tranny flush

[Ray McIntireJr]

Going over in a bit to get my tranny flush. I called to see if I needed an appt but can just walk in. I decided I had better get this done, have just recently started getting the 1-2 flare. Have about 58 or 59 thousand miles. Plan on doing the diff in the near future.

 

[Todd Z]

You should also consider if you have not done so, replacing the tranny filter as well...

Todd Z

 

[Richard L]

I agree with Todd. Ordinarily, if you get your fluid flushed regularly at 25K-30K mile intervals, you can go 100K miles without changing the tranny filter. Since you have gone over 2 times as far on the old original fluid, you should get the filter changed as well. That will envolve dropping the transmission pan, changing the filter, and then doing a flush, so the cost will be higher than just the flush alone, but still below $150 (assuming you are not going to a dealer). If they want more, look elsewhere.



...Rich

 

[Ray McIntireJr]

Had the flush done thurs. and it cost $148. Thought that was kind of steep. Took 12 qts of fluid and "conditioning materials" according to the invoice. It also says that they put a "trans kit" in. I called back over there today to find out just what a trans kit was the guy I talked to said it was, well now I forgot what he said. I guess I can't read and type at the same time. Anyway I thought it might be a trans filter so I asked and he said that they don't use filters anymore that it's a metal screen. As a matter of fact he said that he couldn't remember the last time he had a filter changed. This was a ford dealer btw. I had planned on doing the filter later by myself, and I didn't buy the trac new, it had right around 43,000 on it when I bought it.(When I first posted this I meant the 2-3 flare,fyi.)

P.S. I think he said the "trans kit" was cleaners and conditioners.

 

[Mike Wilson]

Ford knows that they have a problem with this particular condition. Keep your paperwork

handy and secure!

By the way, Ray, I live in Hohenwald, TN., the home of the Elephant Sanctuary, U.S.A.!

And right down the road from Sterling Marlin...(Sterling, Who?)

Oh, well... He won two Daytona 500's, and hasn't been heard from since.

So goes it...:blink:

 

[walter clark]

I dont trust the trany flush. It sounds like alot of places either botch the job (like useing dextron or regular mercron insted of mercron v) or sell alot of snake oil along with the job. I recently did a pan off with filter change and personaly feel this is the most effective way (and it's realy not that difficult if you follow the directions in the projects section). I actualy changed the filter unlike the flush. No chances of residue left from other vehichles flush or left over cleaners or conditioners. Also I was able to clean the sediment out of the pan and maganet trap as well as inspect the deposits for indicators of problems in the future. I know this method dosent replace all the fluid but if done at regular intervials it will have the same effect. Oh yea and the best part is it only cost me about $32 for filter, gasket, and 5 qts of Mercron V along with about 1 hr of my time. cha-ching

 

[Ray McIntireJr]

Like I said earlier, I plan on changing the filter at a later date and doing the epc adjustment while I'm under there.



P.S. When I called back over and talked to one of the service managers he said that they don't put trans filters in anymore, they use(what he called) something that looks like a metal screen. I,m not sure if I like that too well.

 

[FlipTrac_511]

For what it's worth, I dropped the pan on my 04 just recently and changed the "filter" I got from a Ford dealership. The parts invoice description says "Screen Asy".

 

[Richard L]

Transmission filters are not the same as an engine oil filter. They are more like a fine mesh that only stops the larger particles from getting pumped back through the transmission. When the engine is shut off, the transmission pump stops sucking up fluid and the majority of the particles stopped by the filter will drop harmlessly into the pan where the harmfull metal particles are trapped by the pan magnet.



Transmission filters are only surface filters and are not designed to trap and hold dirt and debris the way an engine oil filter does. The transmission does not contain any combustion byproducts and the fluid does not become highly acidic nor does it change to sludge. If overheated, transmission fluid can develope a varnish that will coat parts and cause throttle body valves and check-balls to stick. If you change fluid regularly, the varnish will not form and the normal wear particles will not clog the filter.



As for shops botching transminssion flushes? Remember that you only hear the horror stories. That same shop may have done hundreds of tranny flushes without a problem. The biggest thing to do is check out the shop. Talk to the manager or senior tech. Be sure they know what you know or will be checking on their work. If you don't get that warm fuzzy feeling, then go somewhere else.



I do not recommend getting a tranny flushed where they claim that they a including cleaners and conditioners especially at a premium price. While these additives will probably not harm your transmission, your transmission does not need them. They are only used to enhanse the shop's profit.



I have gotten 2 transmission flushes (One on each of my 2 Sport Tracs) and I only paid $85 each and they included 14 quarts of 100% synthetic Mercon-V fluid (Made by Penzoil). I have not had any problems with either vehicle.



...Rich

 

[Tom Schindler]

I installed a drain plug on my pan. Once a year, I pull the plug, let it drain, fill it back up. Start engine, shift through the settings, shut down. Drain tranny, fill back up. Shift through gears, shut engine off. Pull plug, then pull pan. Replace filter, install pan, fill tranny up and take a test drive.



Motorcraft filters are made out of a material called Filtron made by 3M. From some of my research, it is the same filter media used in surgical masks.





Tom