For everyone that doesn't like way the 5spd shifts, and wants to make it feel much better, a transmission fluid change is definately a good start. While i will not comment on what brand of fluid to choose from, i will outline the steps involved in changing the trans fluid. Let's take a look...
Tool Required:
12mm socket
3/8in drive ratchet
Flathead Screwdriver
T-70 TORX bit
Jacks and jack stands (depending on how low your car is)
3.8 quarts of your favorite juice!
Step1: Ok, this is not a MANDATORY step, but for the 10 min it takes to remove the intercooler, the rest of the job becomes much easier. So, the first step is, you guessed it, remove the intercooler! As you can see in the pictures below, there are two (2) 12mm blots that hold the BPV onto the intercooler. Remove those, and put them somewhere safe. The BPV should come off, but don't remove it from the car, just let it sit there, disconnected.
View attachment 73100
Step 2: On either side of the intercooler, there are two (2) more 12mm blots that hold the intercooler down. Remove those, and put them in a safe place too.
View attachment 73101
Step 3: Once the intercooler bolts are removed, you will see that the intercooler is still connected... to the turbo, and to the throttle body. The rubber hoses that connect the intercooler to the respective parts are held tight by metal fasteners. With a flathead screwdriver, loosen each one of the fasteners so that they can move freely around the rubber, but do not remove them completely. Now, there really isn't directions for this part, but you'll need to dance and coax and curse and pray, but if you wiggle the intercooler enough, the rubber tubes will slide off of the turbo and throttle body, and it will be *almost" compeltely off now. There are still vacuum tubes that are connected to the intercooler core... don't worry about those, just take the intercooler, and flip it over onto the engine to get it of your way, as seen in the picture. Hey! Now were ready to change the tranny fluid!
View attachment 73102
Step 4: At this point, you need to decide whether or not your car is high enough off the ground (or your small enough to fit under your car) without using jacks. If you can, great! If not, then you'll need to jack the car about half a foot off the ground, as it makes getting to the transmission drain plug much easier.
Step 5: Once you're comfortable with being under the car, you'll want to do one thing before you drain the oil... go back to the engine compartment, and look for a long, gold dipstick with a loop at the top, located pretty close to the pitch mount, coming out of the transmission. This is the tranny fluid dipstick, and is also where you will refill the trans. Before you drain the fluid, remove this dipstick, and put it somewhere CLEAN!!! We do this because removing this plug relieves pressure in the trans, and allows the trans to empty quicker and get more junk out. Now go back under the car.
Step 6: Once you slide under the car, you'll look up at your transmission, and you'll see one of two things. Depending on the year of your car, the transmission fluid drain plug will be a 17mm lug (02-05 i think), or a TORX T-70 star shaped lug (06+ i believe). Either way, it will be one of those. 17mm sockets are easy to find anywhere, but a TORX T-70 is literally impossible. You can order one online, but they DO NOT sell these in stores. However, i bought a T-60 at Pepboys, and while i WOULD NOT advise doing this, i used a T-60, and it worked just fine.
Step 7: When the trans is done draining, put the drain plug back in, get out from under the car, and lower the car down. Go back to the engine bay, grab a long funnel, and stick the end in the tube where that tall gold dipstick came from. Put about 3 1/4 quarts in the trans case, and check the level. Continue filling and checking under the fluid is at the full mark. The trans can only hold 3.8 quarts, so DO NOT put all four quarts in!
Step 8: When you are finished filling the trans, make sure the dipstick is clean, and put it back into the trans. You'll need to put the intercooler back on, which is even worse than taking it off. I can't really give you advice here, just wiggle it until it fits on, and then do the reverse of the first sets of instructions. When everything is all tightened down, let your car warm up a few minutes, and go for a nice drive, and make sure to notice how you can actually get into reverse, and slide into first at speeds of over 1mph!!!
Tool Required:
12mm socket
3/8in drive ratchet
Flathead Screwdriver
T-70 TORX bit
Jacks and jack stands (depending on how low your car is)
3.8 quarts of your favorite juice!
Step1: Ok, this is not a MANDATORY step, but for the 10 min it takes to remove the intercooler, the rest of the job becomes much easier. So, the first step is, you guessed it, remove the intercooler! As you can see in the pictures below, there are two (2) 12mm blots that hold the BPV onto the intercooler. Remove those, and put them somewhere safe. The BPV should come off, but don't remove it from the car, just let it sit there, disconnected.
View attachment 73100
Step 2: On either side of the intercooler, there are two (2) more 12mm blots that hold the intercooler down. Remove those, and put them in a safe place too.
View attachment 73101
Step 3: Once the intercooler bolts are removed, you will see that the intercooler is still connected... to the turbo, and to the throttle body. The rubber hoses that connect the intercooler to the respective parts are held tight by metal fasteners. With a flathead screwdriver, loosen each one of the fasteners so that they can move freely around the rubber, but do not remove them completely. Now, there really isn't directions for this part, but you'll need to dance and coax and curse and pray, but if you wiggle the intercooler enough, the rubber tubes will slide off of the turbo and throttle body, and it will be *almost" compeltely off now. There are still vacuum tubes that are connected to the intercooler core... don't worry about those, just take the intercooler, and flip it over onto the engine to get it of your way, as seen in the picture. Hey! Now were ready to change the tranny fluid!
View attachment 73102
Step 4: At this point, you need to decide whether or not your car is high enough off the ground (or your small enough to fit under your car) without using jacks. If you can, great! If not, then you'll need to jack the car about half a foot off the ground, as it makes getting to the transmission drain plug much easier.
Step 5: Once you're comfortable with being under the car, you'll want to do one thing before you drain the oil... go back to the engine compartment, and look for a long, gold dipstick with a loop at the top, located pretty close to the pitch mount, coming out of the transmission. This is the tranny fluid dipstick, and is also where you will refill the trans. Before you drain the fluid, remove this dipstick, and put it somewhere CLEAN!!! We do this because removing this plug relieves pressure in the trans, and allows the trans to empty quicker and get more junk out. Now go back under the car.
Step 6: Once you slide under the car, you'll look up at your transmission, and you'll see one of two things. Depending on the year of your car, the transmission fluid drain plug will be a 17mm lug (02-05 i think), or a TORX T-70 star shaped lug (06+ i believe). Either way, it will be one of those. 17mm sockets are easy to find anywhere, but a TORX T-70 is literally impossible. You can order one online, but they DO NOT sell these in stores. However, i bought a T-60 at Pepboys, and while i WOULD NOT advise doing this, i used a T-60, and it worked just fine.
Step 7: When the trans is done draining, put the drain plug back in, get out from under the car, and lower the car down. Go back to the engine bay, grab a long funnel, and stick the end in the tube where that tall gold dipstick came from. Put about 3 1/4 quarts in the trans case, and check the level. Continue filling and checking under the fluid is at the full mark. The trans can only hold 3.8 quarts, so DO NOT put all four quarts in!
Step 8: When you are finished filling the trans, make sure the dipstick is clean, and put it back into the trans. You'll need to put the intercooler back on, which is even worse than taking it off. I can't really give you advice here, just wiggle it until it fits on, and then do the reverse of the first sets of instructions. When everything is all tightened down, let your car warm up a few minutes, and go for a nice drive, and make sure to notice how you can actually get into reverse, and slide into first at speeds of over 1mph!!!
