Silver metal shavings in transmission fluid - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

SmoothIsSlow · 09-07-2020, 11:31 AM

Hi all,

I just did my first transmission fluid at 25k mile yesterday. The drain plug had some bright silver metallic shavings/flakes, no larger than a few millimeters, in addition to some black sludge, is this normal for a factory fill? The transmission felt fine but feels smoother even now with a new fill of motul 300.

I have a lot of mechanical sympathy but track the car, which is why I changed the fluids at all.

ls1ac · 09-07-2020, 12:38 PM

A few mm is huge in a trans.
A metallic coloration to the fluid is normal.
Save the partials on a clean cloth and take a picture.

SUSPECT_BRZ · 09-07-2020, 12:53 PM

I would think some shavings are normal during the break-in period but I'm not too sure about the sludge. If the transmission feels fine I say you shouldn't worry about it too much.

soundman98 · 09-07-2020, 12:58 PM

SmoothIsSlow · 09-07-2020, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ls1ac

A few mm is huge in a trans.
A metallic coloration to the fluid is normal.
Save the partials on a clean cloth and take a picture.

Thanks for the response. I sillily did not think much of it at the time and did not take pictures. Imagine if you snip the very ends of a paper staple off. There was maybe half a dozen of such chunks at 1mm or 2mm.

I don't suppose Subaru will give me a new tranmission based on this information alone...

jflogerzi · 09-08-2020, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmoothIsSlow

Thanks for the response. I sillily did not think much of it at the time and did not take pictures. Imagine if you snip the very ends of a paper staple off. There was maybe half a dozen of such chunks at 1mm or 2mm.

I don't suppose Subaru will give me a new tranmission based on this information alone...

Nope they want proof...

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

humfrz · 09-09-2020, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmoothIsSlow

Thanks for the response. I sillily did not think much of it at the time and did not take pictures. Imagine if you snip the very ends of a paper staple off. There was maybe half a dozen of such chunks at 1mm or 2mm.

I don't suppose Subaru will give me a new tranmission based on this information alone...

Why would they give you another transmission if their is nothing wrong with the one you have?

What you are seeing is just a few rough edges ground off of a few gears.

See how smooth it runs now -

Seriously, I wouldn't worry about.

SmoothIsSlow · 09-09-2020, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humfrz

Why would they give you another transmission if their is nothing wrong with the one you have?

What you are seeing is just a few rough edges ground off of a few gears.

See how smooth it runs now -

Seriously, I wouldn't worry about.

Humfrz, stopping nerds from tweaking on miata dot net since 2006

09-07-2020, 11:31 AM	#1
SmoothIsSlow Member Join Date: May 2019 Drives: BRZ Location: WA Posts: 58 Thanks: 32 Thanked 14 Times in 12 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Silver metal shavings in transmission fluid Hi all, I just did my first transmission fluid at 25k mile yesterday. The drain plug had some bright silver metallic shavings/flakes, no larger than a few millimeters, in addition to some black sludge, is this normal for a factory fill? The transmission felt fine but feels smoother even now with a new fill of motul 300. I have a lot of mechanical sympathy but track the car, which is why I changed the fluids at all.

09-07-2020, 12:58 PM	#4
soundman98 ProCrastinationConsultant Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: '14 Ranger, '18 Tacoma 4Dr LB Location: chicago-ish Posts: 11,330 Thanks: 35,240 Thanked 13,673 Times in 6,781 Posts Mentioned: 98 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	__________________ "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time"

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09-07-2020, 12:53 PM	#3
SUSPECT_BRZ Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Drives: 2020 Subaru BRZ TS Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 219 Thanks: 63 Thanked 142 Times in 70 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I would think some shavings are normal during the break-in period but I'm not too sure about the sludge. If the transmission feels fine I say you shouldn't worry about it too much.

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