I bought a 1998 Sidekick Auto 4wd with 86k and  I just got it on the road today.  

I want to perform the Transfusion style Auto trans service.  What all do I need to do.   Will it need a new filter, Some service place say no, hte flush cleans the filter too  (But that doesn;t make sense).  Also what fluid does Suzuki recomend for the auto?  Can I run synthetic.  This Kick might see 33's with 5.13:1
s and Hwy use which I'm sure is not a good combination.

This Sidekick has been off of the road for 2 -3 years and the trans was shifting into 3rd a little hard this morning, it is easing up with use.  

Pull the pan, install a drain plug,
and change the fluid with some
Dexron III ATF, runnit for 3-5 K
miles and use your drain plugand
refill with Synthetic Dexron III of
choice, provided the new Trans
uses Dexron of coarse, mine does,
but it's a TH-180 from GM.

Then change fluid every 25-30K
miles, it should live for a long time,
you might want to install a trans cooler
too, this will help the fluid from breaking
down.

Wild

You want to perform that service or you want to have it done?

They use a machine with it's own pump.  The only way I could ever think to do that myself would be to pull the trans cooling lines from the radiator and use the transmission's pump by setting the output line to pump into a bucket and feed the input line with a fresh source of trans fluid.  Just don't let the pump ever run dry.

I've never tried that, but that's the only way I could figure I could do it.  I ended up taking my other cars for trans service and you're right, they don't want to change the filter.  I'm not sure how any debris in the filter would flow back out as they flush, but that's their story and they stick to it

For the Tracker, I dropped the pan, installed a drain plug, changed the filter, put the pan back on, and topped it off.  That's when the trouble started!  It started slipping badly between shifts and, when cold, would take forever to shift from 1st to 2nd.  I was very lucky to get it resolved by draining off a couple of quarts, shifting through the gears, draining a couple of quarts... etc... etc until I figured I had better than 90% of the fluid changed (there's no way to drain that torque converter except to pump it out, remove and then drain it, or knock a hole in it -- none that I know of anyway) and it finally started shifting like it should.  If I had more confidence in my 155k trans, I'd go synthetic.  The best way I think you could do that is to get the old stuff pumped out or to try the method I talked about above.  Otherwise, you're going to have synthetic mixed with non-synthetic.  I don't know if that causes any problems in a transmission, but I don't think I'd want to do that.

Post what you decide to do and the results.  Good Luck.

Thought I had checked the fliud... guess not added 1 qt. today and shifts like a new one now.  Luckly I had only driven it 60 miles since getting it on the road.  I'm still gonna change it out and replace the filter.  Hope to take it to the shop I used to work at the do the Transfusion style flush adding new synthetic fluid.

I've never tried that, but that's the only way I could figure I could do it.  I ended up taking my other cars for trans service and you're right, they don't want to change the filter.  I'm not sure how any debris in the filter would flow back out as they flush, but that's their story and they stick to it

I just started working at an oil change place that does the trans flush, and I'm still baffled as to how they figure it cleans the filter, since according to the way the place I work at does it, the trans pumps fluid like it does normally operating. There's no pump in the machine, so the stuff really can't be "powered" out. They just don't like taking liability in doing things like dropping trans pans. :-/

I guess I really shouldn't be talking about this since I signed a thing to keep all company "secrets" secret

I just started working at an oil change place that does the trans flush, and I'm still baffled as to how they figure it cleans the filter, since according to the way the place I work at does it, the trans pumps fluid like it does normally operating. There's no pump in the machine, so the stuff really can't be "powered" out. They just don't like taking liability in doing things like dropping trans pans.  

I guess I really shouldn't be talking about this since I signed a thing to keep all company "secrets" secret  

Explo, you know how I loath those oil change places! Make sure they give the zukes that roll in there a little extra attention! Tell 'em steveo will rip 'em a new one if they don't!

I bought a 1998 Sidekick Auto 4wd with 86k and  I just got it on the road today.  

I want to perform the Transfusion style Auto trans service.  What all do I need to do.   Will it need a new filter, Some service place say no, hte flush cleans the filter too  (But that doesn;t make sense).  Also what fluid does Suzuki recomend for the auto?  Can I run synthetic.  This Kick might see 33's with 5.13:1
s and Hwy use which I'm sure is not a good combination.

This Sidekick has been off of the road for 2 -3 years and the trans was shifting into 3rd a little hard this morning, it is easing up with use.  

is it an overdrive?  i think those already come with 5.12's.

stu

Explo, you know how I loath those oil change places! Make sure they give the zukes that roll in there a little extra attention! Tell 'em steveo will rip 'em a new one if they don't!

lol... that's right, you had that really bad experience just a bit ago...

Only been there about 3 days... so far no kicks... just a Suzuki car. Don't remember which one, though (I should since I'm the one who enters them into the 'puter ).

I just started working at an oil change place that does the trans flush, and I'm still baffled as to how they figure it cleans the filter, since according to the way the place I work at does it, the trans pumps fluid like it does normally operating. There's no pump in the machine, so the stuff really can't be "powered" out. They just don't like taking liability in doing things like dropping trans pans. :-/

I guess I really shouldn't be talking about this since I signed a thing to keep all company "secrets" secret

Hmmm... they don't have a machine with a pump?  They run the engine to drive the trans pump?  How exactly do they hook it up?  I've looked at some of the trans flushing machines on the Internet and they seemed to have an external pump that I assumed backflushed the filter (based on these shop's claims).  Interesting :-/

Hmmm... they don't have a machine with a pump?  They run the engine to drive the trans pump?  How exactly do they hook it up?  I've looked at some of the trans flushing machines on the Internet and they seemed to have an external pump that I assumed backflushed the filter (based on these shop's claims).  Interesting :-/

we have a tranny flush and it has an internal pump.  you take the lines from the rad and clip them to the hoses from the machine.  i have never used it only watched but it looks vary complcated(sp) to run. :-/

stu

Hmmm... they don't have a machine with a pump?  They run the engine to drive the trans pump?  How exactly do they hook it up?  I've looked at some of the trans flushing machines on the Internet and they seemed to have an external pump that I assumed backflushed the filter (based on these shop's claims).  Interesting :-/

I'm not entirely sure how it works... could have an internal pump, but the way they make it sound it seems like it doesn't... I'm not a tech, though. So I don't work with that stuff. I just sucker the mechanically inept into buying unneeded parts and services ;Dq

I just sucker the mechanically inept into buying unneeded parts and services ;Dq

is it an overdrive?  i think those already come with 5.12's.

stu

Yep,   But mine is a non OD (4.62:1).   SO 33's and 5.13's will be a nice mod.