How to change the oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission. Do I need to change the oil in the automatic transmission?

The first generation Chevrolet Cobalt was initially sold exclusively in the North American market. Having first appeared in local car dealerships in 2004, the car was a fairly roomy sedan at a very affordable price with good powertrain characteristics. But in 2008, production of the model was discontinued, replacing the Cobalt. During this time, about a million copies of “Cobalt2. In 2011, it was decided to continue production of the model at the Brazilian plant for the South American market, but soon the cars began to be exported to the Middle East and the car markets of Eastern Europe.

Instructions for changing oil in Chevrolet Cobalt.

Since 2013, the assembly of Cobalts has been established in Uzbekistan - these are the models that have become the most popular and accessible for Russian car enthusiasts. In 2016, this sedan changed its name to Ravon R4. The Uzbek car with a one and a half liter engine was produced with. Changing the oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt manual transmission is a fairly standard procedure; in cars with an automatic transmission you will have to work hard to do this, since without special equipment (which is quite expensive) only a partial replacement of the transmission fluid is possible.

When to change the oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt car

In the manuals for cars of American and Brazilian assembly, it was stated that TM oil for this model, regardless of the type of gearbox, does not need to be changed throughout the entire life of the car. Most likely, the manufacturers assumed that nothing would happen to the box during the warranty period. In our conditions, there are recommendations - this is 100 thousand mileage for a manual transmission and 75 thousand for an automatic transmission. Considering the quality of our roads, the Chevrolet Cobalt should be serviced 15-20 thousand kilometers earlier, especially with an aggressive driving style.

Checking the level and quality of transmission oil

In an automatic transmission, the fluid level is checked using a dipstick, as in a manual transmission. But there are also differences: on the automatic oil dipstick there are two pairs of marks marked “Max” and “Min” - the upper one, used to measure the oil level in the Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission when the car is warm, and the lower one, with which you can determine the level on a cold car. To find out the condition of the transmission fluid, simply apply a few drops of oil from the dipstick onto white paper or cloth. The darker the color, the worse the quality of the oil.

By the way, original ATF filling fluids differ in color: for the transmission and power steering, a liquid with a red tint is used, motor oil is yellowish in color, antifreeze has a green or blue tint, which simplifies the identification of leaks.

What kind of oil to fill

The oil volume in a Chevrolet Cobalt box with automatic gear shifting is 7.8 liters (Dexron VI, catalog number 93165414). With a partial replacement, which you can do yourself, you will need about 4.5 - 4.7 liters. Instead of the original one, you can use transmission fluids from other manufacturers, but under conditions (Dextron 6). The amount of oil in a manual gearbox is 2 liters. The original lubricant is mineral water GL-4/5 with viscosity parameters SAE 75W85, which can be replaced with synthetic 75W90.

Changing the oil in a manual transmission

Sequence of actions for “Chevrolet Cobalt”:

Thus, a complete oil change in a Chevrolet Cobalt manual transmission is a procedure that does not require any special skills or the use of a large number of tools.

Partial replacement

Things aren't so good with the automatic transmission. It is enough to simply perform only a partial replacement of the TM on your own, while about 65–75% of the waste will remain in the system. You can increase the percentage of fresh fluid to 75 - 85, but this will require 2 - 3 more partial replacements with a mandatory break-in of the car between procedures (it is enough to drive 50 - 60 kilometers).

Algorithm for incomplete oil change in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission:

To fill in fresh TM, we use the technological hole located in the same place where the dipstick is located.
We check the oil level first on a cold car, and then after running it in (it’s enough to drive 10 - 15 km).

How to completely change the oil

It is unlikely that you will be able to completely change the oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission on your own - this will require expensive specialized equipment (compressor), which is not available in every car service center. In this case, the transmission is completely flushed using one and a half or double volume of oil, which will cost more than 2 - 3 partial replacements (excluding the cost of the work itself).

Note that mileage is not the main guideline indicating the need to change the oil in the gearbox. The most important criterion is the degree of contamination of the transmission fluid, which should be determined regularly, at least once a year.

How much does it cost to change the oil in an automatic transmission on a turnkey basis?

Number of gears	Partial replacement	Complete replacement
4 gears(U440)*	8,700 rub.	RUB 11,920
4 gears(4L60)*	8,700 rub.	RUB 11,920
5 gears(AW55-50)	6,680 rub.	10,300 rub.
6 gears(6T30/6T40/6T45)	6,800 rub.	10,500 rub.
6 gears(6L45)*	9,000 rub.	12,000 rub.

*Included in the price: operation, transmission fluid, maintenance kit (filter, gasket)

*The cost may be higher/lower if the client chooses another gear oil from those offered. We are the official distributor of: SHELL, Mobile, Motul, Castrol, Wolf, United Oil.

*Filter replacement required

Transmission fluids we use

10% discount on oil changes for all subscribers:

Prices for consumables (Oil, filter)

Is it necessary to change the oil in an automatic transmission?

