluggish than it
used to. It's all better now though.
So here are the pics:
This is the comparison of old MV compared to new MV. The color difference is pretty big.
I dropped a few drops on white glossy paper.
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This is the allen key used to remove the drain plug for the ATX fluid. I dipped it in my old
ATX fluid to give you an idea of how the fluid still looks red if you looked at it with a dip
stick. When the fluid is thin, it seems "ok"... but when you look at it
compared to NEW fluid the old fluid looks almost like mud.
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So here's the picture of the old fluid in my rubbermaid drain tub. I marked the tub in
1/2qt increments with a sharpie and was able to measure approximately 3.25 quarts of
fluid that drained from my car. WOW, the fluid looked like dark mud and it was sort of
thick and was pretty much OPAQUE... YUCK.
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So then I found this amazing deal at wal-mart where they had a good stock of motor oil
and mercon v on sale so I pretty much bought their entire stock of Castrol Mercon V and
Penzoil High Mileage 5w-30 (For another car, not mine).
But I thought about it and I decided to pay the whopping $5.50 per quart (Got 8 total)
of Mobil 1 Synthetic because I want my fluid to last longer than 15K this next round. The
cheapest price for Mobil 1 Syn ATX was at... yep... Wal-mart.
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So I flushed the ATX with 5qts of Mercon V Castrol. (My $1 per quart stuff)
Then I did a complete flush using 7 quarts of Mobil 1 Full Synthetic. I ended up with 1
quart extra.
For furthur information, see my walk through for how to do a flush:
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=66369.0
BTW... This time when doing the flush, I popped the car into "Drive" while
the fluid gushed out, then popped it into "Neutral", then into Reverse, etc...
This way I'm wondering if I can get more of the old fluid out rather than just keeping the
car in "Park" the entire time the ATX pump is flushing out the old fluid. (If
you do this, make sure the parking brake is set, and depress the brake down so the car
won't move.)
I should mention that there was no debris, flakes or strange odor from my old fluid. The
slight darker coloration in the first pic is because the paper was creased and the oil was
staining through the glossy part of the paper.
My drain plug magnet was flawlessly clean (UNlike when I did my first flush it had like
1/2" worth of junk on it.
So anyways, I'm sure my fluid could have lasted me longer, though why push it if you
can feel the "improvement" and it's like $50 to DIY.
Dealer charges $150 if you don't want to do it yourself and I believe they won't use full
syn atx fluid.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=262113#msg1122833
Automatic Transmission Fluid & Filter Change w pics
15,000 Miles. Time for my automatic transmission fluid and filter change. I couldn't find
a filter change guide after a little searching. Thought I'd submit my own.
Similar to SilverM3S's guide, but with the additional step of replacing the filter.
Start by jacking up the car
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Brief review: Engine in silver, on the right. Transmission pan in black, on the left. This
photo was taken looking up from below, with my feet facing the nose of the car.
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What is that pink stuff? strange. Moving on...
also, despite the fact that the bolts say 8, they are not 8mm. They're 10mm's.
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In addition to the jack, jack stands, tranny fluid, filter, and tools, you'll also need a fairly
good sized drip pan.
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When I was down there, I noticed that the drain plug is not only close to part of the
driver's side suspension (including a rubber bushing or something similar), it is aimed
directly at it.
I put a bag over the suspension parts just in case. Turns out it was a good idea - it got
the bag a little bit at the beginning when I unscrewed the bolt.
So, first step: drain the transmission fluid, as per the original guide.
Second step: take off the transmission fluid pan.
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The pan would NOT come off. Damnit! why? The pan was completely stuck. I decided to
go for it. I pried it with a hammer and a flathead screwdriver used as a chisel and pry
bar. After 10 minutes of profanity, it came off.
So, it turns out that Mazda uses something like liquid super glue in the place of a gasket.
That's what the pink stuff is, and that's what made it so f-ing hard.
Just beware: this is the most frustrating part of the task - removing the pan. But, since
you are replacing the pink stuff with a *real* gasket, it should only be this hard the first
time.
(Note: while prying, I left one bolt in each corner screwed halfway on. This is so that the
pan wouldn't fall off completely, but would sit nicely on the half-undone bolts. So, while it
may appear in the picture above that I'm prying against a tightened bolt, I'm not.
)
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with the pan off of the transmission, you can see the nasty pink gasket that made the
pan removal so difficult.
I'm no professional, but I have two problems with the use of this type of sealant. First: it
doesn't seem to make a great seal. Sure, there's pink stuff everywhere, but at the raised
lip along the edges, there is a noticeable absence of sealant (as seen by the black lines
between the bolt holes). A traditional gasket seals here, while liquid is pushed away from
here.
