Can anyone recommend what kind of tubing to use for changing transmission fluid (2010-2015) and the correct outer diameter? Is it easier to use a funnel and feed the tube down from the top of the engine compartment instead of pumping it in from underneath? If so, what length is suggested?
I bought 1/2 in clear flexible tubing and poured it in from the top....way easy! You shouldn't need more than 5 feet...maybe 4.
It was in my case, but anything that fits into the filler hole will be fine. From a fellow geezer...check out @geezerTony
I used a funnel with tube extension from above; the tubing was 5/8” OD (about the max you want to go), and 3 foot long works out about right. Simple ploy: start with 4~5 foot tubing extension, and once you’ve got attached to funnel and everything positioned, trim the excessive portion. There’s a relevant link in my signature with tips and info. On a phone turn it landscape to see signatures.
I was luckily to be able to use a lift when changing my eCVT fluid, so I used one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HD959NZ The only trick is to go slow filling up so you don't make lots of waves / splash back when its almost full. I do not recommend the other type of "fluid transfer pumps" with 2 hoses where you put one hose in the new fluid and the other hose in car. I tried to use a cheap Harbor Freight one years ago and it's just a pain to keep the fluid bottle upright, the other hose in the car, and do the pump by hand. If you're doing it on the ground then yeah a funnel from the top is probably best. It would be good to have a second person hold the tube in the eCVT and monitor for when it starts overfilling. Also good to go slow once you think its full since you'll have extra fluid in the funnel/hose that gravity will make a mess of. Also one last tip. Always break free the Fill port first, before the Drain port. You do not want to drain all the fluid and not have a way to refill it if the Fill port is seized or whatever.
Harbor Freight now stocks another kind that (kind of) screws onto the bottle of ATF, and the discharge hose has a grippy bit that holds it in place while you pump. Probably not as convenient as pouring from the top using a funnel while having an assistant observe for overflow, but great if you're working by yourself. Going through the reviews, it looks like people have had some success screwing it onto containers of orange juice, Gatorade, and Italian dressing
Just keep the drain pan in place under there and you don't need an assistant. We all know how much it holds and we're supposed to fill it until it overflows anyway. Run the hose (tube) through and insert it in the filler hole as far as you can so it doesn't slip out. Why make this so difficult? iI's as easy as refilling your oil after draining it.
Yeah drain pan in position, you can pour 3 quarts/liters, semi-confident it won't overflow, then just go 100 cc's or so at a time, checking underneath as you go.
Done! It was much more time consuming doing this job than expected, and very awkward and uncomfortable working under the car with such limited room. I fed the vinyl tubing down through the passenger side of the engine compartment to get the most direct connection to the filler hole. Holding the funnel up high the pouring was still slow, but managed to get 3.5 quarts in, which is exactly what drained out. 3.6 is the capacity. After taking the tube out, the filler hole did dribble a bit, indicating that it was very close to the top. Replaced filler plug, and cleaned up a few minor drips here and there. Then it took another 30 minutes or so to put all the under pieces back on. Glad I had purchased a variety of those push grommet thingies a while back, since so many of the old ones had broken. It was a good learning experience but if I had it to do again I'd probably just pay a mechanic to do everything. So much easier if it's on a lift, and then it would make sense to just pump in the fluid from there.
Congrats! I keep forgetting how much easier this stuff is for me since all my underbody plastic is not there at all. Oil changes are a snap too!
Why isn't it there? Did you buy it used and it wasn't there, or did you just remove it for ease of maintenance for periodic oil changes?
I take the full underpanel off for every oil change; so maybe 35~30 times now with additional forays for this and that. Finally had one or two fasteners lose a tooth, and got a replacement set; swapped in a few now. As long as you take the full panel off regularly, and always rinse the grit out of the plastic fasteners, it lasts. On the other hand, having “professionals” doing your oil changes, it’ll be a dragging mess in short order.
I will always do my own engine oil/filter changes. I only need fold down the small flap for that one. Totally unnecessary to remove the entire under cover for that simple procedure.
Mine isn't there because the car was totaled, then repaired and sold (to me) by a body shop with a salvage title. So that part they didn't bother to replace. I've had the car for going on 7 years and 80k miles and nothing has happened to it. I change my own oil, I did the transmission fluid at 60k miles, a new 12v battery 4 years ago and tires. Best car I ever had and the best part is it had 24k miles when I bought it and I paid $9k cash for it. It owes me nothing.
] Yeah, debatable. I found the “fold” a bit of a misnomer; the whole panel was deflecting when I first tried bending that local flap. From reading here I see after frequent flexing it can come right off. Also, I want to check things, CV boots, signs of leaks. And I’ve got oil catch cans I drain from below. It takes me about 5~10 minutes, either removing or installing.
