Transmission Flush Opinions

[diyer2]

Beamie,

3 hours ago, pokismoki said:

just do the flush from cooler line cost $5 for the hose to connect to the cooler line, pump it out... I usually run 3 gallons thru.

 

I highly suggest installing an AUx spin on filter they do catch lots of trash the course pan filter misses

In my opinion this is not a flush. It is a complete fluid exchange. I used to have this done at Jiffy Lube on my 93 5.7 4 speed 4L80E. They tapped into the trans line at the radiator. Now they have a machine with 2 small hoses that go into the trans fill tube. It removes and replaces the fluid without tapping into the trans lines. It's about $125 I think. Call around , ask questions about the service offered.

 

Or tap into the lines and do it yourself.

 

Or buy this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AJR8E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Remove fluid through dip stick tube and replace as many times as you like or until the fluid is pink. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

u

[swathdiver]

On 9/3/2021 at 3:59 PM, Beamie said:

We're do for our (first) scheduled 100,000 mile transmission fluid change on our '08 4 speed automatic trans and our regular servicing shop says they have a machine the flushes the trans and replaced "all" 12 quarts of fluid. One of the remarks that throws me is hearing that the filter gets flushed.

I really don't know the details of the procedure as I didn't know what to ask.

I have read opinions on both sides of the fence but don't know the basis of the opinions, irregardless of which side of the fence they are on.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone with first hand experiences with that so I can make an informed decision.

You are doing yourself a disservice by waiting until 100K miles to service the transmission.  Most folks whether they know it or now fall under the severe service category and ought to change their fluids in half that time or less.

 

For you and the others who are at or over 100K and haven't changed the fluid yet, don't hesitate to change it.  These are not 1970s transmissions.  They are smart and self-adjusting as they age.  Nearly all dealerships follow the shop manual which says to use the Transflow machine to do a fluid exchange which also cleans out the filter and tests the flow through the transmission cooler if installed.

 

I was a store manager at Jiffy Lube when those fluid exchange machines first came out and we never had a transmission fail.  At around 190K, we'll drop the pan on mine for the first time and put a new filter/pick up screen in it.  It runs the same pressures today as the day we brought it home.  The Tech-2 allows us to closely monitor the health of these trucks.

[Beamie]

2 hours ago, swathdiver said:

You are doing yourself a disservice by waiting until 100K miles to service the transmission.  Most folks whether they know it or now fall under the severe service category and ought to change their fluids in half that time or less.

 

For you and the others who are at or over 100K and haven't changed the fluid yet, don't hesitate to change it.  These are not 1970s transmissions.  They are smart and self-adjusting as they age.  Nearly all dealerships follow the shop manual which says to use the Transflow machine to do a fluid exchange which also cleans out the filter and tests the flow through the transmission cooler if installed.

 

I was a store manager at Jiffy Lube when those fluid exchange machines first came out and we never had a transmission fail.  At around 190K, we'll drop the pan on mine for the first time and put a new filter/pick up screen in it.  It runs the same pressures today as the day we brought it home.  The Tech-2 allows us to closely monitor the health of these trucks.

 

They "nays" are much more prevalent than the "yeas" as far as machine services.

And for timing, we are following our manufacturer's service schedule.

[Beamie]

5 hours ago, diyer2 said:

Beamie,

In my opinion this is not a flush. It is a complete fluid exchange. I used to have this done at Jiffy Lube on my 93 5.7 4 speed 4L80E. They tapped into the trans line at the radiator. Now they have a machine with 2 small hoses that go into the trans fill tube. It removes and replaces the fluid without tapping into the trans lines. It's about $125 I think. Call around , ask questions about the service offered.

 

Or tap into the lines and do it yourself.

 

Or buy this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AJR8E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Remove fluid through dip stick tube and replace as many times as you like or until the fluid is pink. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

u

The shop owner and lead mechanic said "flush" including cleaning out the filter. That's pretty clear.

 

I looked at the device you linked and unfortunately the geometry of my pan would keep the hose about an inch above the bottom of the pan. Others who bought similar devices for the same generation of vehicle and same 4 speed transmission only got 2 quarts out using one and were disappointed. I probed the dipstick tube, took some measurements and figured out that the reason was a bump in the pan under the dipstick tube. You have a good idea and were lucky but it's not useful for my transmission pan geometry. Replacement pans by other manufacturers have the same obstruction at that point.

[swathdiver]

1 hour ago, Beamie said:

 

They "nays" are much more prevalent than the "yeas" as far as machine services.

And for timing, we are following our manufacturer's service schedule.