Second, liquid gaskets are more prone to break off and enter the transmission. Not
good. A traditional gasket is a single piece of solid material. It doesn't really break off.
Anyway, you can also start to see the sludge that has accumulated at the bottom of the
pan (especially around the magnet). This is literally liquidmetal. Keep in mind that this
car is only 15,000 miles old.
Clean it up, and make it look like this:
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WTF? this filter has wires? Not really. Just some sort of sensor. Gently grab
the black sensor and pull down. It'll come off easily.
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The sensor is held in place by a black nipple. It doesn't put up much of a fight. Just pull
straight down.
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the bottom of the new filter. You can see the round hole where the nipple of the sensor
will go.
Next: pull down on the filter.
There are no screws for this step - it's held in place entirely by the friction of the filter
gasket. Gentle pulling straight down will do the trick.
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The transmission after the filter has been removed. The circled holes are where you line
up the filter
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The top of the filter. line up these two posts with the ones circled above.
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Mmm. Clean magnet.
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I had initially tried to scrape off the liquid sealant. This didn't work too well. I tried other
methods (steel wool, toothbrushes, etc), but nothing worked. I decided to stop, since it
would still form a nice seal if I used the new gasket on top of the liquid sealant.
If anyone can tell me how to remove this, I'd love to know. I'll do that for my 30,000
service.
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I did manage to scrape some of the pink sealant off of the transmission surface, though.
But I also noticed that the chiseling action scored my transmission pretty badly. Right on
the sealing line, too! I'm hoping I don't get leaks here. Just BE CAREFUL when you take
off your pan.
Again, if anyone has any suggestions for improving the removal of the pan, I'd love to
hear it, too. I won't have this problem again, but it will help out all the first timers out
there.
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Make sure the filter is on, and the sensor is plugged into the filter.
put the new gasket on the pan, and re-bolt the pan to the transmission.
My gasket didn't want to sit properly. To help with that, I like to put two bolts on either
side of the pan through the pan and the gasket, and push the pan up to the transmission
from below using those two bolts. It helps keep the gasket in place when you get the
pan up there.
Also: DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN THE BOLTS. I don't have a torque wrench, but my general
rule of thumb for transmission pans is: as tight as I can get it with firm pressure on
a socket wrench by gripping it around the socket, like this:
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Then, I used an old milk container to get an approximate measure of the amount of fluid
that came out. Fluid out = fulid in.
Replacing the fluid is the last step. Put in the amount you took out, then measure the
level with the dip stick.
You're done!
So, this took me a loooong time to do. Mostly because I go slow, but also because there
was the problem of getting the damn pan off!
To recap:
1. Jack the car up (see related thread)
2. Get your drip pan ready, put a bag over the nearby suspension parts, and open
the drain cock.
3. Remove the bolts to the pan. Remove the pan.
4. Take the sensor off the filter. Take off the filter. put new filter on.
5. Replace the pan, tighten the bolts.
6. Replace the drain cock.
7. Measure the old liquid. Put that much new liquid in.
Problems (request for help!)
1. Getting the pan off.
2. Scraping off the old gasket/sealant liquid.
Haven't test-driven the car yet. I'll let you know if I feel a difference in shifting.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=221526
Transmission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_4F27E_transmission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-4EAT_transmission
The 4F27E (FN4A-EL) is an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission, used by
Ford and Mazda.
The 4F27E is a strengthened 4-speed F-4EAT automatic. It now has a four-element torque
converter that includes a torque converter clutch and geartrain with two planetary gearsets, a
transfer-shaft gear final drive, and a larger differential. The hydraulic control system of the 4F27E
transaxle has six electronically controlled solenoids for shift feel (through line pressure control),
shift scheduling (through shift valve position control) and TCC apply, controlled by pulse-width
modulation (PWM).
1
2.81:1
2
1.54:1
3
1.00:1
Applications:
Ford EcoSport with 2.0L Duratec engine
Ford Focus 2000-2011
Mazda3
Mazda6
Ford Transit Connect with 2.0L Duratec 2010-2013
Mazda2
4
0.73:1
R
2.65:1
Transmission Oil Info
0000-77-112E-01
http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=51&pcid=9
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/transmission-fluid/automatic/signatureseries-multi-vehicle-synthetic-automatic-transmission-fluid/?page=%2fstorefront
%2fatf.aspx
The ford P/N for Mazda M5 atf is: XT9-QMM5. It is priced at $8.68/qt. list. It has special
friction modifiers for compatability with the clutch material. Don't make the mistake I did.
