so if my truck has 175,000 on it an i have no idea about whats been done to the tranny would that mean a flush would be a good idea?

 

Dude
Do some research on tranny flushes and you won't be asking why and how.

 

In your case I would have them change the filter and flush it. It will cost a few dollars more but at least you will know everything is fresh.

 

What Is An Engine Or Transmission Flush?
Flushing is the high pressure forcing of fluid back against the normal flow of the fluid. In other words if the normal flow is left to right, the flush would force the fluid right to left. This is accomplished by connecting a machine that will force special solvents back through the engine and transmission. The idea is that by forcing cleaning solvents backwards through the system, it will get all the junk and garbage that has formed over time and "flush" it out of the system. In theory this may be sound, but in actual practice, it's dangerous.

The Dangers Of Flushing...
Flush machines do what they say; they force high pressure cleaning solvents back through the engine and transmission and clean out some of the accumulated junk that has formed. Now engines have small passages and galleries through which oil or automatic transmission fluid flow and there are one-way valves that keep the fluids from backtracking for whatever reason. By using an aggressive cleaning procedure like flushing, large chunks of accumulated sludge are broken off and forced backwards through these galleries and valves and, more often than not, lodge tightly and block them. This cuts off the normal flow of the fluid and causes lack of lubrication in an engine and abnormal or no shifting in a transmission. The results are expensive repairs, or more often, engine or transmission replacement.

Who Recommends Flushing As Maintenance?
The shops that want to sell you the engine or transmission flush charge anywhere from $49.95 to $99.95, not including a new engine or transmission. Those are extra. And they state quite emphatically that it is recommended that it be done. But who actually recommends that it be done? I checked with GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Honda and several other new car manufacturers and not one recommended an engine or transmission flush as routine maintenance. In fact, they specifically don't recommend it at all!! The new car dealerships that do sell them use the implication that since they are the dealer that it must be the factory that recommends it. And if they do say the factory recommends it, they are flat out lying to you.

The only ones who do recommend flushing as a maintenance procedure are the companies that sell the flush machines and the shops that buy them. The flush machine manufacturers state quite clearly in their operating manuals not to use their machines on "high-mileage vehicles". That simple statement proves that flushing is not a safe procedure. It also absolves them of any responsibility of any damage that may occur due to the use of their equipment. This leaves the shop wholly responsible for anything that happens and the cost of correcting the damage that occurs.

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I know this since I recently appeared as a witness in a lawsuit where a person was sold an engine flush that destroyed his engine.

The Facts...
The fact is, if you do frequent engine oil and filter changes and service the transmission every 15,000 miles there is no need for a flush. I have customers that change their oil every 3,000 miles and they don't need to use fancy oils and filters, and after over 100,000 miles, the oil comes out almost as clean as it goes in. They have regular transmission services and their transmission still shifts like new, even with well over 100,000 miles on it.

If you have neglected regular oil changes and you want to do some interior engine cleaning, get the oil and filter changed and replace one quart of motor oil for one quart of transmission fluid. The transmission fluid has a high detergent content that will clean the engine without damaging it. Do this every 3,000 miles and you will clean the inside of the engine slowly and gently.

If you do get a flush, I recommend you do it when you can afford to replace the engine or transmission.



Read more at Suite101: Do You Need To Flush?: http://autotechrepair.suite101.com/a...#ixzz0fBICpUy6

 

There must be different types of systems. I am familiar with the kind you hook up to the trannny lines at the radiator, fill the thing with fluid, and turn it on. It will pump the new fluid through the system the same way it normally would, and shuts down when the fluid gets low. The old fluid pumps out into a bucket. You can add a cleaner and run for 15 min before the flush and there is a conditioner you add after the flush. I think the machine is made by winns. They also make the coolant flush machine. I plan on doing this in the spring except I'm bringing my own fluid and not using their cleaner/conditioner. I'm at 35,000 miles. When I was working at the quicky oil change place back in the day, this machine just came out. I was told not to recommend any trans service after 75,000 miles because the trans will slip.

 

You must be thinking of this system. Anybody who would push fluid backwards through a tranny is an idiot. The Wynns system is the what the Ford dealerships use around here. For both power steering and transmission fluid changes. And quite frankly doing nothing or letting out some fluid thru the pan and adding new is a just as foolish as backflushing.

 

I wasn't asking out of curiosity, I was asking what made him think that. A proper flush is a perfectly safe way of doing the job.

 

^^That's the one.

 

I am by no means a mechanic but this is my experience and what a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy told me.

flushing wont remove the metal from the magnets in the drain pan. I changed mine a couple months ago at 80k and I don't think they would have held much more. So if u don't clean the magnets there eventually going to be holding all they can leaving new shavings to go everywhere.

secondly new fluid is thinner making it easier to go through areas the old thicker fluid wouldn't. Basically I wouldn't change my fluid if the truck had over 100k. That's just me

Also I would rather spend a couple hours doing it myself and know its been done right vs. having it flushed and wondering if it would be ok in the long run.

+ I know the good stuff is going in instead being told the good stuff went in. We all know the dealership will do it the cheapest way possible.

 

I do all of my own work. With the exception of the flush and tuning. And for the flush I insist on standing there with my vehicle or they don't get my biz. IMO either at your 60k or 90k you should be dropoping the pan in addition to the flush to swap out the filter and clean the magnet.