You've probably heard of the term "maintenance-free automatic transmission." Very often, this is the basis for many services that do not know how/do not want to change the oil in the transmission. In fact, according to all international standards and regulations, changing the automatic transmission oil (ATF) and filter is required every 50,000-60,000 km. In this case, the car owner asks himself the question: “What kind of replacement do I need? Partial or complete?”

Partial or complete automatic transmission oil change?

Partial replacement (ATF update) is carried out without flushing the automatic transmission. To carry out such work, on average, 4-5 liters and half an hour of time are required. The new oil is mixed with the old, and the operation of the box becomes smoother. Many car enthusiasts believe that it is better to exclusively replace the ATF completely, with flushing the system and displacing the old fluid. We do not pursue the goal of earning as much as possible from our clients, but we warn about possible problems and recommend in some cases ONLY partial replacement.

For example, if the car's mileage is more than 100,000 km, and the oil in the gearbox has never been changed, then such a replacement can negatively affect the operation of the automatic transmission, up to its complete failure. In cars with a significant mileage, this is due to the fact that when completely replacing the transmission fluid with flushing the automatic transmission, various deposits are washed out throughout the entire system, which clog the oil channels, and without normal cooling, the box dies quite quickly. In this case, to maximize the replacement of old oil, 2-3 partial changes should be made at intervals of 200-300 km. This will certainly not be comparable to a complete ATF replacement, but the percentage of fresh fluid will be 70-75%.

In what cases is a complete ATF replacement carried out?

All of the above problems do not concern car owners who every 50,000-60,000 km. carried out a routine oil change in the transmission. In this case, a complete oil change in the automatic transmission allows the box to serve faithfully and increases its service life by 150-200%.

Changing the oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt gearbox is most often associated with the repair of the automatic transmission itself, or it is replaced with a new one during work to eliminate oil leaks, since it must be drained to carry out the work. Automatic transmission oil is filled by the manufacturer once for the entire service life of the vehicle. It is recommended to entrust changing the oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission to professionals, but in some cases you can handle this operation on your own.

Functions of ATF oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission:

• effective lubrication of rubbing surfaces and mechanisms;
• reduction of mechanical load on components;
• heat removal;
• removal of microparticles formed due to corrosion or wear of parts.

The color of ATF oil for Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission allows you not only to distinguish between oil types, but also helps to find out in the event of a leak, from which system the fluid escaped. For example, oil in automatic transmission and power steering has a red tint, antifreeze is green, and oil in the engine is yellowish. Reasons for oil leakage from an automatic transmission in a Chevrolet Cobalt:

• wear of automatic transmission seals;
• wear of the shaft surfaces, the appearance of a gap between the shaft and the sealing element;
• wear of the automatic transmission sealing element and the speedometer drive shaft;
• automatic transmission input shaft play;
• damage to the sealing layer in the connections between automatic transmission parts: pan, automatic transmission housing, crankcase, clutch housing;
• loosening the bolts that connect the above automatic transmission parts;

Low oil level in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission is the main cause of clutch failure. Due to low fluid pressure, the clutches do not press well against the steel discs and do not contact each other tightly enough. As a result, the friction linings in the Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission become very hot, charred and destroyed, significantly contaminating the oil.

Due to a lack of oil or poor quality oil in the Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission:

• the plungers and channels of the valve body become clogged with mechanical particles, which leads to a shortage of oil in the bags and provokes wear of the bushing, rubbing parts of the pump, etc.;
• the steel discs of the gearbox overheat and wear out quickly;
• rubber-coated pistons, thrust discs, clutch drum, etc. overheat and burn;
• The valve body wears out and becomes unusable.

Contaminated automatic transmission oil cannot fully remove heat and provide high-quality lubrication of parts, which leads to various malfunctions of the Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission. Heavily contaminated oil is an abrasive suspension, which under high pressure creates a sandblasting effect. Intense impact on the valve body leads to thinning of its walls at the locations of the control valves, which can result in numerous leaks.
You can check the oil level in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission using a dipstick. The oil dipstick has two pairs of marks - the upper pair Max and Min allows you to determine the level on hot oil, the lower pair - on cold oil. Using a dipstick it is easy to check the condition of the oil: you need to drop some oil onto a clean white cloth.

When choosing a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission oil for replacement, you should be guided by a simple principle: it is best to use oil recommended by Chevrolet. In this case, instead of mineral oil, you can fill in semi-synthetic or synthetic oil, but in no case should you use oil of a “lower class” than the prescribed one.

Synthetic oil for automatic transmission Chevrolet Cobalt is called “non-replaceable”; it is filled in for the entire life of the car. This oil does not lose its properties when exposed to high temperatures and is designed for a very long service life of the Chevrolet Cobalt. But we must not forget about the appearance of mechanical suspension as a result of wear of the clutches over a very significant mileage. If the automatic transmission has been operated for some time in conditions of insufficient oil, it is necessary to check the degree of contamination and, if necessary, replace it.