Use it with no regrets. FWIW--Oldtommy PS --Yes, Ford calls it FNR5 fluid
http://www.clubmazdavenezuela.com/forum/index.php?
action=post;quote=11479;topic=1862.0;last_msg=15989
Los mazda 3 usan el ATF typeM-5 en mazda, aquí en Venezuela le colocan Mercon-V con buenos
resultados ya que el typeM-5 no se consigue,
http://www.clubmazdavenezuela.com/forum/index.php?
action=post;quote=13736;topic=1862.60;last_msg=15989
La caja del M3 lleva 7 litros, eso es correcto, la del M6 lleva 8 litros; esto cuando se drena
totalmente. Recuerda cambiar también el filtro de la caja
http://cararac.com/gear_oil/mazda/3.html
Mazda M-V (M-5) fluid
Mercon V and M-V are not the same thing
Got this info from this link.
http://www.imazda.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15847
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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According to the Mazda Service Bulletin No: 05-005/08:
ATF M-V (Type M5) is not the same fluid as Mercon V.
Access the Bulletin at:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...05-08-1928.pdf
ATF M-V (Type M5) has a greater viscosity than Mercon V in low temperatures.
ATF M-V (Type M5) has a greater anti-judder specification than Mercon V.
Caution: Using ATF other than ATF M-V (Type M5) in A/Ts designed to use this fluid may
cause shift quality complaints. Note: for those using MerconV, Mazda doesn't say
damage will result rather shifting may not be optimal.
The following models should use ATF M-V (Type M5), Mazda Part No. 0000-77-112E-01:
Mazda3
Mazda5
Mazda6 2.3 L
2003-'04 Mazda6 3.0 L (5-speed A/T)
Amsoil Synthetic Universal Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) is listed as a suitable
replacement for Mercon V, Mazda ATF-III and ATF M-V (TypeM5). Check the website.
Edit: Although not listed as such on their website, a recent e-mail communication
between myself and Red Line has led Red Line to state that Red Line D4 ATF is also a
suitable replacement for ATF M-V (Type M5) fluid.
Although not a true synthetic (according to my operational definition), Mobil 1 Synthetic
ATF is listed as a suitable replacement for Mercon V, Mazda ATF-III and ATF M-V (Type
M5). Check the website.
There may be other suitable replacement fluids but I haven't investigated all
possibilities.
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The following model should use JWS3309 (T-IV), Mazda Part No. 0000-77-114E-01:
2005-'08 Mazda6 3.0 L (6-speed A/T)
Amsoil Synthetic Universal Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) is listed as meeting the
requirements for a T-IV fluid as specified in certain Aisan-Warner transmissions. Check
the website.
Red Line D4 ATF is listed as satisfying the requirements for a T-IV fluid as specified in
certain Aisan-Warner transmissions. Check the website.
Mobil ATF 3309 is recommended for use in transmissions made by Aisin-Warner requiring
a fluid approved for JWS3309 and T-IV, among other types. It's specifically noted to help
control transmission shudder and provide excellent vehicle driveability. Also not a true
synthetic (see above). Check the website.
Again, there may be other suitable replacement fluids of which I'm not aware.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/2821228/Re:_Mazda_3_A
TF_Change
https://www.scribd.com/doc/37377479/Mazda-Service-Bulletin-05-005-08-1928
Subject:CORRECT APPLICATIONS FOR ATF M-V (TYPE M5) AND MERCON®V AUTO-MATIC
TRANSMISSION FLUIDS
Bulletin No: 05-005/08
Last Issued: 4/11/2008
Service Bulletin
Mazda North American OperationsIrvine, CA 92618-2922
MULTI MODEL - CORRECT APPLICATIONS FOR ATF M-V (TYPE M5) AND MERCON®V
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUIDS
APPLICABLE MODEL(S)/VINS
2004 - 2008 Mazda3 A/T2006 - 2008 Mazda5 A/T2003 - 2008 Mazda6 A/T2000 - 2008 BSeries A/T2001 - 2006 Tribute A/T2008 Tribute A/T2008 Tribute HEV
DESCRIPTION
Always be sure to use the correct automatic transmission fluid when replacing ATF. Using
the wrong ATF may cause shift quality complaints or may even damage the transmission.
NOTE:
•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) IS NOT THE SAME FLUID AS MERCON®V ATF.
•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) HAS A GREATER VISCOSITY THAN MERCON®V ATF IN LOW
TEMPERATURES.
•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) HAS A GREATER ANTI-JUDDER SPECIFICATION THAN MERCON®V ATF.
CAUTION:
•USING ATF OTHER THAN ATF M-V (TYPE M5) IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS DESIGNED
TO USE ATF M-V (TYPE M5) MAY CAUSE SHIFT QUALITY COMPLAINTS.
•USING ATF OTHER THAN MERCON®V IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS DESIGNED TO USE
MERCON®V MAY CAUSE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE.
Bulletin No:
05-005/08
© 2008 Mazda Motor of America, Inc.
