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Transmission fluid provides a necessary role in an engine. It provides the lubrication needed for all of the moving parts to work correctly and not suffer undue pressure or friction. You might know that you need to ensure that you have proper fluid levels but you might not know when you need to drain all of the transmission fluid out and replace it. Here are some signs that you should look for when you are deciding if you should perform a full transmission fluid drain and replace.

1. For Manual Transmissions

If you drive a stick-shift or have a manual transmission, then the first sign that you will need to look for is if you hear loud clunking whenever you try to change gears. This is a sure sign that the gears are not getting the lubrication that they need to make a smooth change from one gear to another. When this happens, you need to be sure that your fluid levels are high enough to be adequate for your engine. If they are high enough but you are still suffering this problem, then the oil has lost its viscosity and is no longer as lubricating as you need it to be. You will need to drain everything out and replace it.

Another sign is if you have the proper level of transmission fluid but your speeds are still not where they used to be. Drain out all of the transmission fluid and replace it if you feel as though you are going roughly the same speed regardless of the gear you are currently driving in.

2. For Automatic Transmissions

If you have an automatic transmission, you might not be as tuned to the different noises that your transmission might be making. Instead, you should look at response time. If, when you start your car for the first time in a while, it takes longer to move from neutral to first gear, then you will need to check your transmission fluid. If it doesn't need to be topped off and you are still having the problem, you will need to entirely replace the fluid.

Another sign is if you cannot go very fast and it doesn't matter what gear you are in, similar to the speed sign of the manual transmission. If you find yourself in this situation, you will need to replace your transmission fluid.

For more information, talk to a company like Atomic Transmissions that specializes in transmission repair.