The local Ford dealer changes auto trans fluid with a reverse power flushing method. They claim because it's a reverse flush and fill that it's not necessary to change the trans filter because any crud on the filter is forced off and out of the trans. My car is an '07 Focus with 2.0 engine and it's not driven hard. What do you guys think about changing the filter?
Reverse trans flush .... change filter or not?
- Thread starter Mar57
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I also have an 07 Focus SES with auto trans.
I have about 70k miles on it and I suction about 3 quarts of fluid from the pan and refill with Mercon V fluid.
This method has proved highly successful as the fluid has become cleaner, shifts smoother, and the car just drives better. I've never bothered with removing the pan to change the filter, as most contaminants are in the fluid itself (that filter only works for big clumps of debris).
I have about 70k miles on it and I suction about 3 quarts of fluid from the pan and refill with Mercon V fluid.
This method has proved highly successful as the fluid has become cleaner, shifts smoother, and the car just drives better. I've never bothered with removing the pan to change the filter, as most contaminants are in the fluid itself (that filter only works for big clumps of debris).
Its [censored].
In a flush the transmission's own pump pushes the AFT in its normal path. The only thing a flush machine does is to supply new ATF to the pan and receive used ATF.
You cannot push the AFT backwards unless you removed the pump and even then who knows.
Part of a flush is to run the engine with a cleaner added for 20 minutes then start the flush. A cleaner may dissolve some goey stuff but any particles (iron, aluminum, clutch) will be left.
Ask him to tell you the make/model of the flush machine. But I have my doubts.
In a flush the transmission's own pump pushes the AFT in its normal path. The only thing a flush machine does is to supply new ATF to the pan and receive used ATF.
You cannot push the AFT backwards unless you removed the pump and even then who knows.
Part of a flush is to run the engine with a cleaner added for 20 minutes then start the flush. A cleaner may dissolve some goey stuff but any particles (iron, aluminum, clutch) will be left.
Ask him to tell you the make/model of the flush machine. But I have my doubts.
Originally Posted By: Mar57
The local Ford dealer changes auto trans fluid with a reverse power flushing method. They claim because it's a reverse flush and fill that it's not necessary to change the trans filter because any crud on the filter is forced off and out of the trans. My car is an '07 Focus with 2.0 engine and it's not driven hard. What do you guys think about changing the filter?
They lied.
No one has a powered flush machine. All of them are completely passive, and your trans does the work.
Flushes are NEVER a substitute for a filter change. Your trans makes most of its debris early in its life...
The local Ford dealer changes auto trans fluid with a reverse power flushing method. They claim because it's a reverse flush and fill that it's not necessary to change the trans filter because any crud on the filter is forced off and out of the trans. My car is an '07 Focus with 2.0 engine and it's not driven hard. What do you guys think about changing the filter?
They lied.
No one has a powered flush machine. All of them are completely passive, and your trans does the work.
Flushes are NEVER a substitute for a filter change. Your trans makes most of its debris early in its life...
Periodic drain and fill works well, with an occasional filter change. All this other stuff is just someone else's cash flow and could be a risk to your transmission.
I would change the filter at 100k mikes and do drain and fill with good tranny fluid. I would not pay the dealer to "reverse flush".
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Periodic drain and fill works well, with an occasional filter change. All this other stuff is just someone else's cash flow and could be a risk to your transmission.
+1 on this. I've done this numerous times on my Sienna and Drain and fills on my Honda civic too.
Now I just do an annual drain and fill on both. Cheap and easier to do than to replace a tranny. Using Max Life on both vehicles with excellent performance.
Regards, JC.
Periodic drain and fill works well, with an occasional filter change. All this other stuff is just someone else's cash flow and could be a risk to your transmission.
+1 on this. I've done this numerous times on my Sienna and Drain and fills on my Honda civic too.
Now I just do an annual drain and fill on both. Cheap and easier to do than to replace a tranny. Using Max Life on both vehicles with excellent performance.
Regards, JC.
change it the oil way change the fluid and filter and use an oe filter.
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How many miles?
Mercon LV has been backspec'd to 4f27e from y2k onward.
Sad that dealer service writers are hacks.
Mercon LV has been backspec'd to 4f27e from y2k onward.
Sad that dealer service writers are hacks.
My 06 Mazda 3 probably has the same engine/tranny combo as OPs Focus. Car has over 120k miles, the ATF was fully exchanged via a cooler line about 60k miles ago, before that, the tranny was drained and refilled few times as well, but I never changed the ATF filter.
The filter in that tranny is more or less a glorified screen, so I don't see the need to drop the pan and change it.
The filter in that tranny is more or less a glorified screen, so I don't see the need to drop the pan and change it.
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