Transmission Filter & Kit
http://www.amazon.com/FT1210-Internal-Transmission-Cartridge-Filter/dp/B000C33L1U
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/shop_parts/automatic_transmission_filter/mazda/
3.html
http://www.amazon.com/ATP-B-189-Automatic-TransmissionFilter/dp/B000C8T8B2/ref=sr_1_9?
s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1424810551&vehicle=2006-80-2435-1034--1--5-8062--11-2419--3-0&sr=1-9&ymm=2006%3Amazda%3A3
http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Arnley-044-0309-AutomaticTransmission/dp/B000CRZHI6/ref=sr_1_13?
s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1424810551&vehicle=2006-80-2435-1034--1--5-8062--11-2419--3-0&sr=1-13&ymm=2006%3Amazda%3A3
http://www.amazon.com/Wix-58617-Automatic-TransmissionFilter/dp/B000VL23XU/ref=sr_1_20?
s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1424810551&vehicle=2006-80-2435-1034--1--5-8062--11-2419--3-0&sr=1-20&ymm=2006%3Amazda%3A3
http://www.amazon.com/Baldwin-18267-Polyester-AutomaticTransmission/dp/B000CAYPTK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_4?
ie=UTF8&refRID=076S4BWHSVES8T72YV6Q
Filter / Strainer Oil Mazda (FN0121500A) / Ford (XS4Z7A098AC) / Motorcraft (FT131)
http://www.jimellismazdaparts.com/showAssembly.aspx?
ukey_assembly=301201&ukey_make=995&ukey_model=14356&modelYear=2006&ukey
_category=20243
WIX Part # 58617 More Info {#FT1210}
PARTS AUTHORITY Part # 46710 More Info 4 SP FWD 4F27E Transmission
PIONEER Part # 745202 More Info 4 speed trans.; Trans. code 4F27E
PRONTO Part # PTK1288
ATP Part # B189 More Info {#FN0121500, XS4Z7A098AB, XS4Z7A098AC} FILTER
KIT-TRANSAXLE One of our most popular partsAutomatic trans.; Trans. code
4F27E
FRAM Part # FT1210 More Info {#FN0121500, XS4Z7A098AB} Internal cartridge
One of our most popular partsTrans. code 4F27E
AUTO EXTRA Part # 61658617
HASTINGS FILTERS Part # TF160 More Info {#FN0121500, X54X7A098AB,
XS4Z7A098AB, XS4Z7A098AC}Trans. code 4F27E
MOTORCRAFT Part # FT131 More Info {#XS4P7B155AB, XS4Z7A098AC}
Trans. code 4F27E
Auto Tranny Oil Pan Gasket Fel-Pro® TOS18731
http://www.carid.com/fel-pro/automatic-transmission-oil-pan-gasket-mpntos18731.html
Transmission Fluid Change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex3DBmi3aGs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inNGvw_Kl1M
http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=262875
How to: Install Transmission Cooler & Flush 8 quarts of ATF.
[size=12pt]How to perform an 8 quart ATF Flush on a 2006 Mazda3 2.3L
Sedan[/size]
READ FIRST: A number of people are asking me where they can buy
a transmission fluid pump. Well the answer is YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE... It's installed in
your car and all you have to do is start your engine (in park) and the pump will
automatically cycle automatic transmission fluid through the OEM transmission cooler. To
take advantage of this, all you have to do is disconnect the "output" fluid
hose that connects to the existing OEM cooler, and then you attach a clear vinyl tube to
the "output" nipple. Then start your car and your car will AUTOMATICALLY
spew old atx fluid out of the clear vinyl tube and into a container. Once the old fluid has
come out, you replenish the fluid via the ATX fluid dipstick. Remember not to let the
transmission pump ALL of your ATX fluid out of your car and to stop once it's pumped
about 3 quarts of fluid out. Then replace that 3 quarts and do it again to avoid getting air
trapped in the system.
OUTLINE (per Bombsquad):
1. Drain old fluid from pan (~3-3.5 quarts)
IF YOU DON'T DROP THE PAN, SKIP TO STEP 4
2. (optional) drop pan and clean circle magnet and replace filter if necessary
3. (optional) replace pan with new high temp silicone gasket maker
4. Refill with new fluid through dipstick hole
5. Attach clear tube to outlet of your atx fluid cooling block into collection bucket
6. Pump out 3 quarts of old fluid by putting car in drive with e-brake and regular brake
on
7. Refill with new fluid through dipstick hole
8. Repeat Steps 6-7 until fluid coming out of clear tube is red and bright. (or the same
color of your new M-V compatible fluid)
9. Top off the fluid level, test drive, check for leaks, re-check fluid level after fluid is
warmed up and top off if necessary.
