Long Distance Towing
08-25-2012, 11:39 AM
#11
Senior Member
Originally Posted by smokeywren
Baloney! Old wives' tale. The tranny engineers at Ford don't agree with you. Properly draining and flushing an automagic tranny will never cause a problem that wasn't about to happen anyway.
However, properly draining and flushing means using only MERCON V ATF. Never flush with anything except nice clean ATF. Those harsh flushing chemicals are the cause of most tranny problems that come up soon after a flush and thereby contribute to the old wives' tale.
I'm not up with the details on the tranny in my F-150, but I know a lot about the 4R100 tranny in my old F-250 diesel. The details of how to flush the 4R100 are at
http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/...ission-198641/
The details of how to flush the tranny in the F-150 will differ by how much ATF is required and the location of the tranny cooler return line, but otherwise they would be very similar to the procedures to change the ATF in the heavier-duty 4R100 tranny. I've used these procedures to change the ATF in an older F-150 that had a 4R70W tranny with no problems. But the 6-speed tranny in the 2011-up maybe be slightly different.
The following link is a how-to on this website, but it applies to a 4R70w tranny too. The video shows a Magnefine in-line tranny filter in the rubber part of the return line near the front axle, but your truck may not have that filter.
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/2005-f1...r-video-93131/
08-28-2012, 12:23 PM
#12
Baloney! Old wives' tale. The tranny engineers at Ford don't agree with you. Properly draining and flushing an automagic tranny will never cause a problem that wasn't about to happen anyway.
However, properly draining and flushing means using only MERCON V ATF. Never flush with anything except nice clean ATF. Those harsh flushing chemicals are the cause of most tranny problems that come up soon after a flush and thereby contribute to the old wives' tale.
I'm not up with the details on the tranny in my F-150, but I know a lot about the 4R100 tranny in my old F-250 diesel. The details of how to flush the 4R100 are at
http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/...ission-198641/
The details of how to flush the tranny in the F-150 will differ by how much ATF is required and the location of the tranny cooler return line, but otherwise they would be very similar to the procedures to change the ATF in the heavier-duty 4R100 tranny. I've used these procedures to change the ATF in an older F-150 that had a 4R70W tranny with no problems. But the 6-speed tranny in the 2011-up maybe be slightly different.
The following link is a how-to on this website, but it applies to a 4R70w tranny too. The video shows a Magnefine in-line tranny filter in the rubber part of the return line near the front axle, but your truck may not have that filter.
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/2005-f1...r-video-93131/
However, properly draining and flushing means using only MERCON V ATF. Never flush with anything except nice clean ATF. Those harsh flushing chemicals are the cause of most tranny problems that come up soon after a flush and thereby contribute to the old wives' tale.
I'm not up with the details on the tranny in my F-150, but I know a lot about the 4R100 tranny in my old F-250 diesel. The details of how to flush the 4R100 are at
http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/...ission-198641/
The details of how to flush the tranny in the F-150 will differ by how much ATF is required and the location of the tranny cooler return line, but otherwise they would be very similar to the procedures to change the ATF in the heavier-duty 4R100 tranny. I've used these procedures to change the ATF in an older F-150 that had a 4R70W tranny with no problems. But the 6-speed tranny in the 2011-up maybe be slightly different.
The following link is a how-to on this website, but it applies to a 4R70w tranny too. The video shows a Magnefine in-line tranny filter in the rubber part of the return line near the front axle, but your truck may not have that filter.
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/2005-f1...r-video-93131/
08-28-2012, 05:40 PM
#13
Member
The difference in what you two are talking about is "properly draining and flushing" and not. I have had the issue, also. Every car I have owned and flushed on a regular schedule - no problems. Two that I neglected for 75,000 miles - tranny was OK until I changed the fluid, then they went out within 1500 miles.
will be flushing tomorrow morning, then monday pulling 4k pounds for 2k miles
the million dollar question is; what's worse for the truck?
hauling a long distance on old fluid that can't handle the thermal breakdown of the heavy load and burning something up,
or freeing up contaminants in the trans that could possibly clog/and or cause issues/failures in the trans while on the trip???
can i borrow someone's crystal ball please???
08-28-2012, 05:48 PM
#14
that was my only concern. I bought the truck with 97k on it, now its just over 100k and the factory now recommends a trans flush. the fluid looks contaminant free and relatively clean on the dip stick, but i have no way of knowing how its been maintained in the past... makes me uneasy a bit.
will be flushing tomorrow morning, then monday pulling 4k pounds for 2k miles
the million dollar question is; what's worse for the truck?
hauling a long distance on old fluid that can't handle the thermal breakdown of the heavy load and burning something up,
or freeing up contaminants in the trans that could possibly clog/and or cause issues/failures in the trans while on the trip???
can i borrow someone's crystal ball please???
will be flushing tomorrow morning, then monday pulling 4k pounds for 2k miles
the million dollar question is; what's worse for the truck?
hauling a long distance on old fluid that can't handle the thermal breakdown of the heavy load and burning something up,
or freeing up contaminants in the trans that could possibly clog/and or cause issues/failures in the trans while on the trip???
can i borrow someone's crystal ball please???
If it was me, I would leave it and drive it in to the ground.
The other option is to go to the dealer and explain the concern and see what they say.
Either way, with my past experience, I would be wary of changing it and then going right in to a 2000 mile trip. I think I would take the trip first then make a decision on how to proceed when I got back.
08-28-2012, 05:55 PM
#15
Member
That's a dilemna for you. And one of the downsides to buying a used vehicle.
If it was me, I would leave it and drive it in to the ground.
The other option is to go to the dealer and explain the concern and see what they say.
Either way, with my past experience, I would be wary of changing it and then going right in to a 2000 mile trip. I think I would take the trip first then make a decision on how to proceed when I got back.
If it was me, I would leave it and drive it in to the ground.
The other option is to go to the dealer and explain the concern and see what they say.
Either way, with my past experience, I would be wary of changing it and then going right in to a 2000 mile trip. I think I would take the trip first then make a decision on how to proceed when I got back.