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Featured Model 3 has 310 mile range

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by bwilson4web, Jul 29, 2017.

  1. Fred_H

    Fred_H Misoversimplifier

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    I am fairly certain that the Teslas have oil in the transmission that should be changed periodically. I hope they do not claim to have kamikaze "lifetime" transmission fluid.

    So of course Teslas have free (none) engine oil changes, but I doubt that all transmission oil changes are free.
     
  2. bhtooefr

    bhtooefr Senior Member

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    Plenty of vehicles - Prii included - simply don't have any type of transmission fluid or gear oil listed in their maintenance schedule.
     
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  3. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    What you didn't know...Toyota WS is magic. :LOL:
     
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  4. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    As explained by others, it was meant as a joke, which is why I used :p.
    Tesla doesn't use that joke, as apparently it isn't a very good one:(

    And yes, as others have noted, Teslas have other machine parts that require some lubricants, but obviously has no traditional oil changes.
     
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  5. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    I'm fairly certain, too ....
    that you're kidding, right?

    .
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    You think the tranny is oilless?:cool:
     
  7. m.wynn

    m.wynn Senior Member

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    I believe regular ole Dex 6... The gear reduction must be getting an oil bath.
     
    #387 m.wynn, Aug 25, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2017
  8. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    You're bad ...
    .
     
  9. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    pretty sure ... as soon as I can find the dipstick, no doubt squeezed somewhere between the drive motor & drive lines, I'll let you know for certain.

    [​IMG]

    of COURSE updates are always free - as the only thing necessary, is to push them through the cars' LTE cellular connection. It doesn't require driving your hump down to a service center. You get notified, either by your phone's app - or on the car's display screen. Like so ....
    20170822_180415.jpg

    once the update is done, you get an on-screen message that says what the latest fix or upgrade is.

    20170822_190927.jpg
    .
     
    #389 hill, Aug 25, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2017
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  10. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    My last two cars with traditional automatics didn't have a dip stick.
     
  11. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Most likely, very few trannys have sticks. That was supposed to be part of the nonexistence tranny oil humor.
    .
     
    #391 hill, Aug 25, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2017
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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    tesla tranny has a dipstick, that's the curious part. to make sure it's empty?
     
  13. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Feel free to draw an arrow on the photo - @ post #289 exactly where th3 heck that is.
    ???
    .
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    my computer doesn't go back that far.
     
  15. Fred_H

    Fred_H Misoversimplifier

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    No, not kidding, I just had the impression that 3PriusMike thought there is absolutely no oil in a Tesla, and wanted to remind him of the gearbox.
    It's probably right behind the ignition coil.

    -------------

    Here's the latest maintenance plan:
    Maintenance Plans | Tesla
    It includes "Drive Unit(s) fluid service" at 1 year / 12,500 miles.
     
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  16. m.wynn

    m.wynn Senior Member

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    Oops, I'm a little slow!:LOL::D:D.....
     
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  17. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    It looks like Tesla also uses the 'sealed' transmission design approach. But every gear stage will take ~3% of the power. By inspection, one pipe looks like a lubricant pipe feeding the top of the first gear stage. The rest can live with what 'slings down.'

    Bob Wilson

    [​IMG]
     
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  18. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    There is a black cap in the back top middle near the oil line Bob pointed out, and what appears to be a hole in line with it at the front.

    Tesla probably considers the gear oil lifetime like my transmission fluid.
     
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  19. Fred_H

    Fred_H Misoversimplifier

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    My interpretation of the maintenance plan for the model S (Maintenance Plans | Tesla) is that it repeats every 50k miles. So after the initial post break-in oil change at 12,500 mi., it would be repeated at 62,500; 112,500; 162,500; 212,500 etc.

    Comparing to the Prius, with which we are most familiar with:
    On one hand, the Tesla transmissions appear to have fewer gears and bearings than the Prius, which would speak for longer change intervals.
    On the other hand, the higher vehicle weight and and much smaller oil capacity of the Tesla (https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/2031323/) would speak for much shorter change intervals.
    So the 50k mi. for the Model S, compared to the 60-100k mi. for the Prius seems about right.

    Assuming the Model 3 is similar, then the simple drain and fill transmission maintenance costs for material and labor would come out roughly the same as for the Prius. And of course for the Tesla there are no engine oil changes, engine filters, nor spark plugs needed.
     
  20. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    Sort of. My understanding is that they check the lubrication of the two ball bearings ( four if AWD). Not sure about the non motor lubrication.