on my caravan 96 i want to change my transmission filter but the oem looks like garbage what about auto zone or advanced auto parts or even napa who makes the nicest trans filters. I have had problems with purolater transmission filters when cold they sometimes starve the trans of oil.. I have seen this when cold my caravan slips until warm on those filters also rough shift when cold from 1st to 2nd i dont know if thats the filter.
Who Makes The Better Transmission Filters ?
- Thread starter crazyoildude
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WiskyBadger
Site Donor 2025
I use the Napa ATP tranny filters. Ive never had a issue.
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I would just go with OEM..designed for your car. Why do they look like junk? Transmissions dont get that dirty inside to begin with, so the need for a higher efficiency filter may not be all that important as long as you keep up the ATF changes.
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
on my caravan 96 i want to change my transmission filter but the oem looks like garbage what about auto zone or advanced auto parts or even napa who makes the nicest trans filters. I have had problems with purolater transmission filters when cold they sometimes starve the trans of oil.. I have seen this when cold my caravan slips until warm on those filters also rough shift when cold from 1st to 2nd i dont know if thats the filter.
usually a cold slip problem relates to pressure so low fluid, poor flow, all are possibilities. The trans develops its highest pressure when cold, just like an engine does with oil, so any slip then is a bad sign.
The overwhelming majority of a slushbox's debris is generated in its earliest miles and tapers off dramatically as it ages out a bit. The filters are all pretty much rock catchers, not at all like an oil filter.
Jim Allen where are you, man?
on my caravan 96 i want to change my transmission filter but the oem looks like garbage what about auto zone or advanced auto parts or even napa who makes the nicest trans filters. I have had problems with purolater transmission filters when cold they sometimes starve the trans of oil.. I have seen this when cold my caravan slips until warm on those filters also rough shift when cold from 1st to 2nd i dont know if thats the filter.
usually a cold slip problem relates to pressure so low fluid, poor flow, all are possibilities. The trans develops its highest pressure when cold, just like an engine does with oil, so any slip then is a bad sign.
The overwhelming majority of a slushbox's debris is generated in its earliest miles and tapers off dramatically as it ages out a bit. The filters are all pretty much rock catchers, not at all like an oil filter.
Jim Allen where are you, man?
Use OEM. I always install OE on Chrysler and never had a problem. They're priced right too.
Magnefine inline filter.
Originally Posted By: Donald
Magnefine inline filter.
I hope they pay you for promoting this item every time a tranny filter thread comes up.
OP go with Wix or OEM.
Magnefine inline filter.
I hope they pay you for promoting this item every time a tranny filter thread comes up.
OP go with Wix or OEM.
Just replaced the filter in my wife's Caravan in my sig
Used a WIX this time (didn't have time to get the OEM one)
The WIX filter loks identical to the OEM , made with steel crimped edges, have see some filters with welded plastic edges.
BTW - Although the Dorman application guide doesnt't show an AT pan with a drain plug for my 2006 I was able to use the 265-801 made for the PT Cruiser (same trans). The reason it's not listed as applicable because it lacks a hole in the outer flange (not the inner gasket side) for a bracket to support the alternator wiring harness. Really easy to fab one.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XIKJL2/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used the rubber gasket from the Wix kit. If you have never removed the pan be ready for allot of RTV. I took the time to thoroughly wire brush each of the bolts. I determined there were (2) bolts that actually went through to the case. Those (2) I actually used RTV under the heads (the factory manual says to do them all and use RTV for the pan but I knew I wouldn't get a good seal because the trans drips forever)
Used Supertech ATF+4, no drips, no issues. Did a second drain and refill a few hundred miles later, having a drain plug is fantastic.
Used a WIX this time (didn't have time to get the OEM one)
The WIX filter loks identical to the OEM , made with steel crimped edges, have see some filters with welded plastic edges.
