To flush or not to flush

[GreeCguy]

Hail Bitog, full of grease, the lard is with thee.

So, for those of you with a somewhat long memory, you might recall that way back the early spring of 2013, the ever faithful "Bluesmobile" was giving me some tranny fits.

I flushed the fluid, changing both fluid and filter and then cycling some 16 quarts of new fluid through the old tranny. After some fits and sputters, I added a variety of additives and finally achieved motoring happiness which has continued ever since.

For the sake of recollection, the unholy brew included -

2 bottles Lucas transmission fix
1 bottle of Lubegard Platinum (silver bottle, I thought it was "the best" but found out later it was for Chrysler applications).
1 bottle Lubegard red
1 bottle Seafoam transfix.

The Seafoam actually did the job as within about two miles of addition, the ever faithful "Bluesmobile" was running like she did when she left Detroit.

That was almost two years and about 10,000 miles ago, (maybe 12,000).

Now, on the one hand, I am firmly in the "if it ain't broke" crowd. Said "Bluesmobile" continues to run well with tranny happily transmitting power from the motor to the wheels.

On the other hand, I've got a hankering to do a fluid change like I did before. While I won't change the filter, I can pump out the fluid via the filler tube with a hand pump and cycle another 16 quarts of fresh fluid through the transmission, this time, maybe going light on the additives.

I know when I did it two years ago, the fluid that came out was coffee black, and I'm thinking over the past two years, said new fluid has done a cleaning job, (along with the Seafoam which claims to clean - which, btw, I believe it did). So, I'm thinking of going fresh with the hopes of extending transmission happiness for many miles to come.

What say you guys.

Said vehicle is a 1993 Ford Taurus with the 3.0 V-6 and ORIGINAL transmission with 163,000 miles on the clock.

Thoughts, opinions, ideas?

 

[lawman1909]

I would leave it be. Like you said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd change it the way you mentioned. Fill it up with your favorite brand of ATF that meets the Ford spec. add a bottle of LG red and call it done.

 

[Rolla07]

I like both answers above..but considering its only been 2 yrs and 10k miles..leave it alone.

 

[turtlevette]

It would be more interesting for us if he flushed it. The only downside is he'd have to replace the additives if it started acting up again.

 

[hotwheels]

Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
Hail Bitog, full of grease, the lard is with thee.


The wife always says I must flush.

hotwheels

 

[barkingspider]

I would leave it alone

 

[Donald]

Quality synthetic AFT meeting the spec.

 

[ET16]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Quality synthetic AFT meeting the spec.


+1

 

[brandini]

drain and fill with the proper stuff and no mystery bottles since there should be no need and they're certainly not going to help with any repair bill down the road

 

[Oro_O]

I would take it all out and just go with quality synthetic for the spec - I think MaxLife meets the Mercon spec for your tranny.

I have had GREAT success using SeaFoam TransTune in both ATs and PS systems. Love it. But I don't want that kerosene/Naptha/IPA mix in there long term, too volatile and seal-unfriendly. I am not as familiar with the Lubeguard secret ingredients, but bet its similar. I think you have too many high VOC's in there for leaving in for a full service cycle. If it was only one bottle or two of additive I wouldn't be as eager to change, but I think you over did the additives a bit. All for the short-term good, but it's time to get them out.

The mousemilks have done their jobs. Move 'em over, Let the ATF take over (apologies to Jimi Hendrix).

Ps, I hate Illinois Nazis, too.

PPS - while you are doing this, flush the PS system too and fill with MaxLife (or whatever). Add a few ounces of TransTune to that for a few days or week beforehand. Works great.

PPPS - I'm guessing you mean Pinellas County? I lived there once long ago.

 

[NMBurb02]

At the very least, pull a sample and send it in for analysis to see what kind of Frankenbrew you ended up with.

 

[John_Conrad]

i would keep the fluid and go to your next maintenance interval. what ever that may be 25 or 30K, unless if it starts giving you problems.

I would do a complete fluid flush and filter change at that point because of all the cleaning the current fill may do and make sure to clean the magnet in the pan.

be prepared to use addy's again if it doesn't run up to par, but at 160k I think you should be all right. I have a original tranny(and engine) on my test mule '97 oldsmobile with well over 300k
(he knocks on wood-again)!

 

[daman]

I would change it out again to get all the nasty's out that the cleaning did.

fresh fluid, a bottle of LGR, a magnifine in line filter and call it a day.

