How many have added a transmission filter?

[LarryL]

For automatic transmissions, how many of you have added a filter, and what kind. I just put a Magnefine on my wife's car, a Turbo Volvo,96 with 156k miles.

 

[Big Jim]

I added the Perma-Cool kit that allows me to screw on an oil filter whenever I want a new filter. I plan on doing that when it reaches 30,000 miles. That will probably be in about 6 months. Vehicle is an 03 Ford Escape Limited. Filter was added when it was nearly new. Factory filter is not servicable without a trans tear-down.

 

[acewiza]

I put outboard filters on both our automatic cars. Wife's Sebring has a Magnefine - easy to put on the cooler line. The 71' Chrysler has a full-sized spin-on mount. The OEM filters inside the pan don't seem to offer much in the way of filtration. In fact the one that came with the Transgo shift kit I modified the 71's valve body with was literally just a fine mesh metal screen. Should last forever, but forget about filtering.

 

[olympic]

I installed Amsoil BE-90 bypass filters on all my automatic transmissions(a fleet of 8 taxis), havn't had a trans failure in well over 1 million miles now. I switched to synthetic ATF at the same time so I'm not sure which had the greatest effect but the combination of good fluid and external filtering works well. The pans are always spotless when I remove them, even after 125k miles.

Here's one installed on an 03 Vibe along with an aftermarket cooler.

 

[keith]

I put the Permacool full size filter on my wifes Dodge minivan. Every time the filter is changed, I cut it open with a dremel and inspect the paper. It always looks like new so the value of extra filtering is questionable.

Frequent fluid changes and extra cooling are a better investment.

 

[ARB1977]

I installed a permacool filter kit with a filter magnet from www.filtermag.com its pretty amazing how much clutch material that magnet can pull out of the fluid. I used to do fluid changes every year along with a filter change but i may go to yearly filter changes and do every other year fluid changes, pan change only. I have it installed between the stock cooler and the aftermarket cooler

 

[unDummy]

I recommend the permacool-type(B&M, TransDapt) with yearly filter changes.
Stick a couple neodymium magnets around the filter for 'magnetic' filtering improvement.

Just about any remote oil filter mount/header can be used to build your own ATF filter(permacool cloning).

 

[unDummy]

With a magnet, you definitely see the buildup.

But, on a normal filter that some people like to cut open, you can't see what the media catches.
The only way to see it is to UOA the ATF with particle counts with/without the filter.

 

[DJ]

I have a Permacool on my modified Caprice. Tranny is built to take the abuse it gets and the pan stays nice and clean, the filter picks up a lot of clutch material though. This is a 4L60E(often considered weak) with 450+fwhp and 4250lbs worth of car and driver. 3400 stall torque converter. It doesn't need much cooling, I watch tranny temps I have the stock in radiator cooler a small TruCool cooler with a viscosity based ""thermostatic" feature and the Permacool filter setup. If anything I am debating moving the cooler to get less airflow and put a thermostat controled fan on it so it only cools when it needs too. I should note I have a engine thermostat 20 degrees cooler than stock as well. My tranny rarely gets up to the 170-80 I would like to see it run at.

Blind cooling is not a good thing, I would suggest doing some research or measuring before following the masses and putting on the biggest cooler that fits.

 

[another Todd]

I put a pera-cool with temp guage on my motorhome. Bought one for my silverado but haven't put it on yet.

 

[unDummy]

DJ, keep the cooler. 180 is pretty hot. Anything over 120 is plenty warm for most transmissions.

 

[DJ]

Guys pushing power with this tranny have found below 160 they can have slippage. My converter guy grewup in Alaska and saw a lot of too cold failures in automatic trannies. That extreme climate just made it immediate and obvious that was the cause. IMO those down here who grossly overcool are doing damage it is just not extreme enough to put your finger on. All automotive fluids are designed to be run at high temps, 120 is not warm for an automotive fluid.
The tranny guy says keep it below 200, the converter guy and those pushing more power than I say 160 minimum.

This is basically the same tranny as in all the normal duty RWD GM stuff gets. I have 30K with 320-360fwhp and more recently a few thousand miles at the 450+fwhp, I use slicks at the dragstrip too, but even on street tires 1.9 60fts are common. This is more abuse than most of you will put a tranny through. 12.6 at 106-7mph in the quartermile.

 

[Gary Allan]

I have a magnifine on my Caravan. Great little thing. It enables anyone to add filtration to any automatic.

I use a hydraulic head in my Jeep. It's not unlike the one available in Northerntool (Schultz found this). There you can get very fine filters in the 1-12 thread. Most have xref's to NAPA/WIX numbers. The filter head has its own bypass. It's about $20 delivered with the filter.

Here's a xref to a few HF6510 Fleetguard filters that I have in WIX

Part Number: 51259
UPC Number: 765809512597
Principal Application: Dresser, Jacobsen, John Deere, New Holland, Steiger (Hyd. or Trans)
All Applications
Style: Spin-On Transmission Filter
Service: Transmission
Type: Full Flow
Media: Paper
Height: 5.500
Outer Diameter Top: 3.670
Outer Diameter Bottom: Closed
Thread Size: 1-12
By-Pass Valve Setting-PSI: None
Beta Ratio: 2/20=6/19
Burst Pressure-PSI: 420
Max Flow Rate: 12-16 GPM
Nominal Micro Rating: 10

Gasket Diameters
Number O.D. I.D. Thk.
Attached 2.834 2.462 0.275

[ June 18, 2006, 03:21 PM: Message edited by: Gary Allan ]

 

[dene57K]

Great ideas. What would you guys recommend of the lot for a Ford 7.3 Navistar RV instalation? I am looking for something easiest to install, and with magnetic capability with valve for testing the oil?

 

[-SyN-]

Dene:
visit www.thedieselstop.com

alot of info there on our PSD.

 

[Schmoe]

I'd love to put a trans temp guage on my 01 F150 Supercrew.

 

[VWFox74]

I added the Magnfine 3/8 inline filter, easy to do and easy to change, It osts $35 at the napa dealer, but u can get it cheaper online. I was in a hurry and just spent the money at the napa dealer. I have a 1996 Dodge Caravan, the orginal tranny was replaced at 100k by the previous owner at the dealer, It now has 140k on it and I've changed the fluid 2x, once at 125k and 140k, I've only used ATF+4.... I don't know if the magnafine does anything, but I figured I would add it when I added my external tranny cooler.

 

[Mr Nice]

What type of filter can fit a Honda without too much trouble installing ??

 

[Gary Allan]

The Magnifine should be able to fit on any trans. It takes up very little room. All you need, at most, is a short piece of hose and two small clamps. Many times you can just cut the existing hose and insert it in line.

You only need to get the direction right

 

[acewiza]

If you're gonna do that take the opportunity to confirm the direction of flow on your cooler line and swap out a couple qaurts of tranny fluid while you're at it. Point the cut lines down into a drain pan if possible, or extend them by slipping on some old heater hose for this purpose. Run the engine for a minute or so and watch the oil come out to confirm the flow direction. Plug in the new filter, tighten clamps, add fluid and you're all set.