BTW - Although the Dorman application guide doesnt't show an AT pan with a drain plug for my 2006 I was able to use the 265-801 made for the PT Cruiser (same trans). The reason it's not listed as applicable because it lacks a hole in the outer flange (not the inner gasket side) for a bracket to support the alternator wiring harness. Really easy to fab one.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XIKJL2/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used the rubber gasket from the Wix kit. If you have never removed the pan be ready for allot of RTV. I took the time to thoroughly wire brush each of the bolts. I determined there were (2) bolts that actually went through to the case. Those (2) I actually used RTV under the heads (the factory manual says to do them all and use RTV for the pan but I knew I wouldn't get a good seal because the trans drips forever)
Used Supertech ATF+4, no drips, no issues. Did a second drain and refill a few hundred miles later, having a drain plug is fantastic.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Donald
Magnefine inline filter.
I hope they pay you for promoting this item every time a tranny filter thread comes up.
OP go with Wix or OEM.
Who pays you to denigrate them? They are a good filter and a good option. If you have something against, state a case, not innuendo!
I did some research a while back and found that SPX Filtran was making the best pan filter media at the time, which was about 80 um absolute. That's about as good as it gets right now for a replacement. Many of the fttlers you find in the box are by them, regardless of what the packaging says. Look on the filter housing itself for "Filtran" or "SPX" or "SPX Filtran". If you find that, odds are good it will have their 80 um filter pad (unless the trans mfr. requires something different).
FYI, when I talked to their engineering people a few years ago, they had just developed a 40 um filter to be used in a newly designed automatic (they would not tell me for whom) and they said that was the most efficient full-flow pan filter ever developed for an automatic. When asked if they had plans to offer that technology into the aftermarket replacement area, they said no. They said the packaging inside the trans was difficult and the trans mfr. had to more or less design the trans for the filter package. The pan filter is a very high flow area so a tighter filter need a lot more area.
Originally Posted By: Donald
Magnefine inline filter.
I hope they pay you for promoting this item every time a tranny filter thread comes up.
OP go with Wix or OEM.
Who pays you to denigrate them? They are a good filter and a good option. If you have something against, state a case, not innuendo!
I did some research a while back and found that SPX Filtran was making the best pan filter media at the time, which was about 80 um absolute. That's about as good as it gets right now for a replacement. Many of the fttlers you find in the box are by them, regardless of what the packaging says. Look on the filter housing itself for "Filtran" or "SPX" or "SPX Filtran". If you find that, odds are good it will have their 80 um filter pad (unless the trans mfr. requires something different).
FYI, when I talked to their engineering people a few years ago, they had just developed a 40 um filter to be used in a newly designed automatic (they would not tell me for whom) and they said that was the most efficient full-flow pan filter ever developed for an automatic. When asked if they had plans to offer that technology into the aftermarket replacement area, they said no. They said the packaging inside the trans was difficult and the trans mfr. had to more or less design the trans for the filter package. The pan filter is a very high flow area so a tighter filter need a lot more area.
it is actually a very hard shift from 1st to second until hot when the outside temps are below 30 it sometimes slips a little until warm this has been for the last 50,000 miles with the purolater filters (not sure its the filter)
JHZR2
Staff member
I used to prefer SPX Filtran for domestic applications, when that is what you could get from CarQuest. The manufacturing changed from USA to China for my applications, so now I go OEM.
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Who pays you to denigrate them? They are a good filter and a good option. If you have something against, state a case, not innuendo!
No innuendo here chief! I have a very good reason not to use one of these things, they have been known to leak. I personally had 2 installed on transmissions that leaked that i bought from a well known retailer a few years ago so no they were not Chinese knock offs.
I had another one leak on a Honda PS pump return line so even if the filter element itself is okay that doesn't necessarily make it a good product IMHO.
If a product is good i say so and if i had bad experience with one i have no problem saying why either, if you or anyone else has a problem with that thats tough.
FYI Ford use to recommend these types of filter be installed with rebuilt units and even included them, now they do not. I cant say what Fords reason was but Ford techs i have spoke with say one word, leaks.
Originally Posted By: Ford
NOTE: In-line filters are no longer required after a transmission repair. In-line filters are no
longer supplied in the remanufactured dunnage.