Methods for changing the oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission:

• Partial oil change in a Chevrolet Cobalt box;
• Complete oil change in a Chevrolet Cobalt box;

A partial oil change in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission can be done independently. To do this, just unscrew the drain on the pan, drive the car onto an overpass, and collect the oil in a container. Usually up to 25-40% of the volume leaks out, the remaining 60-75% remains in the torque converter, that is, in fact this is an update, not a replacement. To update the oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission in this way to the maximum, 2-3 changes will be required.

A complete Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission oil change is carried out using an automatic transmission oil change unit, car service specialists. In this case, more ATF oil will be required than the Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission can accommodate. For flushing, one and a half or double volume of fresh ATF is required. The cost will be more expensive than a partial replacement, and not every car service provides such a service.
Partial replacement of ATF oil in a Chevrolet Cobalt automatic transmission according to a simplified scheme:

1. Unscrew the drain plug and drain the old ATF oil;
2. We unscrew the automatic transmission pan, which, in addition to the bolts holding it, is treated along the contour with sealant.
3. We gain access to the automatic transmission filter; it is advisable to change it at every oil change, or rinse it.
4. At the bottom of the tray there are magnets, which are necessary for collecting metal dust and shavings.
5. We clean the magnets and wash the tray, wipe it dry.
6. We install the automatic transmission filter in place.
7. We install the automatic transmission pan in place, replacing the automatic transmission pan gasket if necessary.
8. We tighten the drain plug, replacing the drain plug gasket for the automatic transmission.

We fill the oil through the technological filler hole (where the automatic transmission dipstick is located), using the dipstick we control the oil level in the automatic transmission when it is cold. After changing the oil in an automatic transmission, it is important to check its level after driving 10-20 km, already with the automatic transmission warmed up. If necessary, top up to level. The regularity of oil changes depends not only on the mileage, but also on the nature of driving the Chevrolet Cobalt. You should focus not on the recommended mileage, but on the degree of contamination of the oil, systematically checking it.

Agree, for a car, a mileage of 35 thousand kilometers is not so much. This is exactly the value recorded on the Chevrolet Cobalt odometer. As it turns out, 35 thousand kilometers can seriously age a car, although a lot depends on driving style and operating conditions.

Yes, the car was “lucky” to participate in quite severe tests. At the same time, the car did not cause any special troubles, although it was not without difficulties.

During another trip, a stone hit the windshield of the car and almost immediately a long crack appeared on the surface. With such a malfunction, it is no longer possible to pass the technical inspection, and, frankly speaking, it interferes with the review. It’s good that the car was insured under Casco, so a couple of days later the insurance company arranged to replace the damaged glass.

Any engine consumes oil to one degree or another. Cobalt is not excessively gluttonous in this regard. However, after another test, traces of oil appeared on the inside of the hood lid. And this is actually very strange, because the dipstick shows a normal level, and an inspection showed that there are no traces of oil in the filler plug on the gearbox block, the plug is tightly screwed on.

Changes also appeared in Cobalt’s behavior: the automatic transmission jerks when changing gears, and this is progressive. The car was re-inspected. In order to gain full access to the drain plug, it is necessary to dismantle the protection of the engine compartment.

It turned out that the drain plug was screwed on well, but the rubber plug of the gearbox housing had disappeared somewhere, and it was from there that the oil was splashing out. If you are interested, this plug is located on the side of the unit, slightly below the left drive. Surely, it was lost while driving on bad roads, where the whole car shakes and throws from side to side. The car owner ordered an original plug, and while it was in progress, he closed the hole with a rubber seal of the appropriate size.

This has its own advantage: the owner now knows exactly what oil level should be in a warmed-up gearbox and the transmission oil change interval. In the first case, oil must be poured under the edge of the filler hole, and the oil must be changed every 150 thousand kilometers under normal operating conditions and every 75 thousand kilometers under extreme operating conditions.

It should be emphasized here that the six-speed automatic transmission that is installed on the Cobalt is a rarity in the segment of budget sedans. According to the owner, he is pleased with the gearbox: it is well tuned, allows you to start sharply and quickly gain speed. Not once did he get the feeling that the automatic transmission was thoughtful and took a long time to react to road conditions. Yes, we must not forget that the Chevrolet Cobalt is not a racing car, but a family car. Probably, this is precisely the reason why the car developers have manual gear shift buttons on the selector handle. It is extremely inconvenient to press there from the driver's seat while driving and control the box. And at first, out of habit, you confuse increasing and decreasing speed.

What about our gasoline consumption? If you drive on the highway, the consumption is approximately 6 liters per 100 km. In urban conditions, the engine will “gobble up” about 10 liters, although if you avoid traffic jams, this figure will more likely be equal to 8.5 - 9 liters.

During the second technical inspection, the service center cleaned the windshield washer nozzles, and the wipers were also replaced.

One winter morning, the owner of the car, leaving the parking lot, turned the steering wheel all the way and heard a crunching sound. After warming, the sound disappeared, and after the temperature dropped, it appeared again. As it turned out, the reason was wear on the support bearings of the front struts.

Another trouble was associated with a tree falling onto the roof. The result was a dent and scratches. To summarize, it can be noted that despite its Uzbek assembly, Cobalt showed itself on the good side, although you shouldn’t expect too much from it.