Nissan 370Z Forum - View Single Post

V8Nissan · 01-25-2018, 03:22 AM

I change mine at 20k mile intervals. Just did my first change a few months back with 20k on the odometer. The fluid was dark and the 2 magnets were full of metal. It may be true that it has a lifetime fill... If you want it to have a finite life of about 100k miles before shifting issues arise. I drive 25k+ per year so I want it to last.

Alldatadiy.com has the procedure and I have found it online as well. I took the pan off to clean the magnets and pan of debris. While it was off I drilled the pan and Mig welded 2 bungs into the pan. One I have a temperature sensor threaded in to that goes to a tranny fluid temp gauge - part of the fill procedure is having the transmission at 104 degrees fluid temperature. The other I use to fill the pan. The catch is during the final fill when setting the fluid level, the car must be idling in park as you pump fluid in and then let it drain out of the overfill plug. There's a standpipe in the pan and when the fluid is at 104 degrees it is at the correct level when idling in park and no more fluid drains out. The first time I did it I drained the overfill plug at temperature with engine off and I was low on fluid and had some shifting issues until I corrected the level.

So drilling the pan and adding bungs isn't necessary but it's what I wanted for keeping and servicing my car long term. The overfill plug hole is pretty small and you would need to fabricate a special adapter(it is impossible to get one anywhere. I tried, even from overseas) or stick a small hose up past the standpipe to pump fluid in. And the car must be perfectly level while you perform service. As far as reading the temperature I used a trans temp gauge in one of the bungs as well as a harbor freight temperature gun with laser and the two were within a few degrees of each other when taking temp on the bottom of the pan. Also be sure to only use Nissan matic S fluid for servicing.

I am a firm believer in changing automatic transmission fluid. It gets dirty with use. All an automatic transmission is is a bunch of wet clutches and valves. Valves get sticky from metal and clutch debris in the oil and then you have shifting issues. And the Z appears to get very dirty very fast. One other note is that it doesn't have a filter typical of most American cars. It uses a steel mesh screen bolted to the valve body with quite a few bolts

01-25-2018, 03:22 AM	#25 (permalink)
V8Nissan Base Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Ohio Posts: 13 Drives: 14 370z Touring 7AT Rep Power: 7	I change mine at 20k mile intervals. Just did my first change a few months back with 20k on the odometer. The fluid was dark and the 2 magnets were full of metal. It may be true that it has a lifetime fill... If you want it to have a finite life of about 100k miles before shifting issues arise. I drive 25k+ per year so I want it to last. Alldatadiy.com has the procedure and I have found it online as well. I took the pan off to clean the magnets and pan of debris. While it was off I drilled the pan and Mig welded 2 bungs into the pan. One I have a temperature sensor threaded in to that goes to a tranny fluid temp gauge - part of the fill procedure is having the transmission at 104 degrees fluid temperature. The other I use to fill the pan. The catch is during the final fill when setting the fluid level, the car must be idling in park as you pump fluid in and then let it drain out of the overfill plug. There's a standpipe in the pan and when the fluid is at 104 degrees it is at the correct level when idling in park and no more fluid drains out. The first time I did it I drained the overfill plug at temperature with engine off and I was low on fluid and had some shifting issues until I corrected the level. So drilling the pan and adding bungs isn't necessary but it's what I wanted for keeping and servicing my car long term. The overfill plug hole is pretty small and you would need to fabricate a special adapter(it is impossible to get one anywhere. I tried, even from overseas) or stick a small hose up past the standpipe to pump fluid in. And the car must be perfectly level while you perform service. As far as reading the temperature I used a trans temp gauge in one of the bungs as well as a harbor freight temperature gun with laser and the two were within a few degrees of each other when taking temp on the bottom of the pan. Also be sure to only use Nissan matic S fluid for servicing. I am a firm believer in changing automatic transmission fluid. It gets dirty with use. All an automatic transmission is is a bunch of wet clutches and valves. Valves get sticky from metal and clutch debris in the oil and then you have shifting issues. And the Z appears to get very dirty very fast. One other note is that it doesn't have a filter typical of most American cars. It uses a steel mesh screen bolted to the valve body with quite a few bolts Last edited by V8Nissan; 01-25-2018 at 03:38 AM.