Transmission Filter Micron Rating

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The internal trans filter on my Chevrolet El Camino is just a screen, and I think it has a 100 micon rating.

The internal trans filter on my Mercury Marauder that I just changed has a felt type media.

Does anyone know what the micron rating is for these felt type filters. My Marauder has a magnet inside the trans pan, and it did catch some stuff, I also have a Filtermag TM360 Trans Pan Magnet and this caught a little bit of debris.

The problem with trans magnets is that they only catch metals that are magnetic, and aluminum is not one of them.

I believe the Magnefine has a micron rating of 25 or 35, would this be a good idea or is this overkill.

Has anyone put a Magnefine or an external transmission filter like the Permacool setup and noticed better shifting or cleaner trans fluid when they dropped the trans pan.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
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Part Number: 58964
UPC Number: 765809589643
Principal Application: Magnetic In-Line Transmission Filter 5/16" connections
All Applications
Style: In Line Transmission Filter
Service: Transmission
Height: 5.039
Outer Diameter Top: 2.402
Outer Diameter Bottom: Closed
By-Pass Valve Setting-PSI: 4.8
Burst Pressure-PSI: 200
Max Flow Rate: 2-3 GPM
Nominal Micron Rating: 25
Note: Universal In-Line Transmission Filter (Can also be used on Power Steering) Designed for todays Automatic Transmissions 5/16" Connection.
 
I posted pics awhile back of my Dads 91 van that I installed a rebuilt trans in.

I put in Amsoil from the 0 mile mark and ran it with a magnifine. The pan was spotless and the fluid was still very red after 85 K on the same fluid. The Magnifine filter when inspected looked clean. The Amsoil syn trans fluid and the Magnifine I believe is well worth it.

Nothing that I could see was on the media like you would see with an oil filter that is catching junk.

I would run a Magnifine on a screened trans filter myself. I think it would probably pick up more junk than a trans with a felt filter.
 
I looked up the Micron rating for a felt type filter and it said that it was a 60 micron element.

Accoeding to what oilboy123 has said, this Magnefine works and the Amsoil ATF seems like a great transmission fluid, which I am using in both cars.
 
My Dad has a Jeep I would love to put one of those filters on for him. But the darn thing doesn't have a dipstick so I have no accurate way of topping off the fluid once I open the system. I guess I can try and catch every drop that comes out when I cut the line and measure it, but the filter holds fluid too. I'm wondering how critical an accurate level really is. Then if I mess with it and the tranny dies will they warranty it since I tampered with it and have no way of accurately topping it off? I certainly will be creating an out for them!

AD
 
My Subaru has a spin on AT filter that I read was a 10 micron filter. The filter looked like an engine oil filter but, was heaver constructed as it was probably under pressure. One needs to be careful in adding an AT filter without knowing the pressure the filter will see. AT pressures run to several 100s of psi.
 
I went outside and looked at the trans cooler lines on my El Camino, both cooler lines run parallel to one another where the cooler lines are straight, so it would be hard to put a Magnefine on this car.

This transmission has 367,000 miles on it, its gotten this far and it shifts fine, so the only alternative for this car would be an external trans filter.

I looked at the Marauder and it would be very easy to put a Magnefine on this car, so I may go this route, just have to figure what size Magnefine to put on .

I will probably leave the El Camino alone since I have a Filtermag TM360 trans magnet on the bottom of the pan. I may eventually get the Differential magnet that Filtermag sells and put this on the inside of the trans pan.

I also feel that with using Amsoil ATF that there will be less stuff floating around both transmissions.

The El Camino has a Turbo 350 transmission and my Marauder has the 4R75W, some of you may disagree but I think the Turbo 350 is more durable than the 4R75W.

The Permacool external transmission filter as well as the one Summit sells, they may be both the same, according to what I have read this filter has a 22 micron rating. I have also gathered that a lower micron rating could hurt flow and is really not needed on an automatic transmission.

