Magnetic drain plug has metal splinters on it

[DrWin]

Hi guys,

I'm changing the transmission and final drive oil and they both came out and looked like this:
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Normal, problematic, catastrophic?

[Michael]

I would say normal. As long as there are not any chunks, having a "fuzzy magnet" is par for the course. Do you have another magnet either in the pan or on the filter?

If not, swing by your local hardware store and pick up a pack of small ones. I put 2 ceramic magnets on my filter and one or 2 neodymium magnets in my pan. I would be concerned if there were a lot of "fuzz" on all of them to the point that all 4 looked like a chiapet, but that looks like a pretty small plug magnet.

If you really have time, cut your old filter apart and post pics noting the mileage. I would be very interested to see the pickup screen(the part you can't see through the pickup passage).

[DrWin]

I would say normal. As long as there are not any chunks, having a "fuzzy magnet" is par for the course. Do you have another magnet either in the pan or on the filter?

If not, swing by your local hardware store and pick up a pack of small ones. I put 2 ceramic magnets on my filter and one or 2 neodymium magnets in my pan. I would be concerned if there were a lot of "fuzz" on all of them to the point that all 4 looked like a chiapet, but that looks like a pretty small plug magnet.

If you really have time, cut your old filter apart and post pics noting the mileage. I would be very interested to see the pickup screen(the part you can't see through the pickup passage).

Thanks, I have one in the pan. Maybe I should drop the pan and have a look, now that the oil is out? :thinkin:

[Michael]

Thanks, I have one in the pan. Maybe I should drop the pan and have a look, now that the oil is out? :thinkin:

No sense in dropping the pan unless you plan on changing the filter.

[DrWin]

No sense in dropping the pan unless you plan on changing the filter.

Roger. Did that last year. That's not a yearly thing, is it?

[Michael]

Roger. Did that last year. That's not a yearly thing, is it?

According to the manual, the trans gets serviced every 12k miles or 12 months (whichever comes first). I don't think a full service (replacing the filter) is needed as it's an all metal filter with nothing to wear out. Time really shouldn't play a part in filter replacement unless the car has just sat for years and years.

I replace my trans fuid every other oil change and drop the pan and replace the filter maybe once every 10k miles but I have yet to put 10k miles on my car since replacing my old OE filter a few years ago.
For most of us that don't really drive often, time accumulates quicker than mileage so factor that into your fluid change intervals, especially brake fluid and coolant.

[David T]

How many miles on the fluid? I would not want to see that much ferrous metal in 1,000 miles but that would be OK at 10,000 miles. There should also be a magnet in the pan and you would have to see how much is stuck to that one too. You really should not see much at all in the final drive. I would keep an eye on it and do another change soon and see if you are still making metal.

[DrWin]

How many miles on the fluid? I would not want to see that much ferrous metal in 1,000 miles but that would be OK at 10,000 miles. There should also be a magnet in the pan and you would have to see how much is stuck to that one too. You really should not see much at all in the final drive. I would keep an eye on it and do another change soon and see if you are still making metal.

It has 5500 miles on it since last year where I changed filter and oil. Roger. I'll have a look on the magnet in the pan.
I have had an intermittent problem with the gearbox shifting erratically after that oil change, but only at low-medium speed and only when warm.

[DrWin]

According to the manual, the trans gets serviced every 12k miles or 12 months (whichever comes first). I don't think a full service (replacing the filter) is needed as it's an all metal filter with nothing to wear out. Time really shouldn't play a part in filter replacement unless the car has just sat for years and years.

I replace my trans fuid every other oil change and drop the pan and replace the filter maybe once every 10k miles but I have yet to put 10k miles on my car since replacing my old OE filter a few years ago.
For most of us that don't really drive often, time accumulates quicker than mileage so factor that into your fluid change intervals, especially brake fluid and coolant.

Thanks, I think I should have a look, not only because the transmission is still empty, but also because I drive the car fairly much and would like to drive it a lot more. I'd feel stupid if I wrecked the gear box.

[DrWin]

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Filter looks clean-ish, magnets covered in a very thin layer of blackish residue. We happy?

[Michael]

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Filter looks clean-ish, magnets covered in a very thin layer of blackish residue. We happy?

I wouldn't give it much thought

[David T]

There is no way to check the filter unless you cut it open. What you are looking for is the debris load of friction materiel to judge how much life is left on the friction discs in the clutch packs. There should be a minimal amount of non-ferrous metal but some is normal. There should be very little ferrous metal. Because you can't drain all of the fluid out, it is difficult to judge how much debris you accumulate. 5500 miles is not a lot so you should not accumulate much but since you said the trans is slipping, you can accumulate a lot, quickly. Check your line pressure. If it is good and you still are slipping, the trans is on it's way out.

[DrWin]

Check your line pressure. If it is good and you still are slipping, the trans is on it's way out.
What line pressure, where?

[David T]

You need a pressure gauge and there is a procedure in the Workshop Manual to measure the line pressure. You remove a plug on the front of the transmission near the pump. you can adjust it a little by turning the vacuum modulator but if the filter is plugged up it wont help.

[DrWin]

You need a pressure gauge and there is a procedure in the Workshop Manual to measure the line pressure. You remove a plug on the front of the transmission near the pump. you can adjust it a little by turning the vacuum modulator but if the filter is plugged up it wont help.

Roger - got it.

[DrWin]

Putting the new filter in and and the pan back on. The only torque settings I can find for the Aut. transmission suggests 26 lb. ft. / 36Nm of torque for the 10mm bolts that hold on the filter and the pan. Is that correct? That feels like a lot of force to put on that small bolt, so I haven't tightened them down yet.

[Ron]

Looks like 'from one extreme to another' to me, but here it is:

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[DrWin]

Looks like 'from one extreme to another' to me, but here it is:

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Thanks a lot!! Guess which page is missing from my workshop manual. It's there, but it's just blank. :(
But it's correct in the hybrid PDF! Guess I'll have to print my own damn manual.

Thanks again. :)