Who pays you to denigrate them? They are a good filter and a good option. If you have something against, state a case, not innuendo!
No innuendo here chief! I have a very good reason not to use one of these things, they have been known to leak. I personally had 2 installed on transmissions that leaked that i bought from a well known retailer a few years ago so no they were not Chinese knock offs.
I had another one leak on a Honda PS pump return line so even if the filter element itself is okay that doesn't necessarily make it a good product IMHO.
If a product is good i say so and if i had bad experience with one i have no problem saying why either, if you or anyone else has a problem with that thats tough.
FYI Ford use to recommend these types of filter be installed with rebuilt units and even included them, now they do not. I cant say what Fords reason was but Ford techs i have spoke with say one word, leaks.
Originally Posted By: Ford
NOTE: In-line filters are no longer required after a transmission repair. In-line filters are no
longer supplied in the remanufactured dunnage.
Trav Said: "I hope they pay you for promoting this item every time a tranny filter thread comes up."
I call that innuendo. Not nice to call people shills. Makes me frosty even if it's not me.
I know EXACTLY (Ford corporate source) why Ford quit using the Magnefine. They finally cleaned up their reman transmissions. The only reason Ford began including them in the first place was because one of out of three reman transmissions were failing under warranty. This was two problems: one was that the techs (flatraters) were not flushing the coolers as they were required and also the reman process was leaving a lot of dirt in the trans. The inline filter solved both problems. Once they got the process dialed in at the reman and the dealer, the filter was just additional parts and labor on the warranty rolls so it was eliminated. Simple as that.
As of a year or so ago, Ford was still using them as a PS filter on some Lincolns (factory installed) that were having some rack & pinion issues but I'm not sure if they still do.
They were qualified by Ford, GM, Honda and Chrysler and AFAIK all but Honda used them at different times as problem solvers. I have copies of most of the Ford and some of the Chrysler qualifications tests and they performed impressively. That more or less is what sold me on them in the first place.
People overstate the "leak." It was really more of a "seep" because the caps were not screwed on tightly for a period of time.And the seeping was happening long after Ford had dropped the filter.
I have them on the trans an PS of everything I own. A couple started seeping. I know the guy who designed them and when I told him about it, he filled me in a little and sent me new ones, but after a time, the seepers stopped seeping. That issue is long solved but like many other things, the mistakes you make once haunt your brand forever. That's fair, I guess. There are similar alternatives but I like the Magnefine design the best (I have some independent testing of it and the alternatives and it also has the best performance by a tiny bit) so I was willing to look past the momentary lapse. None of the new ones I got leak or seep. I even installed one on an old Ford Hydro Mower (LGT145). It has a hydraulic filter that is very hard to find (NOS only). The original was so rusty it started leaking. I put a Magnefine on it about 18 months ago and it's doing great so far.
I call that innuendo. Not nice to call people shills. Makes me frosty even if it's not me.
I know EXACTLY (Ford corporate source) why Ford quit using the Magnefine. They finally cleaned up their reman transmissions. The only reason Ford began including them in the first place was because one of out of three reman transmissions were failing under warranty. This was two problems: one was that the techs (flatraters) were not flushing the coolers as they were required and also the reman process was leaving a lot of dirt in the trans. The inline filter solved both problems. Once they got the process dialed in at the reman and the dealer, the filter was just additional parts and labor on the warranty rolls so it was eliminated. Simple as that.
As of a year or so ago, Ford was still using them as a PS filter on some Lincolns (factory installed) that were having some rack & pinion issues but I'm not sure if they still do.
They were qualified by Ford, GM, Honda and Chrysler and AFAIK all but Honda used them at different times as problem solvers. I have copies of most of the Ford and some of the Chrysler qualifications tests and they performed impressively. That more or less is what sold me on them in the first place.
People overstate the "leak." It was really more of a "seep" because the caps were not screwed on tightly for a period of time.And the seeping was happening long after Ford had dropped the filter.
