jenbooks

Hi, I've been browsing the advice on a transmission flush.

I bought my f150 supercrew 2005, a few years ago. I knew nothing about trucks so learning slowly. Recently a NAPA auto guy with a gorgeous spotless F150 told me to completely flush my transmission fluid if I want to preserve the life of my truck. It's never been flushed at all, when checked during oil changes or when I had it at the dealer to repair my computer module.

I was going to use his guy, a retired Ford dealer mechanic who is still moonlighting and did a great job rotating my tires, BUT he just had surgery and is not available right now. He recommended some sort of total flush.

My question is, I bought the truck at 82K and I don't know what the prior history is (was from a dealer who got it at auction). Therefore, I read on the forums that sometimes this jangles loose crud in there...I don't know how it was maintained...

Or should I do a "regular" flush.

Should I use a ford dealer, or can anyone do it?
I myself cannot--I have no mechanical ability.

THANKS

jstockert

Do not ever pick a mechanic on his ability to rotate your tires. JMO

GraveDigger85

I'd be careful doing a complete flush at that many miles without knowing previous history and mileage. You may run into shifting problems and slipping gears due to the existing transmission fluid has clutch material floating around helping to keep the transmission shifting smoothly. Another aspect is removing trans pan and change the filter which you'd loose about 5-7 quarts of fluid compared to flushing and refilling with 12-15 quarts. As long as it shifts good without any problems I wouldn't worry about it. It lasted over 100K so far. IMO.

jenbooks

Gravedigger, thanks. So would you do the 5-7 quarts? I mean, shouldn't I do something? I have driven it 30,000 miles in 3 years. Also, I love my truck and want to keep it as long as I possibly can. And others seem to love it, too, I am not exactly sure why. It is a Texas edition (I think that means a better suspension? See, I don't exactly know) and guys will come up and walk around my truck with a sort of squint and ask me if it's really mine and so on. Or a woman pulled over in a parking lot and I rolled down my window and she said is your truck for sale. NOT. So I want to do whatever is safe to maintain my truck.

meb

I wouldn't take it to the dealer. Its been my experience that they don't drop the pan, they use some type of device that hooks to the hoses. At about 170,000 I dropped the pan on my f150 and realized the filter was the original. Was completely clogged and the yellow ball that drops when they put the dip stick in during assembly was in the pan. I was real disappointed finding out this. 100% dealer maintained vehicle. No, I don't go to that dealer anymore. Let's just say its located in Burlington, NJ.

GraveDigger85

How's the fluid look and smell? Any shifting issues at all? The fluid should have a pinkish/reddish color to it with no foul odor of being burnt. I know the truck has over 100K so the fluid won't be in that great a shape will more than likely exhibit a burnt smell and discoloration. It's completely your call on this, you can drop the pan to replace the filter as well as see what the magnet in the pan has collected over the years(you will have very fine metal particles/shavings clumped up but you shouldn't have big pieces), or do a flush or both. Like I said, your call. You can change the fluid and have no problems until months/miles/years later or leave it alone and have issues with it later down the road, kind of a gamble either way you slice it.

RLXXI

Pretty sure the trans on that year truck is sealed for life, do you have a dipstick? If no leave it alone.

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jenbooks

I am going to go look and report back on details (dipstick, sealed for life?, exactly what the fluid is like). No my fluid is not bad--I am sure it was at least new when sold to me, I"m just saying, I do not know how the previous owner maintained it and whether they did flushes--no idea and never will. And I assume a dealer won't take on that expense either (a complete flush). I got it at 82K. Yes it shifts fine--(automatic). I guess from these replies and my browsing on the forum, I'm inclined to "drop pan, change filter, and then add 5-7 quarts"...if that's possible. Will report back guys thx.

GraveDigger85

At least the way I've done them before with machines is called a fluid exchanger which they hook it up to the trans cooler lines, have the truck running and the old fluid collects in the machine while pushing new fluid into it, constant cycle basically. Once the machine is done you disconnect it and top off as needed. The right way of doing it which I did was drop the pan and replace the filter then do the flush, but the dealership flat rate quick lube way was just flush it and forget about it. 9 times out of 10 its a lube tech with not a lick of repair experience just an inspector/fluid flusher.

GraveDigger85

It's not sealed for life, there's a dipstick and removable trans pan with a serviceable filter.