Is changing fluids a mandatory maintenance procedure?

[[archie]]

^^ hmm.. i think your talking about the engine oil sir. how bout the other oils.. like brake, tranny, power steering? how often do we change it?

is it also annually? ive heard na 80k or 8 years... which ever comes first. is this the basis?

[mbeige]

8 years for brake, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, etc? Wow, that's way too long. Like I said to be on the safe side have it done annually at the very least. Kahit brand new sasakyan, it helps to minimize wear and tear during its first few years. That's the key to longevity in cars.

Maybe it's already different for newer cars? Where did you hear about that?

Like I said some manufacturers recommend certain time intervals for which to change particular fluids. Some fluids will have similar time intervals but others can last longer, maybe like the transmission fluid. I wasn't particular to just the engine oil, but it really depends also on the conditions the cars are subjected to.

[[archie]]

that was what the mechanic told me when i had it serviced at 40k kms... i thought tama siya kasi back then i was relatively new to auto world... its not that necessary daw to change the brake tranny power steering oil often.

kaya ngayon im still guessing when to do it...
hmm ill have to check this out with the manuals... (though i think i lost it)

thanks for the reply sir, ill definitely take that into consideration.

[mbeige]

Well, it's not really necessary to do it, but periodically check them na rin. Given our driving conditions, mileage isn't really proportional to wear and tear. In fact, due to the traffic conditions it's more wear and tear than mileage (you don't travel a lot yet your car suffers extreme driving conditions).

Some power steering units from other cars have filters kasi, kaya I mentioned it na rin.

ATF should be bright red and should not smell burnt. Manual transmission fluid - not familiar - maybe you guys could chip in here.

Power steering fluid is usually clear, rather thick compared to ATF. Some P/S units use ATF (older cars). If in doubt, go with the recommended fluid type and proper specifications.

Brake fluid should be clear, somewhat viscous like power steering fluid. DOT 3 and DOT 4 can be mixed, but DOT 5 should never be mixed with DOT 3 or DOT 4. DOT 4 has a higher boiling point than DOT 3 and is usually recommended for higher performance vehicles. When checking the reservoir make sure you check all chambers. Some have more than one chamber, often these are overlooked. Hence, poor braking results.

Oil on gasoline cars should be a very light golden color, the clearer the fresher. On diesels it usually turns black but that depends from engine designs. Know which viscosity works for you, if your application requires mineral/dino oil or synthetic, etc.

Coolant mixture - highly recommended to go with manufacture recommended fluids to obtain the most protection. Replace yearly if possible, to prevent corrosion of cooling system components. pH test is done to verify condition of coolant mixture. Only fill up reservoir to maximum recommended level, to allow for residual coolant from the radiator (as a reserve space).

Differential oil - not regularly changed of course, but use correct specifications.

^...just off the top of my head...

[4JGtootsie]

Oxidation is the primary cause of darkening oil. In engine, powertrain, pumps, brake pistons/lines/housing where most components can rust because of oxidation the fluids obsorb this and during time it gets saturated. Not replacing fluids according to PMS will rapidly wear this components. We also have to remember that it is inherent to oils to obsorb water.

[s_quilicot]

big factor ba ang fully synthetic lubes? from engine to tranny to axle ..?

[speedyfix]

all fluids (except some new coolants) should be replaced at 40k intervals. some things like atf can be done even sooner at 20-30k intervals.