Automatic Transmission Service

[N80]

I took my '03 F-150 in for an oil change and the Ford place told me my transmission fluid and steering fluid were 'brown' and I needed to have the tranny and steering system 'flushed'. He said it should have been done 20k miles ago. (Of course when I took it in 5k miles ago he said nothing about the tranny fluid!) I thought he was blowing smoke up my skirt (as service departments will do from time to time when the customer is a dumb blonde or gullable dufus like me). The truck has 50k miles on it and no problems. I usually follow proper service schedules and did not remember anything about have the tranny fluid changed.

So I went back to my maintanence schedule and sure enough, right there in crypitc numbers and in parentheses was the transmission on my truck. How on earth was I to know that I have the "4R100" transmission? Well I do, and it should have been serviced 20k miles ago.

However, the manual says nothing about 'flushing' the tranny and nothing about flushing or changing the steering fluid at all.

The price to do both is only about $225.

My questions are:

What is flushing?
Does it provide any benefit over just changing the fluid?
Would you bother having the steering fluid changed OR flushed?

Thanks for your opinions.

(By the way, I'm new to automatic transmissions (I hate them) and I used to do all the maintanence on my manula tranny vehicles myself.)

 

[DieselPower]

Having worked in dealerships in the past I am very familiar with the flush machines. In my opinion they do work and exchange a greater quantity of the oil than a simple drain does. In the transmission when you pull the pan that's the only fluid that is getting changed. The flush machine hooks up in series with the cooler lines and exchanges the dirty fluid for clean oil. Basically the same setup for the power steering system.

Don't get me wrong, they are money makers for the service shop. If they were not they wouldn't be using them. But they do provide a more complete fluid change than the simple drain and refill will. Is it worth it, that's up to you. I have my own transmission flush machine I purchased at a auction a couple of years ago and I use it on all my vehicles.

If you are unsure if you want to do it or not my suggestion would be to have the dealership take you over to their flush machines and explain what they do. They can actually show you how they hook up and flush the system out. A little hands on demonstration goes a long way to a lot of understanding.

 

[N80]

That's pretty much what I thought. And to tell the whole truth, I know the owner of the dealership very well and the service guy is a patient of mine.

So, I don't mind spending a couple of hundred on this truck with friends. The idea of flushing the tranny seems like a good one and I can see where it could get more 'junk' out of the tranny than just changing the fluid. I'm a little less impressed with the idea of a steering system flush. But, I'll probably just do it. I have not had to spend any money on this truck in 50K miles. Plus, they treat me like a king at this place, offering me drinks, rides or loaners, etc. They have treated my Dad well to.

Its a lot easier to spend a little money on fluff at a place that treats you well.

 

[BillyP]

That's pretty much what I thought. And to tell the whole truth, I know the owner of the dealership very well and the service guy is a patient of mine.

Maybe the service guy is getting even.

Sorry, couldn't help myself

 

[N80]

Could be. Maybe next time he's in to see me for 'routine maintenance' I'll recommend a 'system flush' for him too!

 

[jdbower]

Could be. Maybe next time he's in to see me for 'routine maintenance' I'll recommend a 'system flush' for him too!

Make sure you've got a garden hose in your hand when you say that

My truck has "lifetime" tranny fluid so they say, but "lifetime" turns out to be based on the assumption that the truck will explode at 100k. I had mine flushed at 70k just to play it safe.

 

[N80]

Well, the generic maintenance schedule book that came with my truck makes it look like most other vehicles don't need to change the fluid, but it lists several trannys, including mine (by part number!) that need to be changed every 30k miles. That's why I overlooked it. No big deal but I don't understand why that can't give you a maintenance schedule just for the vehicle I have.....I don't really need to know how often you have to change wiper fluid on a Ford Focus!

 

[Bird]

I recently changed Ford dealers for doing my routine service. The one I've been using does good work and they're likeable people, but they are always trying to sell you things you don't need. However, I do get all the service done that the manufacturer recommends, and yep, I let them flush the transmission and power steering at 60k miles.

 

[jdbower]

I don't really need to know how often you have to change wiper fluid on a Ford Focus!

Yeah, but those Focuses really blow through the blinker fluid, I think it may be a design issue...

 

[Slacker]

How does the Tranny filter get changed when the "flush" method is used?

