Turkey Hunter

I have a 2004 F150 with a 5.4L. I checked my transmission fluid today and it read high. I know it was good when I last checked it in January. Since then It has been worked on by my local dealership and I had the oil changed once at an xpress lube. The only reason I didn't change it myself tnat time is because It was winter I didn't want to change it with snow on the ground. So either the dealership or the xpresslube added to much tranny fluid. It has 150k miles on it and I was wondering what you guys think. Would it would be better to drain a little fluid or just get a transmission flush. Thanks in advance

camohr

if it has never been flushed before now i would just drop the pan and change the filter and then refill

Mod (Ret.)

The "debate" of flushing an automatic transmission went on here a few months ago; a search on transmission or transmission flush should provide the link to it; it was a couple of pages of comments/opinions.

Me personally, I support the automatic transmission flush. Theres no such thing as "lifetime" fluid, so leaving transmission oil in a tranny more than 75 to 80K is on borrowed time IMO. Dropping the pan and changing the filter is only going to get you about 4 to 5 fresh quarts of fluid; our trannys hold close to 14 quarts I believe. You no longer have a drain plug in the torque converter, so the only way to get all the fluid out is to flush. There are a couple of methods, and the moral majority seems to agree that "reverse" flushing is the prefered method. Prevents flushing any potential debris into the valve body is what folks say. I am not a transmission expert, so my advise would be to talk with local transmission shops to get their expert opinion.

I have always had flushes done, my truck was done (flushed) by the dealer; they ran a special on it for 80 bucks.

VanoFord

This debate always has amazed me. Its the second most important component in your drivetrain. Respect it like you respect you're engine (for those that actually do). I have 75k on my truck, just got my tran flushed for the 3rd time! Dealer recommends every 40k, but I tow/haul/get in it hard ALL the time, so I go every 25k. Call me crazy, but when you're tran goes out, then is not the time to be saying "I should have gotten my transmission flushed regularly" But then again, this is all just one man's opinion

techrep

iTrader: (1)

X2....don't just drain...FLUSH and Filter

3p0x1fx4

I have seen too many vehicles drop transmissions after a "flush" to write it of as coincidence. I've always stuck with a drain and filter change with no problems. You don't need to flush the oil from your engine, why would it be any different with your transmission? I'm not saying if you flush your transmission it's going to blow, I just don't think it's worth it.

VanoFord

You dont flush your engine because 90% drains from the pan, none is stored in the engine. The remainding 10% is caught in the filter/lines. When doing a drain/filter swap for your trans, all you get is 70% change, at best. If people are getting dropped trans after flushing, they are going to a bad place. Don't try and save $15 bucks by not going to the dealer. You might gain $15 now, but you could blow $1500 later.

shelby2008

i too have seen alot of ford transmissions fail shortly after having a flush done. granted this was on late 80's and early 90's vehicles (was over ten years ago i was a mechanic and actually did the flushes). i am not opposed to doing the flushes, just be sure they are replacing with manuf. specified fluid. where i did it we just used bulk trans fluid and i think that was probably the cause of those failed transmissions.

muddhogg

105,000 miles, suddenly my 01 f150 5.4 is bucking or chaddering like crazy. i tow a lot. will a complete flush maybe fix this? any advice would be nice other then a tranny rebuild :-(. thanks

VanoFord

gonna have to be a lil more specific on the buckin and chadderin. where are they comin from? whats it sound like? what causes it to do this, mph, rpm, climbing inclines, whenever, etc? more info you provide, better we all can assist you.