Dealer- trans flush no filter change

[RPaul]

On 1/30/2022 at 11:36 AM, fastk9dad said:

Severe service internal is fluid & filter every 45k.

This is why I wanted to do filter too…. Well seems I’m going to leave it be for a bit. Maybe do the change sooner than 90k again.

 

 

who on here did the trans flush themselves? Was it as complicated as some people make it to be? Wish there was a tutorial or video somewhere 

[Grover67]

Ya did mine along with transfer case and front and rear differential this past weekend. No not hard. 

 

Had trans up to operating temp. No drain plug so have to drop pan but had it up on a hoist and had a catch can to collect fluid. Cleaned up pan and reusable gasket and re-installed. Fill plug is on drivers side next to shaft going to front diff. Its a little tight and the plug has sealant on it and takes some effort to loosen. I had put the trans fluid quarts into a jug so I could use a transfer pump to pump the fluid into the trans fill hole until it started coming out. Started it and ran it got up to 160f+ so that the line stat was open and rechecked fluid level. About 7qts.

Done

[Leevon]

A couple of points from a shop owner:  

 

Fluid exchange is the correct procedure, and since it was a warranty job that's what GM is paying for, no more.  Assuming the dealer used a modern exchange machine it is better than dropping the pan.  You simply connect inline to the trans cooler and do a 1:1 exchange of fluid, using the transmission to pump the fluid through all gears.  It gets ALL of the old fluid out of the unit.  Whereas dropping the pan and replacing a filter only replaces what is in the pan or about 40%-50% new fluid.

 

"Flushes" are a thing of the past. The "flush" terminology earned a bad rap because the older "hot flush" equipment used machine pressure to blast fluid (and sometimes solvent cleaners) back through the trans, which could cause issues. 

 

Another benefit of the exchange is time.  It books about 1.0 hours, where a pan drop can book for about 2.0 hours or more.  On a pan drop getting the fluid level perfect is a bit of a process (warm-up time, computer temp verfiy, racking a second time for level check etc).  It can be an real PITA on other makes with insane procedures.  With the exchange machine it's 1:1 in and out, none of that is required.   Since labor time equals cost the price to you is much cheaper for the exchange.  If you request a pan drop/filter you're going to be paying $labor x 2.0hrs+ and fluid and filter vs $labor x 1.0 plus fluid only (or a fixed menu price in many cases). 

 

Also modern transmission filters are more of a screen and while they can benefit from service at higher mileage they are not the same as paper element filters we grew up servicing in TH350's etc.  

Edited March 25, 2022 by Leevon

[BIGDOGx]

1 hour ago, Leevon said:

A couple of points from a shop owner:  

 

Fluid exchange is the correct procedure, and since it was a warranty job that's what GM is paying for, no more.  Assuming the dealer used a modern exchange machine it is better than dropping the pan.  You simply connect inline to the trans cooler and do a 1:1 exchange of fluid, using the transmission to pump the fluid through all gears.  It gets ALL of the old fluid out of the unit.  Whereas dropping the pan and replacing a filter only replaces what is in the pan or about 40%-50% new fluid.

 

"Flushes" are a thing of the past. The "flush" terminology earned a bad rap because the older "hot flush" equipment used machine pressure to blast fluid (and sometimes solvent cleaners) back through the trans, which could cause issues. 

 

Another benefit of the exchange is time.  It books about 1.0 hours, where a pan drop can book for about 2.0 hours or more.  On a pan drop getting the fluid level perfect is a bit of a process (warm-up time, computer temp verfiy, racking a second time for level check etc).  It can be an real PITA on other makes with insane procedures.  With the exchange machine it's 1:1 in and out, none of that is required.   Since labor time equals cost the price to you is much cheaper for the exchange.  If you request a pan drop/filter you're going to be paying $labor x 2.0hrs+ and fluid and filter vs $labor x 1.0 plus fluid only (or a fixed menu price in many cases). 

 

Also modern transmission filters are more of a screen and while they can benefit from service at higher mileage they are not the same as paper element filters we grew up servicing in TH350's etc.  

Good post Leevon, i know myself i once had a flush done back in the late 90's with a 700r4 trans and the thing barley made it back to my house after picking it up from that flush service before it completely let go. Cost me over 2 grand to rebuild it and have never used the flush method since.

 

Glad to see they finally admitted those machines were the cause of many blown apart transmissions. I got stuck with the tab after fighting it out and them claiming the trans was bad prior, being a young kid at the time i had to alternative route to go but to rebuild on my own dime. Since then only pan drops and filter changes is what i have done with no issues.

 

Maybe i'll give it some thought in the future if they are that improved, but I just still do not trust a machine that pushes dirty fluid through a system that is most times is full of metal shavings and contaminates.