transmission flush
 

i need your guys advice, im doing my tranny flush tomorrow but ive heard from a few people that the only real way to get all the old fluids out is to take it to a shop to have them put a flush machine on it to really get everything out. and they also said that even though you drop the pan and get all the visible fluids out, theres still a lot left in the hoses and tranny. is this true? or can i go ahead and flush it out myself? i want to get it done right so let me know.
thanks
-Luc

Re: transmission flush
 

I've heard bad things about a power flush messing up a tranny. It's better to drain and fill then repeat. It also depends on how current you are with your current fluid change.

Re: transmission flush
 

it has'nt been done since i got the truck 2 yrs ago so i know its time. so do u know how many quarts it takes to do this?

Re: transmission flush
 

There are 2 ways to get all the fluid out. The fluid in the pan is nothing compared to whats trapped in the converter and the oil passage ways. You can take it in and have it flushed on the machine. Or you can do 3 or 4 oil changes yourself. I recomend the flush machine. It is a better way to do it and it is a lot cheaper than doing 3 fluid changes at home. The flush machine will not damage anything as long as they don't strip the cooler lines hooking up the machine. I'm certified In rebuilding and servicing Allison transmissions, and have performed a flush many times. It is not a bad thing to do at all.

Re: transmission flush
 

I recently took my Ranger to a Ford Dealership to replace the radiator last Saturday. The service technician said my transmission fluild looked terrible and I should replace it ASAP and they charge me about $200. About a year ago, I had another Ford Dealership suggest I get a transmission flush but I was hesitant because I never heard of a transmission flush at the time and wanted to research it. Ford claims that they have a good cleaning additive but I am curious if anyone has gotten a professional tranny flush and if any issues have resulted.

Re: transmission flush
 

If it were me, I would look around for advertised specials in your area for transmission shops doing services. I took my F150 to one here and paid like $35 for a drain and fill with new fluid and filter.

Re: transmission flush
 

I was going o have a flush done but they told me since my truck had 133k miles and no one knows if it has been done before they said not too because it could damage the tranny

Re: transmission flush
 

yeah I got 82K and I've never changed it. Kept putting it off and the miles added up. Now I don't want to mess with it because it still shifts like butter and I've heard that it can damage it to change it after too long.

Been thinking about at least dropping the pan and changing the filter

Re: transmission flush
 

Why would changing the fluid cause damage? You change your engine oil, don't you? Just because your engine is running good, you don't just let the oil go unchanged. The only time I can think of that flushing the fluid would be bad is if the trans is acting up and changing the fluid dislodges something that was holding it together.

But as for the op question, I have read of people that do a complete flush at home with no special machine. Just find what cooler lines shoots the fluid out and which one sucks it back to the tranny. Put an empty bucket under the line shooting fluid out and stick the sucking line in a clean bucket with new fluid in it. Just be sure not to put too much fluid in the bucket and overfill the tranny. It would be easier to add fluid after the fact then try and drain some.

Re: transmission flush
 

As your transmission fluid oxidizes from heat and moisture it sludges up a bit. There are also a ton of metal particles floating around in there. The thing is most of this gunk settles around seals such as the output/input shafts. The seals get worn out from everyday use and become brittle when the transmission fluid becomes oxidized and removes the petrol reminants in the rubber. The gunk build up around those seals is probably the only thing stopping your transmission from leaking right now. Flushing all these deposits out (you can never get ALL of them) exposes all those seals to fresh new (and thinner) transmission fluid which can easily seep through the imperfections of a worn out seal. Also, worn out transmission fluid loses its detergent properties. Adding new trans fluid will over time wash away all that sludge build up that was in the transmission earlier. This sludge gets washed down into the pan and picked up in the filter which can cause a clog and the lead to transmission failure.

Tad

That is why I wouldn't do a full out flush after it has been neglected.

Re: transmission flush
 

Well said

Re: transmission flush
 

Ok, so how is that any different than engine oil and engine seals. Gunk and crap can build up around the seals in your engine as well, and putting new fresh oil in it can do the same thing. And you still change your oil every 3,000-5,000 miles.

And about the filter getting plugged up with the tons and tons of junk that will deplete the flow through the filter that causes the trans to go out, do a complete flush, drive it that way for a day or two to catch all the junk, and then drop the pan and change the filter. Yes it is more expensive because your have to buy an extra 6-8 quarts of trans fluid. But since when is doing something the right way the cheap way? And for that matter, since when is owning a vehicle cheap?

Re: transmission flush
 

exactly, if you change it regularly there is not a problem, I'm talking about neglected maintenance. I would still drop the pan and change the filter and add the amount needed that comes out of the pan but I wouldn't do a flush

never said it was

Re: transmission flush
 

Not to reserect an old thread here... but does anybody have a DIY on doing a transmission flush on a 2004 Ranger 4.0Liter V6 Automatic with 4x4?

I just cleared 44k miles, and it says in my manual to get one done at 45k miles. I looked on YouTube and I saw how some people did them on different trucks, but I'm not sure how to do it on this truck and where the lines are to pump the old fluid through (sender and return cooler lines).

Any help?

Re: transmission flush
 

You can't properly flush it yourself without a machine. You can disconnect the cooler lines to the radiator and pump out most of it while you pour in new fluid. But you can't suck fluid in through the other cooler line so no matter how you do it, you're not going to do it completely. Looks for specials at your area shops and see if you can find an inexpensive flush.