Trans fluid change, to do or not?
#1
'04 Heritage XLT
Thread Starter
Trans fluid change, to do or not?
Bought my truck from a used car dealership back in 2010. It's a 2004(2003) f150 with 4.2 v6, auto trans, 2wd. It's been so long that I can't remember if the trans fluid was changed. I'm sitting at 140k-ish miles, and was going to do a pan drop/fluid &filter change. I've been told at this point it is a 50/50 gamble if the trans will fail after. Thoughts/suggestions?
#2
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Bought my truck from a used car dealership back in 2010. It's a 2004(2003) f150 with 4.2 v6, auto trans, 2wd. It's been so long that I can't remember if the trans fluid was changed. I'm sitting at 140k-ish miles, and was going to do a pan drop/fluid &filter change. I've been told at this point it is a 50/50 gamble if the trans will fail after. Thoughts/suggestions?
#3
It 100% will die early death if you never change fluid...
When they fail...its because damage has already occurred and its hanging on only by virtue of crud keeping clearances tight enough to work
When they fail...its because damage has already occurred and its hanging on only by virtue of crud keeping clearances tight enough to work
#4
Looking for a Henway.
iTrader: (2)
Drop the pan, change the filter, refill it and drive it.
Drain it again in a few thousand miles.
I drained mine and changed the filter @ 170,000 miles (shifted fine, had a mild "thunk" between 3rd and OD). I put a drain plug in when I did it (would just buy a pan with a drain plug if I did it again), so it was easier to drain and fill (I did it gain @ 170,500, 172,000, 175,000 and 180,000, and will do it every 10,000 miles from now on).
As said, if damage is done, it will not matter if you change it or not. If no damage is done, changing the fluid will prolong the life of it.
Drain it again in a few thousand miles.
I drained mine and changed the filter @ 170,000 miles (shifted fine, had a mild "thunk" between 3rd and OD). I put a drain plug in when I did it (would just buy a pan with a drain plug if I did it again), so it was easier to drain and fill (I did it gain @ 170,500, 172,000, 175,000 and 180,000, and will do it every 10,000 miles from now on).
As said, if damage is done, it will not matter if you change it or not. If no damage is done, changing the fluid will prolong the life of it.
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rsylvstr (02-26-2017)
#5
Originally Posted by mbb
It 100% will die early death if you never change fluid...
When they fail...its because damage has already occurred and its hanging on only by virtue of crud keeping clearances tight enough to work
When they fail...its because damage has already occurred and its hanging on only by virtue of crud keeping clearances tight enough to work
#6
Originally Posted by blupupher
Drop the pan, change the filter, refill it and drive it.
Drain it again in a few thousand miles.
I drained mine and changed the filter @ 170,000 miles (shifted fine, had a mild "thunk" between 3rd and OD). I put a drain plug in when I did it (would just buy a pan with a drain plug if I did it again), so it was easier to drain and fill (I did it gain @ 170,500, 172,000, 175,000 and 180,000, and will do it every 10,000 miles from now on).
As said, if damage is done, it will not matter if you change it or not. If no damage is done, changing the fluid will prolong the life of it.
Drain it again in a few thousand miles.
I drained mine and changed the filter @ 170,000 miles (shifted fine, had a mild "thunk" between 3rd and OD). I put a drain plug in when I did it (would just buy a pan with a drain plug if I did it again), so it was easier to drain and fill (I did it gain @ 170,500, 172,000, 175,000 and 180,000, and will do it every 10,000 miles from now on).
As said, if damage is done, it will not matter if you change it or not. If no damage is done, changing the fluid will prolong the life of it.
#7
Senior Member
This is when incorporate rear end friction modifier into the trans fluid. Little at a time until it starts working again, - as a last resort before rebuilding. It's a what have you got to lose situation, and a very old trick from way back lol.
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#8
Senior Member
FWIW, when I changed mine in August of 2014 (31,000 miles ago) it had pieces of the sprag in the pan. I thought for sure it would bite the big one right after I changed it. But we changed it and added Lubegard, and it's been perfect since. It is time to change it again though, and we'll see what treasures we find this go around.
#9
Senior Member
What's a sprag? Sounds like something I might be fortunate not to know lol.
Last edited by Jbrew; 02-21-2017 at 01:27 PM.
#10
Senior Member
It helps the trans to shift more smooth, basically. Some people call them a one-way clutch too. In about 99, Ford changed it to a diode (don't know why they called it that, except that it only goes one way), which is a much improved unit. Anyway, two of these zig-zag springs were in the pan, they hold pressure on the roller bearing, IIRC. It shifts great without those two though.