 

[John_Conrad]

One more thing, pump some fluid out of the fill tube into a clear bottle and have a look at it, so you can see what it is looking like.

Post a pic if you can. thanks.

 

[RF Overlord]

Originally Posted By: daman
I would change it out again to get all the nasty's out that the cleaning did.

fresh fluid, a bottle of LGR, a magnifine in line filter and call it a day.
^^^This.^^^

If the transmission won't operate correctly with just the specified fluid (and without your franken-brew), then it has issues and should be repaired. If that's what you're trying to avoid, then by all means run your mix for as long as the transmission continues to function.

 

[John_Conrad]

good point,, remaining objective:

GreeCguy:

can you expand on the symptoms the vehicle was exhibiting prior to the transmission oil change?

 

[38Chevy454]

Assuming that the extra cleaning has probably left a lot of stuff in the filter and bottom of the pan, I would want to get that out, along with some of the contaminated fluid. I would drop the pan, clean it well, replace filter, and then refill with synth ATF. Not a full flush, but also no need for any new additives.

 

[Donald]

Magnefine inline filter.

 

[GreeCguy]

Originally Posted By: John_Conrad
can you expand on the symptoms the vehicle was exhibiting prior to the transmission oil change?


Well, let's see if I can remember all the details.

The trouble began with a "seldom feeling," as though said transmission was "winded" and needed a moment to "catch it's breath," especially when climbing a hill. I really wasn't too worried at this point as I too would work up some degree of wind if I weighed 3,000 pounds and had to haul my heavy self up a hill at speed.

Then it started "jumping" into reverse. Not that it would leap backwards on it's own accord. But when I selected "R" on the indicator, it was as though the transmission was suddenly "frightened" at the prospect of hitting the open road.

Then came the period of gear selecting indecision. While driving down the road, around 45-50 mph, it would shift constantly between 3rd and 4th gear and sometimes even pause between gear selections, as though, like the blue haired lady at the beauty saloon, (yes, I know), it really couldn't make up it's mind and was "thinking about it."

As senility continued to set in, I began to add various additives which promised zest and vigor, like "Viagra" in a transmission kind of way.

In order, it went like this. Flush all fluid and change filter. Nothing improved. "Lucas" transmission fix followed, followed by bottle number two of the same product, (the instructions on the back of the bottle said that two might be necessary). No improvement.

That's when I went with "Lubegard" in the silver bottle. I thought since it was silver it was like, "The Best." (I later learned it was for Chrysler vehicles - oh well).

That's when "Lubegard" red was added. It actually helped a little, but quite frankly, it was still a "pull the seat cover from the crack of my behind" driving experience, (let the reader understand the meaning of "tense driver afraid of being stranded on the side of the road").

Then came the exciting and memorable day the ever faithful "Bluesmobile" forgot 1st gear existed in it's tranny innards. There I was, at a red light on a four lane highway on a hot spring day in bumper to bumper traffic. The light turned green, I stepped on the gas, the motor revved, and I barely moved. Like Jimmy Steward in "Spirit of St. Louis" over the Atlantic Ocean, I panicked, ("blast the guts out of it!!!").

Thankfully, at the intersection there was an "Auto Zone" on one corner. I managed to make it up the entrance and into the parking lot and went inside. There on the counter of miracle elixirs was a happy looking can of "Seafoam Trans Tune."

I bought it and a blue funnel, (which I still have), poured said miracle in a can into the transmission, cranked the car and let it idle for a few minutes. Then, ever so gently, I put the transmission in gear and headed out onto the open road.

I'll never forget that day as long as I live. The light at the intersection was red, as were all the lights in front of me as far as I could see. I was sitting there, sweating, praying I would make it home when suddenly, on the radio, the theme song for "Chariots of Fire" started to play. At that exact same moment, all the lights in front of me turned green. I stepped on the gas and lo and behold, the transmission worked perfectly, shifting smoothly through every gear with ease.

I wanted to cry, literally. The moment was so golden, so overwhelming. Not only was the transmission working perfectly, I was actually keeping up with the cars around me. Even the car itself seemed to sense the intensity of the moment and did a few little "jumps" of victory as we galloped with the pack.

"Awesome" is a word much overused in our society today, but friends, let me tell you, THAT was an AWESOME experience.