Old manual trans fluid

[deathegg]

Hey everyone, My 1988 Festy L+ (187,000 miles) manual trans.. has Never had it's trans fluid changed. I plan to keep it at least another year. Frankly it runs great, with smooth shifts, etc. I was thinking about changing the trans fluid, but after all this time, would it help or hurt?

[Tim]

Seeing how it lasted this long, I'd just leave it alone.

[darkdan]

Change it.

No good came of letting it go too long.

The only thing that "might" happen is a seal leak. If the seals have gotten dirty (which is doubtful since there's no combustion byproduct) they may have hardened and shrank and deposits formed to make a false seal. New fluid may clean these out and cause a leak.

Of course, since the new fluid will clean the seal, it will also allow the fluid to get to the seal and restore it's pliability and size naturally and thus make the leak stop.

But there is a very small chance it could happen.