I have them on the trans an PS of everything I own. A couple started seeping. I know the guy who designed them and when I told him about it, he filled me in a little and sent me new ones, but after a time, the seepers stopped seeping. That issue is long solved but like many other things, the mistakes you make once haunt your brand forever. That's fair, I guess. There are similar alternatives but I like the Magnefine design the best (I have some independent testing of it and the alternatives and it also has the best performance by a tiny bit) so I was willing to look past the momentary lapse. None of the new ones I got leak or seep. I even installed one on an old Ford Hydro Mower (LGT145). It has a hydraulic filter that is very hard to find (NOS only). The original was so rusty it started leaking. I put a Magnefine on it about 18 months ago and it's doing great so far.
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
it is actually a very hard shift from 1st to second until hot when the outside temps are below 30 it sometimes slips a little until warm this has been for the last 50,000 miles with the purolater filters (not sure its the filter)
our '03 does the same thing. it also had a *brutal* slam shift from 4-3. Try adding some lucas, a small amount at a time. the 4-3 engine-mount-buster is a low pressure issue i believe. lucas has helped by 1-2 upshift as well. I realize I'm on borrowed time....
The cheaper aftermarket filters have crummy plastics taht will not hold the filter to the trans while you're trying to fit the pan up. Avoid the cheap stuff.
it is actually a very hard shift from 1st to second until hot when the outside temps are below 30 it sometimes slips a little until warm this has been for the last 50,000 miles with the purolater filters (not sure its the filter)
our '03 does the same thing. it also had a *brutal* slam shift from 4-3. Try adding some lucas, a small amount at a time. the 4-3 engine-mount-buster is a low pressure issue i believe. lucas has helped by 1-2 upshift as well. I realize I'm on borrowed time....
The cheaper aftermarket filters have crummy plastics taht will not hold the filter to the trans while you're trying to fit the pan up. Avoid the cheap stuff.
every time i do a transmission pan it leaks we do hundreds of engines with no problem but almost every time i do a trans pan it leaks! what am i doing wrong besides not taking it to the trans shop ...
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
every time i do a transmission pan it leaks we do hundreds of engines with no problem but almost every time i do a trans pan it leaks! what am i doing wrong besides not taking it to the trans shop ...
1. clean both the pan and trans surfaces Really Really well.
2. if you bent the pan during removal, flatten the bent spots
3. make sure it's still as clean and dry as you can...
4. 1/8" bead of RTV around pan flange. completely circle the bolt holes.
5. is the trans still as dry as you can keep it?
6. press it up in to place. gradually tighten all bolts, but NOT ALL THE WAY. don't put any real "grr" on them. just a light tighten.
7. go away. clean stuff up. wipe off the tools. go to the bathroom.
8. half an hour later, tighten all bolts to spec.
9. add fluid.
every time i do a transmission pan it leaks we do hundreds of engines with no problem but almost every time i do a trans pan it leaks! what am i doing wrong besides not taking it to the trans shop ...
1. clean both the pan and trans surfaces Really Really well.
2. if you bent the pan during removal, flatten the bent spots
3. make sure it's still as clean and dry as you can...
4. 1/8" bead of RTV around pan flange. completely circle the bolt holes.
5. is the trans still as dry as you can keep it?
6. press it up in to place. gradually tighten all bolts, but NOT ALL THE WAY. don't put any real "grr" on them. just a light tighten.
7. go away. clean stuff up. wipe off the tools. go to the bathroom.
8. half an hour later, tighten all bolts to spec.
9. add fluid.
this time i am going to put the blue atv on both sides of the gasket.
If you are going to use the rtv, get the oem black stuff from Chrysler
parts counter. Way better then anything else I've used. I've done it both ways, I just use the gasket these days. Clean the flanges really well.
+1 on meeps directions.
Wayne
parts counter. Way better then anything else I've used. I've done it both ways, I just use the gasket these days. Clean the flanges really well.
+1 on meeps directions.
Wayne
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
I know the guy who designed them and when I told him about it, he filled me in a little and sent me new ones,
Jim, is that Len Kelsey?
I know the guy who designed them and when I told him about it, he filled me in a little and sent me new ones,
Jim, is that Len Kelsey?
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