Question and thoughts on Transmission flushes

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You know, since they worked out the bugs with the sticking valve body's on the 4L60E, the only thing I ever hear are good things about it. When I took my pan off my 2002 Envoy with the 4L60E at 65k miles, it really wasnt that bad for being original. The magnet looked like a fudge brownie, but after I cleaned it off it really wasnt even that "much" material stuck to it. Wish I had a drain plug

I bought a kit off E-Bay I just have to find time to install it now.

 

[thunderchild]

Note of something I just found out about the 2000 to present Dodge auto trannies. There are 2 filters in them One to be changed with each pan drop and another one that is supposed to be changed every 100,000 miles. Seems they are using a type of bypass filtering in the tranny. Interesting since you could void your warranty by putting on a bypass for the engine oil.

 

[williar]

RE: wtd:

Every 6000 miles! You must own an oil company or something. I just bought 16 qts of M1 ATF, for a single change in my 4L80E, and it cost me $100!

 

[John_E]

Many of us with German ZF automatic transmissions (Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, VW/Audi) are debating how frequently to change the "lifetime" fluid in these boxes. Particularly since my wife and I do a high percentage of typical stop-and-go urban driving, I definitely plan to replace the filter and fluid in my 2001 VW Passat tiptronic WELL before the 100K mile / 160K km mark. I am thinking in terms of every 35-40K miles / 55-65K km or 5-6 years, but I am wide open to recommendations.

In years past, I have always owned domestic cars with conventional dipsticks and filler tubes, and I have always changed my ATF and filter every 20K miles / 30K km (1970s cars) or 30K miles / 50K km (1980s cars). I have NEVER had a transmission problem, even with a 1976 Ford Pinto, whose infamous C-3 automatic had 85K miles on it when the car was stolen in 1992.

 

[Kestas]

The Mercedes crowd consensus says that this fluid should be changed every 50K to 100K.

This fluid is expensive. Every 30K may be too often and too costly.

 

[John_E]

quote:

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Originally posted by Kestas:
The Mercedes crowd consensus says that this fluid should be changed every 50K to 100K. ...

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Thanks, Kestas. That confirms the 60K miles figure I got from a friend who owns two E320s.

 

[ALS]

I have come to the conclusion while hanging out on the Volvo boards.
1. use synthetic
2. Drop pan and change filter at 30K
top off with 4 - 5 quarts.
3. Drop pan and change filter and do a
complete flush every 60K.

Hey a new rebuilt transmission runs $2,000
I think spending $300 every 100K miles for fluid and filters is cheap insurance.

 

[Matt_S]

To my understanding, the biggest problem with flushes is they usually don't change the filter. If you flush a trans with 100k miles on it with no pan drop or filter change, all the crap sitting in the pan will make it's way into the filter, then the filter will clog and starve the transmission of oil, so of course you're going to have problems. A flush preceeded by a pan drop/filter change should usually be safe. If it hasn't been done, drop the pan, clean it, change the filter and refill. That way, you'll be sure not to have any problems.

 

[steiner43511]

my dads 94 4l60e has 180,000 miles on it and the original fluid still. never had a problem. same with rearend oil.