 

[RayH]

You drop the drain pan to change the filter. Its not really a part of the flush process but its usually done in conjuction with it.
If you just drain the pan, you only recover about half the fluid. A flush changes practically all the fluid. If your tranny fluid looked good and clear and didnt smell burnt, I would say just drop the pan the change the filter, but since its "brown", flushing it is probably a good thing.
You should be asking yourself (you a service tech) why a truck with only 50000 miles on it has "brown" tranny fluid. In a truck with that low of mileage, brown or burnt fluid usually indicates that the tranny has been overheated, has been slipping or it has ingested some water.

 

[Redbug]

Hi George,

The reason a flush is good, (in addition to also having the filter changed), is because it replaces the oil in the torque converter. Just draining the transmission oil does not drain all the old oil out of the torque converter. It's a good bit of oil.

Here's an interesting site. Scroll down to the lower right hand column...there's a section of flushing... Transmisions

 

[RayH]

Here's an interesting site. Scroll down to the lower right hand column...there's a section of flushing... Transmisions

I didnt read the whole site but I would caution anyone about believing information from any transmission site that cant spell transmission correctly.

 

[kenmac]

I change my tranny fluid from time to time. I installed a drain plug in the tranny pan to make it easier, but, like it has been said . You can't get all the fluid out with out a flush or removing the tranny & taking it apart.When I change my fluid (& filter) I will run a few hundred miles & change the fluid only in hopes of getting out some of the old that has mixed with the new

 

[N80]

You should be asking yourself (you a service tech) why a truck with only 50000 miles on it has "brown" tranny fluid. In a truck with that low of mileage, brown or burnt fluid usually indicates that the tranny has been overheated, has been slipping or it has ingested some water.

Well, first I suspect they tell anyone who is past due for a change that their fluid is brown and of course they say the word brown the way a doctor would say 'mass' or tumor. Second, how brown is brown? I can't say that I've ever seen new automatic transmission fluid, but it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't slightly amber and maybe mine is now dark amber.....which is 'brown' to a mechanic. (I never actually saw it. And remember, the power steering fluid was 'brown' too and the manual does not indicate that it ever needs changing, much less flushing.) Third, the service interval is30k miles so I have neglected it. Maybe that made it a little brown too.

But, this truck has had the lightest duty of any vehicle I've ever owned. And it is running and shifting just fine. So I don't think it has a tumor.

JD, that article was interesting. Not only am I going to have my blinker fluid changed...I'm going to demand that the blinker system be flushed as well!!!

 

[Bird]

I've ever seen new automatic transmission fluid

It might be worthwhile to open a can, even it goes to waste, or to pull the dipstick on a fairly new vehicle to get an idea of what it should look and smell like. If yours smells burnt, then that's really bad, but in my personal experience, that's relatively rare.

 

[RayH]

It might be worthwhile to open a can, even it goes to waste, or to pull the dipstick on a fairly new vehicle to get an idea of what it should look and smell like. If yours smells burnt, then that's really bad, but in my personal experience, that's relatively rare.

Agreed, tranny fluid is no where near brown when its new. Its actually a very bright red. It only turns brown when its contaminated or burnt. And it is unusual for a newer vehicle with so few miles to have brown, or brownish or anything but bright red fluid. Thats why I said this is something you should question. You shouldnt take offense at that, none is meant. Im just saying that if its brownish, thats not usual even if you did skip some maintenance.
Ive got two older vehicles with automatics, one with 133000 and the other with 106000. The fluid in both of those is bright red. A vehicle with 50000 should not have anything resembling brown fluid in the tranny.

 

[DieselPower]

Just a little note on the color of "new" ATF oil. It might not be bright or light red. The color is only a dye and depending on what the lubricants manufacturer uses it could be any color. The ATF I sell is a very dark red. I have also seen amber (un-dyed), purple and even green. I recomend you take Bird's suggestion and check it after you have it changed. Get familiar with what it looks like and smells like when it's new so you can spot any possible problems in the future.

 

[PSDStu]

Just got done changing the tranny fluid and replacing the filter on my 97 PSD and although it's a messy job without a drain plug I am at least lucky that my tranny has a drain plug for the torque converter, so I get most of the old tranny fluid out and with the pan dropped can wipe it clean and inspect the drain pan magnet.

I like doing my own maint and I understand that some folks don't have the time or desire to do there own maint.

 

[Egon]

Just for interest: Some new vehicles do not have dipsticks on the auto transmission??