My friend who comes over to get his oil changed has a Subaru and the external trans filter is right next to the transmission and it is very easy to get at for servicing.
 
The Turbo 350 was a good tranny, but the 400 was much better. I'd say stick to your game plan and don't mess with anything in the El Camino, you might just kill it with kindness.. If you use too good a filter and it clogs up faster than the change interval you could damage the transmission, especially something with that kind of miles on it.. I use a big magnet on the pan, collects a lot of junk and it won't clog anything up.

AD
 
Originally Posted By: ADFD1
The Turbo 350 was a good tranny, but the 400 was much better. I'd say stick to your game plan and don't mess with anything in the El Camino, you might just kill it with kindness.. If you use too good a filter and it clogs up faster than the change interval you could damage the transmission, especially something with that kind of miles on it.. I use a big magnet on the pan, collects a lot of junk and it won't clog anything up.

AD


The Turbo 400 is definetly better than the Turbo 350, only downside is that is about 20 pounds heavier, if I had the Turbo 400 I would just go to Weight Watchers and loose 20 pounds, my cousin works for them.

The trans pan magnet on the Turbo 350 seems to be working well, and since I have been using Amsoil ATF there has been less junk on the magnet.
 
Originally Posted By: ADFD1
I'd stick with that plan, and leave it alone.

AD


I agree 100%, the trans magnet has gotten me too 367,000 miles and it is shifting great.

If what I was doing did not work, then the trans would have gone a long time ago.
 
I simply added a metal can large fuel filter in the trans cooler line.
The kind that goes in a fuel line and has the expanded ends so the tube cant slip off.
It did not explode.
It does not degrade
It filters to 10 microns
It is a lot cheaper than a specific transfilter that says use on transmissions.
Gasoline is a more potent solvent than ATF so it wont dissolve in ATF.

And I did it for a 1998 contour and a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

If you want, put a magnet on the outside of the metal can to catch iron. But the filter element will and there is a magnet in the trans pan.

Two people, one who does not understand engines and another who does claimed it would ruin the transmission. Well many years and miles later they are proven wrong. It is an easy item to change versus pulling a pan, and some trans you cant change the filter unless you remove the trans from the vehicle and take it all apart (Contour).

I simply monitor it for flow by hand. If it gets hot it is flowing. It always gets hot.
 
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Remember to change the inline filter early ie 20000km or less the first time as they can clag up and block and go into bypass mode.

Some get the idea that they are there for life once a once off install.

I did use them on the auto trans, later I put a deeper pan and increased the fill by 1 litre approx. I then added an extra magnet in the pan.

The magnefine inline filters were weeping fluid at the clamps no matter how tight I did the lamps, I replaced 2 under warranty, bad batch I guess. The transmission hoses were less than 2 years and 20000kms.

I only use the magnafine it now on the power steering hose as that has no filter at all. I am not sure of the value of the magnet, I believe all the benefits are in the paper filter.
 
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Well, I'll give you points for creative thinking. The only potential problem I see is that none of the fuel filters I've seen have internal bypass valves. If that filter ever loads up and flow is reduced, it will toast your tranny in short order.

I know what you are going to say, "I won't let it plug up." Fair enough, but if you forget, something odd happens to plug the filter suddenly, or you sell the car without telling the new owner... the tranny dies, sooner or later.

The bypass is why the OEM did so much testing of bypass valves when they certified the inline transmission filters as a factory authorized part.
 
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Well,
The bypass is why the OEM did so much testing of bypass valves when they certified the inline transmission filters as a factory authorized part.



Which OEMs have certified inline filters for auto trans or power steering ?
 
In the recent past, Ford Chrysler and Honda all certified inline transmission filters for use in their vehicles. Ford was the main proponent, including a Magnefine filter with a remain transmission. This is no longer the case but Ford did a lot of testing, the results of which I have copies of, and if you search some of my past posts, you can see some of the technical details of those tests.
 
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