I have a 2019 Sport non-turbo with the 6-speed auto. It has 75,000 miles/120,000 km. I drive conservatively and do my own maintenance. My goal is to get to 200,000 miles without transmission issues. Mazda says it’s a lifetime transmission fluid. My questions are: 1. What “lifetime “ are long term owners getting from their auto transmissions?
2. are long term owners changing their transmission fluid?

 

There are two camps here.
1. Go by the Mazda warranty and never change the fluid
2. Change the fluid every 60K

My personal opinion based on my past experience (does not reflect the opinion and experience of those who successfully chose #2)
I've chosen #1 (but then I only have 37K on my CX-5)
I did so because Mazda does not currently make a transmission pan gasket for my CX-5; you need to use the proper silicone sealant and "make your own".
I have had nothing but issues with other vehicles when having to do this.
Both undoubtedly do to my and several technicians' inability to get a proper seal. Could be we were all just terrible at doing it correctly.
When/if Mazda decides to make a gasket for the pan than I'll switch to #2.

 

The transmission will not service a healthy trouble free life without basic filter and pan fluid changes. PERIOD.

This is now empirically fact based by several oil analysis companies in a few countries.

The factory warranty ...sure it cover the first 100k miles but unless the transmission fails at 1 mile after the warranty period the problem are all at your expense!

So basically in clear terms your can do services periodically or roll the dice!

ASE




Only a cutesy mention to my friend (Lobstah) and other... the pan does not need a gasket. Sealer when properly applied does work completely well. The key wording is "properly used"!
It simple but takes a little more waiting and thought process that most don't have the simple patients to achieve. LOL

However me personally I prefer the gasket....
I am confident in the very near future gaskets will be offered by the aftermarket for that transmission?

 

I truly suck at making silicone seals for engines/transmissions.
They never fail immediately or catastrophically but I always get the "dreaded tiny drip".

In your experience, do you know the reasoning why Mazda or another vendor doesn't make these gaskets?
The cost for a 3D printer, equipment and materials to make these would seem to be a profitable venture.
Maybe I should start a company.
Though I suspect trademarks could become a legal issue.

 

It is a lifetime transmission. if the auto manufacture offered a gasket that would lend a question as to the "LIFETIME TRANSMISSION" not needing any service. lol
It is not profitable anymore to make some aftermarket parts unless yu are already set up with a company that does this.
Trademarks, even Patents are ignored if a product is manufactured in CHINA and marketed in the USA and a few other countries. Thats why we as attempting to bring product to market get in hard make the [profit quickly knowing that our products are going to be reverse engineered and or copied and sold under various names.
I know this firsthand when I went to a SEMA show and saw a vendor sell my camshafts! He not knowing they were mine I questioned him about the specification how they came about? While looking at the cam card that was changed and did not show my specification correctly. Asking him specifically he finally said that it was a performance manufacture that came up with the specification and sells the cams. The box and labeling said manufactured in CHINA boxed in USA.

My friend's and many customers ask me why I stopped engineering parts.... hmm..... let me think....

 

For anyone who wants to pull the pan on their auto transmission and do a cleaning and filter replacement, but are fearful of making a good seal with silicone sealant, I can offer my experience that worked like a charm. The key is that you need to be willing to spend the time... not in doing the task but allowing the sealant to cure properly in two steps. First, remove pan and clean it. Clean old sealant well and clean both surfaces with alcohol or equiv to remove oil and whatever. I used spray brake cleaner and a rag. I used Permatex Auto Transmission Gasket Maker (local Advance has it). Apply a small bead of sealant all around the pan. Only enough that when squeezed out it will cover the edge of the pan and not squeeze out, especially the inside. Here is what I feel is the important part. Per instructions, put pan in place and install all bolts but only tighten the bolts part way. Tighten until the sealant is touching the pan and the transmission and just starting to move. Then wait an hour to allow the sealant to start to cure. After an hour complete the tightening of all bolts to a nice snug only. Now wait several hours... preferably overnight. Then fill with fluid, etc.
This method worked perfectly for me, but you have to have the time to do all the waiting. This is not good for a shop or anyone in a hurry, it consumes too much time. But for DIYs who have the time and willing to be patient, it worked for me. Not one drop of leakage. I also used the little hammer in tool to help break the seal on the factory sealant. It worked well. Ramps or a lift is also very helpful.

