# 02 pathfinder transmission fluid change questions



## walkabout (Jul 18, 2007)

Hello,
I have the 02 pathfinder LE and planning to do the transmission fluid change I would like to know how many quarts does it take and do I have to remove the pan to clean out the inside...and filter? Thanks in advance.


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## walkabout (Jul 18, 2007)

Anyone who can help?


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## blitZ (Oct 7, 2004)

walkabout said:


> Anyone who can help?



Seems like it is 15 or 16 quarts, have to check my manual when I get home. That's assuming you can remove all of it. I bought a kit from my local which included a new pan gasket and screen. Which was odd, typically you just clean the screen.

Some of these oil change places have machines which do the complete flush, changes all the fluid. I think it's work the money, think it was $130 or so last time I did it.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Normal service is just drain and fill and you'll usually end up using about 5 quarts. Obviously, a trans flusher will do a much better job. I would recommend using Nissan ATF Type "D" despite its higher cost. It is actually the original Dexron formula and is slightly differant than the off the shelf Dexron Type III/IV that is currently available.


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## Lyzic (Jan 29, 2006)

i've got a hose and a vacuum, think that draining the tranny this way, then filling, then draining again would do an adequate job of flushing?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

What do u do with the hose and the vacuum that allows you to replace the fluid in the torque converter, which is the purpose of flushing a trans?


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## coolnesss (Dec 23, 2003)

I don't know a hell of a lot about Pathy mechanics - but this works well with a Cadillac:

Unscrew the transmission fluid cooler line that runs to the radiator - the inlet line - and attach a hose to the end, and turn on the engine, and let the fluid pump out of the trans to a bucket. Then refill.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

coolnesss said:


> I don't know a hell of a lot about Pathy mechanics - but this works well with a Cadillac:
> 
> Unscrew the transmission fluid cooler line that runs to the radiator - the inlet line - and attach a hose to the end, and turn on the engine, and let the fluid pump out of the trans to a bucket. Then refill.


It'll work, but I would recommend draining no more than 3 Qts., stopping the engine and adding three Qts., then repeat that cycle another two times. The last thing you want to do is run the trans dry.


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## coolnesss (Dec 23, 2003)

smj999smj said:


> It'll work, but I would recommend draining no more than 3 Qts., stopping the engine and adding three Qts., then repeat that cycle another two times. The last thing you want to do is run the trans dry.



According to the Cadillac board - and there are truly knowlegable people on that board - running it dry while its in neutral will not hurt it - and that method truly evacuates more of the old fluid.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Well, we're not working on Cadillacs now, are we? If you are in Neutral, the AT pump is still operating and needs to operate in order to push the fluid out of the cooler hose. If you starve the oil pump on a Nissan, chances are you will ruin it and then have to look at a trans teardown to replace it. For me, it makes a lot more practical sense to leave in a quart or two of old fluid and have it mix with nine or ten quarts of new fluid than it is to take the risk of a $2000 repair...But then again, I was only a Nissan Master Tech who spent 18 years working on these vehicles, including about ten of them being the "auto trans tech" at my dealership, so maybe I don't qualify as being "truly knowledgable" yet..


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## coolnesss (Dec 23, 2003)

smj999smj said:


> Well, we're not working on Cadillacs now, are we? If you are in Neutral, the AT pump is still operating and needs to operate in order to push the fluid out of the cooler hose. If you starve the oil pump on a Nissan, chances are you will ruin it and then have to look at a trans teardown to replace it. For me, it makes a lot more practical sense to leave in a quart or two of old fluid and have it mix with nine or ten quarts of new fluid than it is to take the risk of a $2000 repair...But then again, I was only a Nissan Master Tech who spent 18 years working on these vehicles, including about ten of them being the "auto trans tech" at my dealership, so maybe I don't qualify as being "truly knowledgable" yet..



Yikes! Brain Fart! I should have checked before posting - you're right, the method you state was what was on the Cadillac board - sorry dude.


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## hada (Oct 4, 2017)

Wait so if i just drain and refill without the "hose flush" then id be mixing +/-10 quarts new fluid with 2 quarts old?


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

hada said:


> Wait so if i just drain and refill without the "hose flush" then id be mixing +/-10 quarts new fluid with 2 quarts old?


If you're not having any problems with the transmission, just perform a standard "drain and fill" like SMJ had suggested in a previous post. Under normal driving conditions, a flush is NOT necessary at all and may even cause problems. The shops make money on flushes, that's why they recommend them. If the ATF is dark, burnt smelling, and you see little flakes or speck in it, DO NOT FLUSH IT. The fluid and transmission possibly has hard part damage, but the transmission just has not figured out it should die yet.


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## hada (Oct 4, 2017)

So how much OLD FLUID should I expect to pour out if I DRAIN? so that I can have the NEW FLUID ready to FILL... if I'm doing a standard drain and fill (not flush).


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

hada said:


> So how much OLD FLUID should I expect to pour out if I DRAIN? so that I can have the NEW FLUID ready to FILL... if I'm doing a standard drain and fill (not flush).


Around 5 qt should drain out. It's good to have an extra quart around in case you need to top it off when re-filling.


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## hada (Oct 4, 2017)

Thanks you !


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