Needed:
Basic Metric Socket set and pliers to remove clips that hold on transmission line.
(Look up the oil change "how to" in order to remove the black skid plate, and
battery covers)
Metric Hex to remove transmission pan drain bolt. (It's either 6mm or 8mm)
6-8 feet of 3/8" I.D. clear tubing available at Home Depot for ~$6. (Get a
clamp too) (My writeup suggest 5/16" I.D., but this is very tight and will need a
little stretching and some oil as lube to get it to fit)
Container or low profile catch basin to catch old transmission fluid and tape to
secure the tube so it doesn't move when draining.
Funnel that fits in the ATF dipstick to put fluid in. Get one that u can shove in there so
you don't have to hold the funnel while you pour. (When pouring, do this slowly or else it
will burble and splash ATF fluid all over the engine bay.)
8-9 quarts of ATF Mazda M-V or compatible. - I personally use Mobil 1 ATF (full
synthetic). If this wasn't in stock, I'd get Mazda M-V Fluid due to the latest TSB bulletin
that does not recommend Mercon V to be used as a substitute for Mazda M-V fluid.
(Mazda M-V is to be used in the Mazda3).
For informational purposes: The OEM fluid for 5-speeds is Motorcraft Mazda V (M-V)
or Ford FNR5, for 4-speeds it is Mercon V. M-V is available at your local Mazda or Ford
dealer while Mercon V is available pretty much everywhere. Your dipstick most likely has
an M-V engraved on the tip if you drive a 5-speed ATX. M-V does not stand for Mercon V,
it stands for the Mazda-V atf fluid which is ASP17 as opposed to ASP11 (merconV).
Yes you may use Mobile 1 Full Synthetic or Castrol Import Multi-vehicle ATF (that says
it's M-V compatible). Personally i've got almost 50K miles on my car and no transmission
skips, noises or jerks and I've been using Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF.
Keep putting in fluid until the fluid comes out bright red. You'll want to make sure you
save some fluid for the end for topping it off to the "max" fill level.
Transmission filter (if you want to replace this while you drop the pan) To get the filter I
suggest you visit your local dealership and order the filter that your car requires. You'll
have to give them your VIN, and I believe this to be an easy way to get the right part.
Keep in mind that changing your ATF filter is not mandatory and mine looked very clean.
I will probably change my filter at 80k miles or more. I do not think that this filter is a
regular "Mazda" maintenance item to be replaced on a certain interval.
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1. I recommend jacking up car and put front on jack stands, then remove black plastic
skid plate. It probably can be done if you drive on ramps, or perhaps flat on the garage if
you have not lowered your car. First, drain old transmission fluid by removing the hex
bolt in the middle of the blacktransmission fluid pan and observe color and odor of fluid.
If there is a burnt smell and flakes then begin to worry. If it's dark red or brownish and
no strange odor then this is normal. If it's pink, then there may be coolant/water mixed
with your transmission fluid. Mine is normal, though darker than I'd like it to be after
having done a double 3qt flush about 8k miles ago. My car has 23k miles on it right now.
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2. (OPTIONAL) Drop the transmission pan by first removing bolts, and then gently prying
off pan with wide flat head screw driver or plastic scraper and remove and clean circle
magnet. Try not to scratch the metal. Scrape off silicone best you can and replace with
high temp silicon gasket maker when you re-install pan (I used permatex high temp
silicone RTV sealant/gasket maker). Replace the filter if you bought one, I didn't have
one so I didn't and just removed the filter and emptied it. I found NO gunk whatsoever
and minimal residue on the magnet. Spread a thin coat of the liquid gasket on the rim of
the pan. Once the pan is back and the drain bolt is tightened, re-fill with transmission
fluid till it's full on the dip stick. (This is considered the drain and refill since it only does
about 3-3.5 quarts at a time)
Keep in mind that there is a higher chance of a leak, the more old silicone you leave on
the transmission pan rim. Also, DO NOT leave any harshsolvents or cleaners in the pan
or on the filter. This will mix with your ATF fluid and may cause problems.
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3. Now locate the OEM transmission oil cooler which is the cylinder shaped cooler next to
your transmission. It's maybe the size of a can of tuna and has one inlet and one outlet
for oil. Locate the "line out" of the cooler and attach the clear tube to this
and run it to a container that can hold a couple gallons of fluid.
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4. Remember to have NEW transmission fluid in your car... Set your parking brake firm,
depress the brake (Hold the brake) and then safely start your engine and put the car into
drive. This will allow fluid to flow through your torque converter (at least on most cars).
