My wife's 2005 convertible is coming up on 30K miles. What is the plan for servicing the transmission. I have read many posts about having it done by a dealer using the approved AFT +4 fluid only. What else is necessary? Clean screen, new filter, clean pan, etc. Sorry for the lack of knowledge, but my car is a 1940 Chrysler Royal Coupe that I actually know how to service! Thank you
You have most of it.. The main thing is make sure that the service you get replaces the filter etc... the Suck and replace fluid thing is a waste of cash...
Fluid and filter, not significantly different than any other Chrysler automatic since 1950. Use ATF+4. I recently read an SAE paper characterizing ATF+4, and the most amazing thing the paper revealed wasn't how GOOD ATF+4 is (although its a superior fluid, better in most metrics than Mercon-V) but how BAD ATF+3 really was. It appears (just guessing- the paper doesn't say) that in order to get the right friction characteristics a lot of compropmises on oxidation rate, viscosity stability, and other basic parameters were made. No WONDER we've been finding that +3 equipped vehicles need fluid changes every 50k miles! +4 fixes all those shortcomings.
I don't have a PT, but expect that preventive maintenance it is the same as for any other Chrysler transmission and that access should be just as easy as well. (And should not be too much different from what you do for your antique either...)
Getting to the 13 or so pan bolts is usually easy on a front wheel vehicle using a basic 3/8" metric socket and ordinary extensions. The biggest problem I've had with changing fluid and filter is that there is no drain plug, so it is a bit messy when you break the RTV sealant used by the factory. I've found that if you leave some of the pan bolts on by a few threads, you can slip a putty knife in at a corner you can pry the pan free without causing any pan deformation or re-sealing problems. I then remove some bolts and tilt the pan down from one side and try to get as much fluid to drain into my catch basin before dropping the pan by hand the rest of the way to get the rest. Having some newspaper or cardboard under the pan area and wearing old clothes is a very good idea. Once I get the pan off, I usually leave it to drain overnight to try to get as much of the old fluid as I can out.
I then thoroughly clean off all the old dried RTV from both the transmission housing as well as the pan using a razor scraper and wire brush. I then replace the filter with a new Mopar one and thoroughly clean the inside of the pan using brake cleaner spray some paper towels, and a soft cotton rag. I then clean off the magnet of all metal filings before replacing it in the clean pan and then re-installing it to the trans housing. I personally like using the Chrysler combination metal/silicone gasket which is a bit expensive than RTV, but can be re-used up to three times. I then re-torque all the bolts using an alternating pattern to the FSM spec before refilling with the same amount of ATF+4 that I drained in the catch basin or lost to the floor. (Recheck the ATF level after you start up the car and circulate the fluid for a few minutes using the procedure in the owners manual.) Most times this is about 6 quarts or so of new fluid.
I have three Chrysler cars and a Mitsubishi that uses a Chrysler trans as well. I do this to them all every 30-36K miles and have not had experienced any trans problems on my 4 vehicles. The oldest, a 1991 3000GT, currently has over 130K miles and still shifts very smoothly.
Good luck!
Bob
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