Magnefine or spin on?

[DVE]

Have a question regarding magnefine vs spin on oil filter like fl-1a vs spin on hydraulic filter.
I would like to install trans filters on both of the cars, and since neither one of them had one before I feel like I would be anxious to change them quiet frequently, thus my reason for wondering about oil and hydraulic spin on. I look at it from the ease of use and cheapness, cheapness being the major factor. Basically, after second filter change using oil spin on filter vs magnefine I would brake even. I also have a ton of hard drive magnets.
the hydraulic spin on I was looking at is this one northern tool hydraulic filter

 

[FFeng7]

I have a spin-on filter on my trucks transmission. I installed it before the cooler in the radiator. I like the big spin-on filter so far. It's been on the truck for almost a year now with no problems. I am currently using a FL1A on it but will be changing the fluid, pan filter and spin-on filter soon with a Wix 51515. I plan to cut open the FL1A and see if it caught anything large enough to see. I also have a Magnefine on my Cobalt. It was very easy to install in the tight space beside the radiator in the factory rubber cooler lines. I think I prefer the spin-on filter but both seem to work ok in my applications.

 

[SuperDave456]

If you have the room, then the Spin On wins.
If not, then the magnefine is as easy as it gets.

 

[DVE]

Originally Posted By: FFeng7
I have a spin-on filter on my trucks transmission. I installed it before the cooler in the radiator. I like the big spin-on filter so far. It's been on the truck for almost a year now with no problems. I am currently using a FL1A on it but will be changing the fluid, pan filter and spin-on filter soon with a Wix 51515. I plan to cut open the FL1A and see if it caught anything large enough to see. I also have a Magnefine on my Cobalt. It was very easy to install in the tight space beside the radiator in the factory rubber cooler lines. I think I prefer the spin-on filter but both seem to work ok in my applications.


Space might be tight, but I will figure something out, the Fl-1a is huge though.

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
If you have the room, then the Spin On wins.
If not, then the magnefine is as easy as it gets.

I have two cars that I want to install the spin on trans filter, so I ordered just parts for one kit, so in case it doesn't fit on one, I know it will on the other.

On the other hand, would using supertech ATF, the plain kind, be OK for "flushing" transmission? it's for the altima in my sig
My plan is:
1) D&F Supertech ATF
2) Drop pan, inspect, replace filter (too busy to do it before the first D&F)
3) Drive around 100-300 miles which is around 2 weeks
4) Install spin on trans filter and possibly a cooler
5) Refill with supertech atf
6) Drive another 100-300 miles
7) D&R supertech atf
8) Cut open the filter, cost is less than 4 bucks
9) Examine findings
10) Start final stage of D&F with Valvoline MaxLife

Reason for doing this is because the car's maintenance history is unknown; though, color is ok not dark or brown, so I want to make up for it. The supertech atf is $11.48 at my local WalMart, so I would like to use that to replace all the old atf before I put the maxlife in.

 

[SuperDave456]

Sounds kind of extreme.
But that is better than most folks.

Most people would drain from a cooler line, drop the pan and clean it out, put an in line filter on, refill it, and call it a day.
You may go through a little more than half the capacity of the vehicle this way.

As long as you clean out the pan, and put in a inline filter, you are heads and shoulders above the competition. Everything else is extra.

Shoot, you could go to a drain and fill every other year and be just fine.
Both SuperTech and Maxlife are quality fluids. Never had a complaint out of either, (as long as they were used in an application that they were designed for.)

 

[DVE]

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
Sounds kind of extreme.
But that is better than most folks.

Most people would drain from a cooler line, drop the pan and clean it out, put an in line filter on, refill it, and call it a day.
You may go through a little more than half the capacity of the vehicle this way.

As long as you clean out the pan, and put in a inline filter, you are heads and shoulders above the competition. Everything else is extra.

Shoot, you could go to a drain and fill every other year and be just fine.
Both SuperTech and Maxlife are quality fluids. Never had a complaint out of either, (as long as they were used in an application that they were designed for.)


Thanks,
I just need 2 more years out of that car, and it is used mainly as a city car, so I am sure transmission gets quiet a lot of abuse. I honestly don't mind overdoing it or spending more on the ATF as far as the process goes, it's leaps cheaper than transmission job and being with out a car is a nightmare.Also, it's still cheaper than going to a dealer or indie shop, plus I don't really trust them anyway.
I recently (2 days ago) had to replace the radiator, did the hoses too, it was an emergency because the overflow nipple broke, so I just did a quick flush. As a result, I will also be putting a coolant filter on because the amount of junk in there is literally unbelievable, and from reading around hear, I know that not all of the crud and debris can be flushed out.

 

[SuperDave456]

If all you need is 2 more years, then a pan drop and Supertech is all you need.

If you need a decade or more, then stick to your plan.

 

[Jim Allen]

I concur with Dave. Or, you can get an oil sample and send it out of analysis but a "one-shot" UOA doesn't always tell much about the transmission that you can take to the bank. A full fluid dump gets rid of the contamination and resets the clock on the oil, but not the trans. If it has existing problems, they will still be there. But if it's operating well now the odds are excellent that you'll get your 2 years IMO.

 

[DVE]

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
If all you need is 2 more years, then a pan drop and Supertech is all you need.

If you need a decade or more, then stick to your plan.

No

luckily I don't. Of course if it still runs after 2 years, I will keep it.

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
I concur with Dave. Or, you can get an oil sample and send it out of analysis but a "one-shot" UOA doesn't always tell much about the transmission that you can take to the bank. A full fluid dump gets rid of the contamination and resets the clock on the oil, but not the trans. If it has existing problems, they will still be there. But if it's operating well now the odds are excellent that you'll get your 2 years IMO.


The trans shows some signs of not shifting firmly, but that's about it. I don't drive it much at highway speeds either.
I guess I will do supertech and magnefine. The other car, well the minivan, will get the spin on trans then. I intend to keep it for a while and put about another 120k on it, which should not take too long.


Thank you all for your insight.

 

[keith]

I put an inline filter and external ATF cooler on our '99 GC 3.3L 41TE, and it got to 220K miles before trading in (rusty). The transmission was perfect. On our '08 T&C 3.3L 41TES, I put in a magnefine and external ATF cooler, happy with it so far, but only have about 60K miles. I'd guess that either filter is more than adequate, but I will change the magnefine more frequently due to its smaller size.

 

[Ken2]

Originally Posted By: FFeng7
I have a spin-on filter on my trucks transmission. I installed it before the cooler in the radiator. I like the big spin-on filter so far. It's been on the truck for almost a year now with no problems. I am currently using a FL1A on it but will be changing the fluid, pan filter and spin-on filter soon with a Wix 51515.
The 51515 is rated as a lube filter. If you can take a look in the big WIX filter catalog you can find a filter with the same physical dimensions--thread, gasket, length, etc., as well as internal bypass valve setting--that is rated for hydraulic usage. That might do better for a transmission.

Hot (thin) oil filters better than cooler (thicker) oil. The inlet to the cooler is my preferred location for a filter unless the transmission has failed and there might be bits of metal caught in the cooler.

 

[gomes512]

Two of our vehicles have remote spin on filters for the trans. If you have room then go for the spin on as you'll increase the amount of ATF (1.5qt in my case) and it'll help dissipate some of the heat in the fluid.

In my case I got lucky with the fitment as I found a nice open area in front of the front wheel wells (inside the bumpers). Of course I have to partially remove the splashguards but it isn't to much work.

My remote adapter have 3/4-16 thread so I've been using the rather large Fleetguard LF3487 microglass filters. 17,000 miles on one of them so far, we'll see if they make it out to 30K.