The old fluid will be gushing out of the clear tube and into the catch pan. If it's not, then
maybe you chose the wrong outlet on the OEM transmission cooler. DO this until 3 quarts
have emptied into the container and stop your engine. I eyeballed it, but you can mark
the container with tape at the 3 quart line. Refill the drain pan via the dip stick tube
again. Turn your engine on and wait until it fills a couple more quarts and your fluid turns
RED again easily visible through the clear tube. Your last 3 quarts are reserved to fill up
the drain pan.
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5. Re-install transmission line, (recommended to replace the clamp, or at least put the
old clamp in its original position when reinstalling the oil line) Put everything back
together and you're good to go.
So by starting your engine, your OEM ATX fluid pump will automatically be pumping fluid
through your OEM ATX cooler. So by letting this pump fluid OUT of your car, it will be
taking fluid from the transmission pan/reservoir. So you have to make sure your ATX pan
has NEW fluid in it to make sure you're getting almost all of the old fluid out.
Yes this method can be done without taking off the ATX pan, and it will save some time.
It just is more of a complete job if u drop the pan and clean it.
EDIT: Take the following link to my SECOND ATX flush after about 15k miles.
More pics, and more info:
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=103492.0
For another walkthrough more detailed on dropping the transmission pan and
changing the ATX filter see this link:
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.ph...833#msg1122833
(Though I suggest you use a more material friendly tool and more careful prying
methods for removing the pan and gasket material from the atx pan)
UPDATE: - For those wondering what fluid Mazda uses at their dealership
for Power steering? Well I went to the dealership and they most likely useMercon V fluid.
So there is no special fluid... just Mercon V they put in our power steering reservoir.
Take the following link for a Power Steering Flush Walkthrough:
http://www.flex-innovations.com/power_steering.htm
Here is a link to the TSB regarding Mazda M-V atx fluid:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...05-08-1928.pdf
[size=12pt]OPTIONAL - How to install an auxillary transmission oil cooler on a
2006 Mazda3 2.3L Sedan[/size]
This cooler adds a secondary cooling ability to the car with the purpose of pro-longing
transmission life, and reducing overall engine temperature. Engine coolant serves the
purpose of cooling the transmission fluid in the OEM setup and I believe that a LPD (low
pressure drop) cooler can safely and effectively reduce temperatures without decreasing
ATF pressure too much. It will also add ATF capacity by approx. 1 quart.
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The idea is to run the new cooler AFTER the OEM transmission cooler, then back to the
transmission. You have to remove the two front skid plates and maybe your OEM intake.
I have a CAI so there was plenty of room for me to work and find
the transmission oil inlet on the transmission from the top of the engine. It will be
somewhat difficult to find this from the bottom. I used about 4-5 feet of rubber tubing
plus the cooler (i discarded the old oil line that goes from the OEM cooler outlet, to
the transmission fluid inlet). I tried to not have tubes bend with a curve of more than
3.5" radius. I also protected the tube with the plastic tech flex at the area where it
curves around the radiator and secured the flex in place with electric tape.
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I'm just going to post my installation pictures. It's pretty straight forward and the cooler
is behind the air bag sensor at the bottom of the radiator. It is attached with 2 regular
zip ties, and one long "rod" type zip tie that came with the transmission
cooler kit.
The tru-cool transmission cooler kit I got was ~$40 shipped from Bulkparts.com If you
want an anodized aluminum fin type cooler, check out the coolers from
hotzoneperformance which are $40ea. I chose the least "flow" restrictive
cooler. If you want a complete kit with stainless steel lines and instructions then check
out the $160 kit at SCI.
For the record, I bought 5 feet of goodyear transmission cooler rubber pipe from
Autozone for $1 per foot. (even though my kit came with tube)
Mounted Pictures:
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TEST IT: Run the engine top off your ATF fluid since this will increase your fluid capacity.
If you bought 8 quarts to flush your ATF, then you'll need an extra quart if you do the
cooler too, so that makes 9 quarts total to be on the safe side. (I got 10 quarts of
MerconV)
Run your engine, check for leaks, drive it around before you put the
two skid plates back.
Warnings and disclaimer! - Hopefully you'll find the best possible routing of the lines and
maybe you went with stainless steel lines. I don't want something rubbing on the line to
wear through the tube and cause a fluid leak and transmission failure. I take no
responsibility for anything that is written on this page so work on your car at your own
risk.
Do not overfill your transmission fluid, or underfill.
Reinstall all tubes securely so there are no leaks, route all tubes so that they do not
damage anything or become damaged themselves.
Use a Mazda factory manual if you are unsure what does what and "where",
etc.
If my transmission fails due to a high pressure drop as a result of my transmission cooler
or installation I will let everyone know. This IMO is one risk. Another risk is warranty on
your transmission, as well as there is an increased likely hood of leaks due to more
connections and tubing to watch out for.
