Drain & fill takes 2.1 qts. Full flush takes at least 7.5 qts. If you follow service manual, I think it adds up to something like 10-11 qts Last I bought fluid was something like 11.50 per....so 80 right there minimum. What a task takes vs what is flat rate billable are two different things...both for fluid amount and time.

I have no problem being wrong, but a flush for 150 just doesn't sound right.

 

I just did the full flush on mine 3-4 weeks ago, i bought 10 quarts, i still have a little over a quart left over, i guess i didn't quite get all the old stuff out. The procedure calls for 9.5 quarts, while the fluid change procedure only calls for 4 quarts. A fluid change should probably only cost maybe $70-$80. It's exactly the same procedure as a simple engine oil change.

I fully inderstand billable hours, but things like oil changes aren't billed that way, they don't charge a half hour labor for oil changes. It's billed as a flat rate dealer special item. The techs get a flat rate for it and dealerships don't make much money off of them, they make far less than a transmission flush which only takes a little more time.

And again, the dealer is making profit on all those bottles of fluid. As long as they're making a healthy profit, i don't think they care where it's coming from.

I don't think they would advertise it as a flush and not follow the flush procedure in the manual. The dealer manual specifically states if you don't have a fluid exchange machine, the procedure of disconnecting the hose at the transmission cooler should be followed. If they are charging you for a flush, and only doing a fluid change, you're seriously getting ripped off and i would complain.

 

There is another ATF meets Mitsubishi ATF J2 & J3: Havoline Synthetic ATF Multi-Vehicle DEXRON-VI. Its PDS is https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/...&docFormat=PDF

 

yep, they are a great deal on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M1Y3KZA...Y7GA0BW0&psc=1

will likely run it for my next change. Closest dealership now is a decent drive.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if Mit dealerships offered this as an alternative to J3?

They must be making a killing on J3, so that is unlikely to happen.

 

Mine only requires J2. Last time I changed my fluid out, the dealership was selling J2 for $7 a bottle, which is a steal compared to $12 when I first purchased. Now I'm wondering if they were only trying to sell J2 at cost to get rid of it and standardize on J3 which would have a much broader usage base and cost more.

I moved to St Louis and there is only one dealership in the area, 40 min away. Not sure if I want to blow a few hours just to source some DiaQueen when I can have a large name equivalent delivered for less.

 

I just had my mitsu done yesterday with the havoline fluid. I had to bring it to the change place myself though. They used all 12 liters in this machine I've never seen before though I'm guessing is quite common. It sucked out about 3 liters to start and they added 3 good liters then the machine sucks out a liter at a time and adds back a liter of clean until every 2 minutes while the engine is running. The guy said the end result is about 80% new fluid. Kind of wasteful that I went through 12 liters to get 8 liters of 80% new but it was only $80. My local mitsu stealership wants $25 per liter of diaqueen.

Also the guy at the oil change place swore that valvoline sent them an updated spec sheet and that max life is spec'd for J3. Interesting its not on their website though.

 

Kip

It's on the valvoline website now, check it out. And can get it at a reasonable (compared to dealer) cost ~$10/quart.

 

Do the conventional transmissions (V6 engine) and the CVT's both use this same fluid?

 

I don't believe so.
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