I've done gone synthetic in tranny & engine (3mpg increase)

[Christ]

Originally Posted by luvit

hey, uh, do i have to worry about the tranny filter getting filled/plugged?
my tranny filter is inside the tranny.. unaccessible. lol.

Should have changed the filter at the same time as the fluid, really.

If your transmission starts acting funny, drop the pan, run the fluid through a strainer/filter (T-shirt in a collander) and you can reuse it with a new filter, as long as it's still pinkish red. If it's discolored, or has a burnt smell, discard and install new fluid. This time, check to see if your torque converter has a drain plug.

[luvit]

i get that. the reason it wasn't done was, i wan't going to go through all that, nor pay someone. i went to a "penzoil oil change" oil change company to flush and add tranny fluid.
their tranny flush does not drop the tranny and claimed to back flush the tranny filter.

so my question should have been:

what are the odds i'll have trouble?
i replaced 25yr old tranny fluid in a tranny that's never been dropped.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by luvit

i get that. the reason it wasn't done was, i wan't going to go through all that, nor pay someone. i went to a "penzoil oil change" oil change company to flush and add tranny fluid.
their tranny flush does not drop the tranny and claimed to back flush the tranny filter.

so my question should have been:

what are the odds i'll have trouble?
i replaced 25yr old tranny fluid in a tranny that's never been dropped.

My answer is:

Have you ever tried to wash grease out of a t-shirt from the backside?

That's what they just did. If they flushed your transmission, there is a high likelihood that you'll have trouble in the near future. Monitor your fluid closely for grit and a burnt smell, and pay close attention to your transmission's cold and normal operating performance.

If you see grit in your fluid, there's a good chance that the clutches are wearing in your transmission, and it may fail as a result. Most OEM's do not recommend transmission flushing due to this sort of thing. Also, as I noted above with the T-shirt analogy, it's simply not possible to clean a filter by back flushing it. You'll get the solid particulate off the surface, but the filter media will still be dirty and restrictive, which is bad.

[luvit]

i;ll watch. i knew i was prolly taking a gamble, but i;ll keep ya posted on effects.

[Christ]

I'm not going to guarantee a doomsday scenario for you, because it doesn't always happen. Better to know what could happen and watch for it, though.

[moonmonkey]

had a flush done on my 2001 f250 ,waited way too long,130k,, jiffy lube made me sign a paper holding them harmless if the flush damaged my trans,so sounds like flushes dont always end so well like christ said,but knock on wood 160k now and it survived.

[luvit]

mmm k, so far:
i pushed my weekly commute at 72mph @ 3mpg increase (11.5%).
i;ll be busy driving a lot this week, but on thursday night i;ll hypermile my regular commute which i do track closely each direction for it's increase.

[BamZipPow]

Invest in some Auto-RX and put that in yer transmission. Hopefully any crud in yer transmission will git dissolved before it becomes a serious issue.

[suspectnumber961]

This is an old writeup I did after flushing an auto in an '86 Nissan V6.....

I did several flushes over say 10K miles using regular ATF and each time checked the fluid coming out in a clear jar...I could see floating "gum" particles. After about the 3rd flush I put the synth in along with the Lubegard additive...which is what finally helped a sticking valve in the trans.

You can find the Lubegard add at NAPA...but you need to use the exact type called for for your car.

......

My experience (which is limited) is that when you change or flush an auto, you remove the buildup of clutch grit and metal particles (which are wearing your trans out), but you also put in new ATF which starts to pull the varnish and gum out off of the interior surfaces, valves, etc...and with the grit gone, you can have more slipping.

Best bet is to totally flush the trans thru the hoses at the rad...this way you can remove almost all the ATF from it and replace it with new...instead of about 1/2 of it thru the pan.

You would probably want to start with regular ATF and do a full flush 2-3 times lasting about 1000 miles of drivng each....in order to clean out most old sludge, grit, and varnish......and then put in Mobil 1 synth ATF.

Mobil 1 synth usually helps a trans to have crisp shifts, if it's not loaded down with crud.

The vacuum modulator valve also controls shifting in a major way and my limited experience says it would be best to use a used OEM vac modulator rather than a new aftermarket one. New OEM is even better.

How to do it: Check that the trans is at a FULL level first.

If you've removed or drained the pan, you've probably removed about 1/2 the ATF already & cleaned the pan & replaced the screen or filter.

With the front of the car on ramps....find the hose at the radiator that comes from the trans (one that flows to the radiator), put the radiator end in a bucket...& with a hot trans...run the car at IDLE in PARK till the flow almost stops...then shut it off.

Add the same amount as you took out. Do this until you see clean new ATF coming out. If you have a clear container you can compare old & new ATF.

Put the hoses back on securely and check your ATF level. Drive for 1K miles.

* Need to be very careful when removing the old hose from the radiator...or you might end up replacing the rad. You also might want to replace the old hoses if they are hardened...but use ONLY the right hose type though. With new clamps.

Later, if you do the flush a couple of times without removing the pan...you will need to exchange all of it.

If the pan gasket did not leak, and it comes off with the gasket intact...just bolt it back on to specs...do not overtighten the bolts.

This flushing method is easier on the trans than the commercial methods, since it uses the regular working of the trans to do it. Keep things very clean...no lint from a rag even.

I also use Lubegard trans additive which can help with sticking valves and governors that synth ATF might not help...you need to buy the right kind for a Honda though.

Redirecting...

Also sell a flushing additive....

I do a total flush about every 15K miles with Mobil synth ATF after cleaning the pan. And add more Lubegard.

Another method is to drain the trans pan at each motor oil change and refill, replacing about 1/2 of it. This would be done after the flushing process was done.

Some trans have bands/clutches that can be adjusted, but if it works reasonably OK...I'd say, just flush it and don't mess.

* no guarantees....this process may or may not work as expected....all transmissions are different....so are the people working on them....

[luvit]

thanks.
i may be too lazy for all that. what if i just get a regualar trans flush every 3k miles with my oil change 2 or 3 times? lol.