Hi all,

I sold my cavalier about 3 years ago now, but the girlfriend still has a j-body and I'm in need of advice.

She has a 2000 sunfire 3-speed automatic, 102,000 miles, tranny fluid has not been changed since she bought it with 55k miles . . .

I was wondering which type of fluid is recommended? I was leaning towards mobil 1 atf (pricey though!), I know dexron III is recommended but as I understand it, it is no longer sold and its recommended to use dexron VI . . . I know in the saturn s-series world the dexron VI is known to cause issues.

I will be doing this fluid and filter change, it will not be a transmission flush. I found a transmission filter kit (filter and gasket) at advance for $9.99, will that work ok?




2.2 OHV

Dexron 3 is still available, and that's what you should use for your transmission.

Thanks for the quick response, i've been doing some reading and it does appear dexron III is still around. I will go with that, which will save a lot of money.

to be honest. the fluid is good for 10 years OR 100,000 miles. im sure its pretty good for awhile


edit: just realized its 2010....yea prob time to change it lol.

III is still around and your best option. Good luck



Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Wednesday, January 06, 2010 4:30 PM


My car may run 18s, but I can do your taxes in 10 seconds flat.
JBO lube - they would never have enough in stock and we'd never see RodimusPrime again

Thanks man for the respose.

I've read over the procedure in my Haynes manual, it doesn't appear to be overly difficult. The part I don't like its the lack of a drain plug . . . pan is drained by loosening the bolts (I can see the mess already!).

Any advice on the filter? I'm assuming the one from advance auto will be ok, any need to get a dealer filter from gm?

i wouldn't think so, i about a month ago had my filter changed and it was still the original filter from when i bought the car with only 19,000 miles on it. The car had almost 137k when i changed it out, so if the original filter can go that long i would venture to say the fluid itself is probably good for quite awhile. Though as stated above, this is 2010.

Dexron VI without a doubt. I replaced the fluid in my 3T40 with it and the shifts are excellent, smooth and firm when needed. Dexron VI is backwards specced to work with any GM vehicle for which Dex II/III is recommended. The only Dex III available that I know of is Dex/Merc fluids. Dexron VI will work perfectly in it, don't be afraid. As for filters, Get one from Autozone or one from the dealers.

Something else i just thought of since we're on the subject of transmissions here, and i'm assuming you can probably get them either from gm or from somewhere else and i only know about this because people on here were kind enough to let me know about it before i had mine done. On the pan there are some magnets gm put in there, to keep dirt contaminants etc from getting in there if you can get your hands on some maybe even just 1 or 2 might want to stick em in the pan to keep the junk from getting in there.