Well, it's your car, you obviously place more value on people's opinions rather than what the manufacturer said to do.  To each, his own.

[Beamie]

1 hour ago, swathdiver said:

Well, it's your car, you obviously place more value on people's opinions rather than what the manufacturer said to do.  To each, his own.

GM TSB that recommends against using external machines to service transmissions in my truck's era:

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2012/SB-10062498-7690.pdf

[Grumpy Bear]

22 hours ago, Beamie said:

 

They "nays" are much more prevalent than the "yeas" as far as machine services.

And for timing, we are following our manufacturer's service schedule.

 

Is this the same manufacture being sued whose defense has been...

 

"We warranty defects in materials and workmanship NOT poor engineering or design."

 

Is this the same manufacture that considers a quart in 2K oil consumption "Normal"?

When the Universities that train those engineers like MIT say:

0.03% to 0.05% of the fuel consumed per OCI is Normal?

 

Is this the same manufacture that put the brains of the 6L80E in the transmission pan

Then added a thermostat to boil the electronics in 190F+ oil?

 

Same manufacture that engineered the Corvair and Vegas all aluminum block?

Killed the 3800 V6?

Removed automatic transmission dipsticks?

Claims "Life time Fill"

Is being sued of ring failures and transmission failures and battery cars that burn to the ground?

Has cut warranty time and mileage limits to 30 feet or 30 seconds?

Those Manufactures?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

[diyer2]

And for timing, we are following our manufacturer's service schedule.

If you think running trans fluid for 100  K miles is OK, I rest my case.

 

[KARNUT]

For the record prior to joining this forum I followed the manufacturers recommend service. Still do mostly. My 1/2 ton trucks had a little weight in them. All we’re driving around 50K miles a year. I would put Amsoil products in them and change all but the engine oil per factory. Even my latest bought used of course had detailed maintenance logs, followed factory requirements. At 178K has one transmission service done by me at 168K. Just an exchange. Never a failure. I guess the modern vehicles are more sensitive and the manufacturers haven’t caught up. Thank goodness some people on here are smarter than those guys who engineer them.

Edited September 8, 2021 by KARNUT

[Grumpy Bear]

• You don't what to drop the pan. (Exhaust issue)
• You don't want to draw it from the dip stick. (Can't get to the bottom of the pan)
• You don't want to use the pump to discharge the fluid (Might damage the pump)
• You don't want to use a flush machine (OEM says don't do this; although this is exactly what you are asking about)

I'm going to make a WAG here. 

 

You just don't want to change your fluid. 

 

Edited September 8, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

[diyer2]

Karnut

Amsoil products are a different animal IMO. Most people use off the shelf products and I would do changes at half the mileage per manual.

 

[KARNUT]

4 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

Karnut

Amsoil products are a different animal IMO. Most people use off the shelf products and I would do changes at half the mileage per manual.

 

That would probably  fall under the extreme service schedule of the service part of the manual. And a wise choice. I simply give my experience. A lifetime high mileage driver. My wife’s car is a low mileage driven vehicle and follows the extreme maintenance schedule. 

[Black02Silverado]

The last run on my 2002 Silverado before I sold it was 100k miles on the AMSOIL ATL that was in the 4L60E.  The UOA came back good but I changed out the fluid anyway.  I think the fact that I installed AMSOIL from the beginning made a difference over off the shelf fluid.  I change all vehicles over as soon as I get them.  Well except for my 2019.  The dealer has to do the transmission in that since there isn't a fill port that is easy to access.

[swathdiver]

15 hours ago, Beamie said:

GM TSB that recommends against using external machines to service transmissions in my truck's era:

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2012/SB-10062498-7690.pdf

Well, you're right and I was wrong.  Went back to my shop manual and they use the machine to test the coolers, not to exchange the fluid.

 

Nearly all GM dealerships do not go into the transmission for maintenance anymore, they use the machine to also exchange the fluid.  I've done it twice now with no ill effects.  My shop did thousands of cars with no ill effects, not a single one.  It goes against my nature to do it this way but physical limitations forced me to reconsider; had always dropped the pan on my own vehicles before.

[pokismoki]

its not too difficult pulling the pan, I did mine 2 months ago, at 50K miles.  it sure was clean inside too.

 

i stumbled onto an easy way to drop it, when i discovered GM forgot to install the crossmember mounting bolt into the trans mount bushing, i was able to lift the tailshaft up enough to gain clearance, by supporting with a jack.  this was a little messy but worked , I since installed a brazed in drain plug into a factory trans pan.