 

It is not bad how-to from a DIY but the best way you missed a step.
Glad to read it worked out for you Tom!!

For others to consider?
You place small amount on both the pan and the transmission. When the silicone has "tacked out" in other words if you touch it the silicone will not stick to your finger you then apply the pan to the transmission.
Let it set for about or at least 45 minutes depending on the humidity and temperature of the room you are doing the service.

DO NOT retighten after you have installed the pan and done the proper torque of the fasteners. Doing so later will often break the silicone seal and the pan will leak . Those small drips often reported from DIY!
I am not sure i would let the silicone dry before tightening the fasteners because of the inconsistent level of the dried silicone? But as I have never let silicone dry in the fashion described it is only a logical guess on my part.

The other thing is I do not really generally advocate using brake cleaners around the exposed transmission and the electronics' that are there. On a rag and carefully wiping the area as described is ok as long as you are very careful. Electrical parts cleaner is the first choice to use. But read the label because there are a few types. You want the one that says safe for all electrical components.

ASE


Note: silicone that gets squeezed inside the pan area during a silicone sealant only service has never caused harm or concern with any automatic transmission. In the unlikely event that some did separate it would be caught in the filter.

 

Callisto, thanks for your comments. A couple of clarifications on my part may help. I don't spray brake cleaner up into the bottom of the tranny, I just spray on a rag and wipe the mating surfaces. Also, in the one hour I allow the sealant to cure, it in no way dies out, it just starts the curing process so it acts more like an o-ring than slimy goo, haha. I do like your technique of applying sealant to both the pan and the transmission. I still like about an hour (depending on the humidity) to all the tacking to happen, then do the final assembly and full tightening and done. Since I am a DIYer and can schedule this anytime I choose, I will do this in the evening and allow it to cure overnight before I add fluid. I think we are in the same boat her with minor personal preferences. Thanks again, Tom (Max is asleep)

 

good response on the clarity Tom. Max I am sure helped you with that.

we...as in you and I Same boat different oars.
I have various bulk and type gasket material that I use a large x-acto knife kit to cut the pattern out using the pan as the template. I then use a leather hole punch to make the fastener holes. This actually is less time than all the silicone application and waiting process.
I rarely ever use silicone only as a sealer for anything. (although when I worked on planes it was required at times and must be logged what brand and type it was)
If I has to guess before I started making my own gaskets, I will say about *3% of my work using silicone only developed a leak . I have not used silicone only since about the mid to early 80"s.


* Chevy ,Ford Mopars V-8s from 50-70's need I say more.

 

Hey there, just sharing my experience. I have a 2014 3 isport Japan build. 227,000 miles so far. Yeah!

I've been doing Uber for probably 5 or 6 years, on and off. Don't remember what was the mileage when I first started but probably around 100k. Putting all that weight (people) for so long exponentially increases wear obviously, mostly on the transmission, That's a seal transmission and never done anything to it. I called the dealer when It had ~75k miles and they told me no maintenance needed, and I went with that. Latelly, it feels sometimes it slips on 2 or 3 gear but nothing severe. I drive like grandma these days.

I had to replace 3/4 of the engine because I over revved it pretty bad being a nuckle head, it when up to over 6k RPMs and a cylinder head probably make contact with the valve and cracked it but it was very small. I took it to the dealer and they did a compression test the detected the leak. But I drove it like that for 3 month until I had the money to replace it, found out that driving slow would work ok. The computer will shut off the gas pedal when it senses high vibrations. It had 120k miles when that happen, so yeah very stupid thing to do.

I replaced the engine at the dealer, they found a re-manufactured one in Canada, $3500 installed with 3 month warranty. I looked around in other places but average was 2k for the engine plus labor and having the luck that everything would go well. Even if you save a little bit of money I would rather do it with them because of the warranty.

I've had some over heating issues a few times. Water pump and thermostat. This model doesn't have a temperature gauge so it is all up to the computer. Found out that If you are in park and the temperature goes up it shuts the car off. I live in Texas so summers are brutal.

Hope that helps and give you a piece of mind. I love my car. Cheers.