Tranny fluid change?

[shawndoggy]

My 2011 PCM manual says never change the tranny fluid. Anybody changed it anyway?

[H2O]

Change the transmission fluid annually. Never change the VDrive fluid. They are separate units with separate needs.

[shawndoggy]

Even the powerplus vdrive transmission?

The manual says:

All PCM Power-Plus “V” Drive transmissions are
designed to be ‘Maintenance Free’. Inspect fl uid
level after the fi rst 25 hours of use and annually
thereafter. Fluid should only be changed if evidence
of contamination is present. Use Mobiltrans SHC 50
synthetic transmission lubricant. PCM P/N: R190250.

[Nautiquehunter]

The transmission is mounted between the engine and Vdrive . It has its own dip stick . The oil must be sucked out of the dipstick opening. It only takes about a quart of Dexron III. I just change it every 50 hours with the engine oil.

[xrichard]

When I bought my boat, I found the wording in the manual to be very confusing because it refers to both the transmission and the v-drive as transmissions--which is technically accurate, but not the way most of us refer to these things.

I clarified with PCM: the V-Drive (referred to as "V" drive transmission in the manual) does not require oil changes. It runs synthetic and you should check the fluid for level and contamination to make sure nothing is amiss. The transmission requires regular changes (I believe PCM says every 100 hours)...my year, Dex/Merc is recommended (the manual say Dexron III, but it's no longer available). I believe the capacity is 2 quarts, but I typically can only get a 1-1.25 quarts out of it (...when I saw photos of one disassembled, it looks like if you get your extraction tube through a little passage, you'll make it to the bottom of the pan and get more...I've never been able to get it just right).

The transmission has a dipstick to check the level and the fluid should be pink...the v-drive has one plug on each side on top and the fluid is pretty clear.

Use a copper tube (instead of nylon or plastic) to insert into the tranny to suck the fluid out. Soft tubes can get hung up and stuck...a major pain and expense.

[AirTool]

I have a new version in the works.

[2002sansac]

Yep,
I use a automotive brake line that I got at NAPA and cut to the desired length, attach to rubber fuel line and use vacuum to suck out the trans fluid. The amount I get out is about 1 quart. Refill using a small funnel to the correct level.
I also use the same set-up to remove the 30wt oil from my Walter V drive gearbox. Be careful to completely clean the brake line and fuel line so not to cross contaminate the oil in the gearbox with the Dextron in the transmission...transmission does not like oil and will glaze the clutches.