To Flush or Not to Flush, tranny fluid, I mean!
Old School or New School
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Transmission servicing has gotten confusing, do I pull the pan, use additives, hook up a machine, do a dance?
Knowing that a transmission is 2-4 Grand to replaced now, you better get it right. There are really no adjustments available on newer transmissions, so pulling the pan for that reason is out the door. Pulling the pan does allow you to look at things and change the filter. Fine. Do you know how many filters I have seen plugged in nearly 30 years. Unless the tranny is grenading internally, NONE. The pan gaskets are made much better now, so they rarely leak. Besides, pulling the pan allows you to change no more that half the fluid. By the time we service these things, you better get it all out! Assuming we’re not trying to “fix” anything, and the pan is not leaking, leave it on the car! This is a service after all. Each car should be evaluated individually but a good cleaner like BG Quick Clean and a full flush with BG synthetic fluid gives your Trans the best chance possible at surviving for hundreds of thousands of miles.
sending...
February 16th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Question for you? The other day i was at a auto parts store and I asked the parts guy why do you change filters on an auto trans and his reply was cuz they get plugged by dirty trans fluid.
February 16th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Tranny fluid is not in the same environment as say, engine oil, it does produce some filterable product, clutch material, slag, small metal parts. But, the amount developed by a trans is nowhere near the amount developed by engine oil. It is a much more closed, and clean environment. This plus, the filters is huge to take the flow of fluid required. So, normally nowadays, that filter will not plug for 100-200,000 miles. Sure, we can pull the pan if you want. It’s your money! But guess what, you still have to flush the rest. tr