Tips:
I lubed the tube and inlet/outlet to facilitate sliding the oil tubes over the metal
nozzles... Boy is this the PAIN, as is removing them. You'll need gloves, patience, and
twisting motion. (don't damage any surround parts please, and don't break anything)
Conclusion:
I can't specifiy whether it lowered fluid temperatures or engine temperatures because I
have no way of accurately measuring transmission temps.
I put approximately 10,000 miles on this cooler and my fluid still looks red and shifting
quality remains consistent. I plan on changing my fluid with a 9qt flush after 20k miles.
The cooler is robust and only minor paint chips in it since the cooler is right behind the
front lower grill. There also has never been a leak and my ATX fluid level has been the
exact same.
Right after the install, my transmission felt smooth and pretty much the same as
before.
Perhaps "slightly" less jerky.
The only reason I changed the fluid and added the cooler was to hopefully
"prevent" anything bad from happening, prolong transmission, and for
diagnostic purposes.
I'll probably edit and revise this as necessary.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=297948
My 2nd ATX Flush at 38K
So my first ATX flush was at 23,122 Miles on the odometer. I used 6 quarts
of Castrol Mercon V, 1 quart of Mobil 1 Full Synthetic, and 2 Quarts of Penzoil Mercon V.
(I know this blend probably wasn't a good idea but oh well...)
So fast forward 14,849 miles and WOW my fluid turned to crap again. Keep in mind this
is with a Tru-cool LPD atx cooler too...
My reason for doing another flush is because my shifting quality has slightly degraded, I
can feel the shifts a little bit more and the transmission felt barely more sluggish than it
used to. It's all better now though.
So here are the pics:
This is the comparison of old MV compared to new MV. The color difference is pretty big.
I dropped a few drops on white glossy paper.
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This is the allen key used to remove the drain plug for the ATX fluid. I dipped it in my old
ATX fluid to give you an idea of how the fluid still looks red if you looked at it with a dip
stick. When the fluid is thin, it seems "ok"... but when you look at it
compared to NEW fluid the old fluid looks almost like mud.
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So here's the picture of the old fluid in my rubbermaid drain tub. I marked the tub in
1/2qt increments with a sharpie and was able to measure approximately 3.25 quarts of
fluid that drained from my car. WOW, the fluid looked like dark mud and it was sort of
thick and was pretty much OPAQUE... YUCK.
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So then I found this amazing deal at wal-mart where they had a good stock of motor oil
and mercon v on sale so I pretty much bought their entire stock of Castrol Mercon V and
Penzoil High Mileage 5w-30 (For another car, not mine).
But I thought about it and I decided to pay the whopping $5.50 per quart (Got 8 total)
of Mobil 1 Synthetic because I want my fluid to last longer than 15K this next round. The
cheapest price for Mobil 1 Syn ATX was at... yep... Wal-mart.
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So I flushed the ATX with 5qts of Mercon V Castrol. (My $1 per quart stuff)
Then I did a complete flush using 7 quarts of Mobil 1 Full Synthetic. I ended up with 1
quart extra.
For furthur information, see my walk through for how to do a flush:
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=66369.0
BTW... This time when doing the flush, I popped the car into "Drive" while
the fluid gushed out, then popped it into "Neutral", then into Reverse, etc...
This way I'm wondering if I can get more of the old fluid out rather than just keeping the
car in "Park" the entire time the ATX pump is flushing out the old fluid. (If
you do this, make sure the parking brake is set, and depress the brake down so the car
won't move.)
I should mention that there was no debris, flakes or strange odor from my old fluid. The
slight darker coloration in the first pic is because the paper was creased and the oil was
staining through the glossy part of the paper.
My drain plug magnet was flawlessly clean (UNlike when I did my first flush it had like
1/2" worth of junk on it.
So anyways, I'm sure my fluid could have lasted me longer, though why push it if you
can feel the "improvement" and it's like $50 to DIY.
Dealer charges $150 if you don't want to do it yourself and I believe they won't use full
syn atx fluid.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=262113#msg1122833
Automatic Transmission Fluid & Filter Change w pics
15,000 Miles. Time for my automatic transmission fluid and filter change. I couldn't find
a filter change guide after a little searching. Thought I'd submit my own.
Similar to SilverM3S's guide, but with the additional step of replacing the filter.
Start by jacking up the car
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Brief review: Engine in silver, on the right. Transmission pan in black, on the left. This
photo was taken looking up from below, with my feet facing the nose of the car.
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What is that pink stuff? strange. Moving on...
also, despite the fact that the bolts say 8, they are not 8mm. They're 10mm's.
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In addition to the jack, jack stands, tranny fluid, filter, and tools, you'll also need a fairly
good sized drip pan.
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When I was down there, I noticed that the drain plug is not only close to part of the
driver's side suspension (including a rubber bushing or something similar), it is aimed
directly at it.
I put a bag over the suspension parts just in case. Turns out it was a good idea - it got
the bag a little bit at the beginning when I unscrewed the bolt.
So, first step: drain the transmission fluid, as per the original guide.
Second step: take off the transmission fluid pan.
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The pan would NOT come off. Damnit! why? The pan was completely stuck. I decided to
go for it. I pried it with a hammer and a flathead screwdriver used as a chisel and pry
bar. After 10 minutes of profanity, it came off.
So, it turns out that Mazda uses something like liquid super glue in the place of a gasket.
That's what the pink stuff is, and that's what made it so f-ing hard.
Just beware: this is the most frustrating part of the task - removing the pan. But, since
you are replacing the pink stuff with a *real* gasket, it should only be this hard the first
time.
(Note: while prying, I left one bolt in each corner screwed halfway on. This is so that the
pan wouldn't fall off completely, but would sit nicely on the half-undone bolts. So, while it
may appear in the picture above that I'm prying against a tightened bolt, I'm not.
)
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with the pan off of the transmission, you can see the nasty pink gasket that made the
pan removal so difficult.
I'm no professional, but I have two problems with the use of this type of sealant. First: it
doesn't seem to make a great seal. Sure, there's pink stuff everywhere, but at the raised
lip along the edges, there is a noticeable absence of sealant (as seen by the black lines
between the bolt holes). A traditional gasket seals here, while liquid is pushed away from
here.
Second, liquid gaskets are more prone to break off and enter the transmission. Not
good. A traditional gasket is a single piece of solid material. It doesn't really break off.
Anyway, you can also start to see the sludge that has accumulated at the bottom of the
pan (especially around the magnet). This is literally liquidmetal. Keep in mind that this
car is only 15,000 miles old.
Clean it up, and make it look like this:
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WTF? this filter has wires? Not really. Just some sort of sensor. Gently grab
the black sensor and pull down. It'll come off easily.
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The sensor is held in place by a black nipple. It doesn't put up much of a fight. Just pull
straight down.
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the bottom of the new filter. You can see the round hole where the nipple of the sensor
will go.
Next: pull down on the filter.
There are no screws for this step - it's held in place entirely by the friction of the filter
gasket. Gentle pulling straight down will do the trick.
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The transmission after the filter has been removed. The circled holes are where you line
up the filter
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The top of the filter. line up these two posts with the ones circled above.
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Mmm. Clean magnet.
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I had initially tried to scrape off the liquid sealant. This didn't work too well. I tried other
methods (steel wool, toothbrushes, etc), but nothing worked. I decided to stop, since it
would still form a nice seal if I used the new gasket on top of the liquid sealant.
If anyone can tell me how to remove this, I'd love to know. I'll do that for my 30,000
service.
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I did manage to scrape some of the pink sealant off of the transmission surface, though.
But I also noticed that the chiseling action scored my transmission pretty badly. Right on
the sealing line, too! I'm hoping I don't get leaks here. Just BE CAREFUL when you take
off your pan.
Again, if anyone has any suggestions for improving the removal of the pan, I'd love to
hear it, too. I won't have this problem again, but it will help out all the first timers out
there.
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Make sure the filter is on, and the sensor is plugged into the filter.
put the new gasket on the pan, and re-bolt the pan to the transmission.
My gasket didn't want to sit properly. To help with that, I like to put two bolts on either
side of the pan through the pan and the gasket, and push the pan up to the transmission
from below using those two bolts. It helps keep the gasket in place when you get the
pan up there.
Also: DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN THE BOLTS. I don't have a torque wrench, but my general
rule of thumb for transmission pans is: as tight as I can get it with firm pressure on
a socket wrench by gripping it around the socket, like this:
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Then, I used an old milk container to get an approximate measure of the amount of fluid
that came out. Fluid out = fulid in.
Replacing the fluid is the last step. Put in the amount you took out, then measure the
level with the dip stick.
You're done!
So, this took me a loooong time to do. Mostly because I go slow, but also because there
was the problem of getting the damn pan off!
To recap:
1. Jack the car up (see related thread)
2. Get your drip pan ready, put a bag over the nearby suspension parts, and open
the drain cock.
3. Remove the bolts to the pan. Remove the pan.
4. Take the sensor off the filter. Take off the filter. put new filter on.
5. Replace the pan, tighten the bolts.
6. Replace the drain cock.
7. Measure the old liquid. Put that much new liquid in.
Problems (request for help!)
1. Getting the pan off.
2. Scraping off the old gasket/sealant liquid.
Haven't test-driven the car yet. I'll let you know if I feel a difference in shifting.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=221526
