[Big Shoe]

Oops. 106,000 miles. F-150 HD (7 lug) Time to change tranny fluid. Not like me to let that get by. :no:

Seems there are two schools of thought on this now. Drop pan and change a few quarts. Or flush it all out.

And hear of problems cropping up after fluid change. Great.

Input...............Thanks guys

 

[TxElectrician]

usually change mine after 300,000

 

[tjbnwi]

Oops. 106,000 miles. F-150 HD (7 lug) Time to change tranny fluid. Not like me to let that get by. :no:

Seems there are two schools of thought on this now. Drop pan and change a few quarts. Or flush it all out.

And hear of problems cropping up after fluid change. Great.

Input...............Thanks guys

Make sure you can change it. Some no longer have a dip stick and it must be a flush and fill.

Fords still have a torque converter drain plug, you should be able to drain almost 100% of the fluid.

Yep, had to rebuild the trans in my wife's Exploder after a fluid change. Delayed engagement in the morning.

Tom

 

[TxElectrician]

Yep, had to rebuild the trans in my wife's Exploder after a fluid change. Delayed engagement in the morning.

Tom

That's exactly why I don't change the fluid, only times I've had problems is when I have.

Well, one other time when I got carried away pulling trees down with a F250.

 

[tjbnwi]

That's exactly why I don't change the fluid, only times I've had problems is when I have.

Well, one other time when I got carried away pulling trees down with a F250.

Either change the fluid on schedule or don't change it at all.

My recommendation to Big Shoe, leave it alone.

Tom

 

[MarkJames]

Take the advice of your trusted mechanic. I toasted a couple transmissions before I finally learned my lesson.

(Now I run my vehicles into the ground in other ways.)

 

[hdavis]

Change the filter and replace a quart, unless it's burned, then just change the filter.

 

[tjbnwi]

Change the filter and replace a quart, unless it's burned, then just change the filter.

How? When you remove the pan to get to the filter, you'll lose far more than a quart. Closer to 6 or 7.

To the Big Shoe, make sure you get the proper fluid, there are now 5 different trans fluids for Ford automatic transmissions. The proper fluid will be imprinted on the dipstick handle or the dipstick itself (assumes you have a dipstick).

Tom

 

[WarnerConstInc.]

I am getting ready to drop the pan on my 78 chevy th400. Pan gasket leaks, so I figure filter and fluid. Not sure about the last 36 years of maintenance on it, only has 100k on it.

 

[hdavis]

How? When you remove the pan to get to the filter, you'll lose far more than a quart. Closer to 6 or 7.

To the Big Shoe, make sure you get the proper fluid, there are now 5 different trans fluids for Ford automatic transmissions. The proper fluid will be imprinted on the dipstick handle or the dipstick itself (assumes you have a dipstick).

Tom

I use a big pan to catch it, and filter it before putting it back in. On a neglected transmission, putting all new fluid in can loosen too much of the crud that gets deposited everywhere (tranny sludge?), leading to plugging. Same basic problem as flushing an engine - you may get away with it, or you may not.

 

[WarnerConstInc.]

Flushing is way different then a service. Service is dropping pan, changing filter, new gaskets and about 4 or 5 quarts of atf. A flush will replace all 11 to 17 quarts.

 

[rustyjames]

I would never have a tranny flushed. Proof to me was a friend of mine had his Suburban flushed and about a week later it let go, only about 60,000 on it too. I would just do the filter, fluid and torque converter, if it has a drain plug.

 

[NCMCarpentry]

Unless you do it regularly since its brand new I'd never flush it. Dropping the pan and changing the fluid shouldn't mess anything up. Make sure to do it when its good and hot.

 

[WarnerConstInc.]

Finished up the th400 today. New filter and gasket and it took 6 1/2 quarts to fill it back up.

 

[Red Adobe]

A true trans flush is bad becuase it runs the fluid backwards thru the valve body so the sediments that havent made it to the filter are then pushed the wrong way thru check balls and small orrifices. The machine that doese it is much like a pressure tank on a well

Ok on somewhat modern trans 70s to 2000 replacing the fluid and filter wont harm the trans at all, but often the trans is already wounded badly when we think to do this. If you have the pan off pull the cylanoids and clean them with starting fluid and inspect the wirring. On GMs you can replace the noids and entire wirring for $200 and fix most issues (includes filter fluid and gaskets)

I like lucas trans fix for minor issues and routine add a bit, Its kept dads 700r4 alive to 260,000 so far..... I added the first when he got it 3 years ago with 140k mi. as far as we know the trans has never been into.

 

[Big Shoe]

Hmmmm. I'll have to chew on this. My trusted mechanic is out of town right now. Mud Jam. I'll bother him next week.

I'm liking the ''If it ain't broke don't fix it route''. Going to let it be for now.

Just dropped $265 on Suburban repairs/maintenance. I'll decide what to do with the truck tranny soon.

Thanks for all the good advice. :thumbsup: