Poll. Any troubles with tranny soon after fluid/filter change, tranny flush?

[Shurup]

After reading many threads here I concluded that many troubles with tranny came up after tranny flush and even after fluid/filter change. Are all those cases just coincidence or result of servising tranny? This doesn't sound right for me and now I am afraid of touching my tranny so it wouldn't brake apart. Therefore I need your words guys.

Have you got any tranny troubles after flushing, changing fluid/filter? Any trouble before that? What kind of tranny and how many miles on it?

What I want from this poll is to see if servising the tranny hurm it, or it is bad only for old tranny (with big mileage). Mostly interested in A4LD.

 

[mrboyle]

It is not uncommon for high mileage trannys to develop problems after fulshing. This is especially true with high mileage trannys. If the tranny is properly serviced from the start the problem can be avoided.

 

[NH25]

My trans FRIED about 3 weeks after I did a complete flush. Unfortunately I dont have any history on the trans before I got my hands on it. I got it out of a wrecked Explorer so I could do a swap from a manual trans to an automatic. More than likely the trans had not been serviced since it left the factory in 91.

 

[aldive]

None

 

[Redrig]

im in the same boat as you man i dont know my history so im stuck. but someone on here told me that when u service it it cleans it out and cloggs the new filter and that u just have to change it again. makes sense to me. if you do it let us know how you make out

 

[B94Sport]

I bought my Ex with 69,000 miles on it and from that point on, I had a complete fluid flush done every 10,000-15,000 miles at Jiffy Lube/Similar Places, and had mixed Trans-X additive into the fluid at a 1:10 ratio... The tranny was problem-free until about 121,000 miles, when my intermediate band broke and I lost 2nd and 3rd gear. Interestingly, about a week or two earlier, I had dropped the pan, retorqued the valve body bolts, replaced the filter with an improved version, and replaced the vacuum modulator.

Now, I should point out that I drove the truck hard, and used an adjustable vacuum modulator that gave me the ability to move the shift points up, which I made full use of. I also had a SuperChip. These three factors combined resulted in the tranny shifting from 1st to 2nd at about 4300 RPM. In retrospect, this was probably a bad idea, and I believe that my intermediate band broke because of the excessive torque applied to the band as a result of shifting at such a high RPM. After about 52,000 miles of "spirited" driving, and 300 or so miles of very high RPM 1st-2nd shifts, it just couldn't take it anymore.

I guess it could have been a lot worse. At least I still have 1st gear, which can take me to about 30 MPH, and then 4th gear and a functional torque convertor for cruising 75 MPH on the highway at 2500 RPM. I just have to take 1st gear to about 3000 RPM, then let off the gas and tap it again at 1700-1900 RPM to get it to shift into fourth.

 

[treehuger]

My A4LD went out prior to any fluid change @ 100K miles. [it will not shift out of first gear, cold or hot]

Though I used to have the local lube-n-go or whatever do the fluid flush once a year [miles 20k-50k] and never had any problems, of course this is not a full fluid and filter change.

It would seem to me that the problem is the suggested fluid change interval proposed by Ford, as by the time most Ex owners do the change it is too late.

Doug

 

[B94Sport]

Yes what does Ford suggest? I could usually tell that my fluid needed replaced because the engine would start to rev higher before shifting gears and if I attempted to accelerate from a roll, it would take a while to downshift.

If the suggested fluid change interval is more than 20,000-25,000 miles, I would suspect that to be the problem.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

I know you're looking for advice on the A4LD, but I thought I'd share my story on the 4r70w, the V8's automatic.

I purchased the vehicle at ~106k mi... The fluid was nice and red, like it had just been changed. The truck shifted perfectly. I decided to do a pan drop to be safe. I replaced the filter and put in new Mercon V fluid.

After driving it around, I noticed that at around 35-40mph, the truck will occasionally "buck" almost like the torque converter was having problems engaging. However, after about 1000 miles of driving, the problem has ceased.

In yoour case, I would not do a full pressurized flush at a dealer, but I would drop the pan and change the filter, then refill. You won't be knocking crud loose, the new filter will improve fluid flow and be able to catch crud, and the mix of old/new fluid (you only get about 1/2 the total fluid out with a pan drop) will extend the life of the tranny. Fresh tranny fluid is vital to the system lasting a long time.

 

[Glacier991]

I had drained and replaced my 92 Explorer's fluid (by replacing the filter, which only replcaes a portion of the fluid, at 65 and 130K. Last year I did a full flush using the trannie pump and hoses etc... ran 12 quarts... after about 5K it still is running great, in fact better after the change, except for a slow R/1st engage, which is known and understood. I have 196K on that trannie now.

 

[Miker]

Trans Troubles

Recent trans service at dealer on 2000 XLT SOHC with 85,000 miles (I have owned and regularly serviced since 25, 000 mi). Now it 'hunts' in the first-second-third gear shifts - once on the highway, does fine..dealer had hooked it up and says no error codes (But they do admit is is misbehaving) Locking out OD has no impact. Thoughts?

 

[douce92x]

I recently did a filter/fluid change on my tranny and it is slow to engage from reverse to 1st when its cold. After warming up it's fine.I just had the tranny rebuilt about 17,000 miles ago. Any body have any ideas on why it would slip? thanks Andrew

 

[Rick]

Tranny fluid has a lot of detergents in it. The detergents eat up old clutch material which were near failure anyway. Flushing can also dislodge sludge and particles which can cause your governer or valves in the valve body to stick. Many people wait until they start experiencing tranny problems to do a flush. All of those things can cause you problems after a fluid change or flush.

 

[Shurup]

Guys, I need your stories. Even if you have no problem, just say that.

 

[Bill Kemp]

I haad a flush done at 55,000. Changed the filter soon after. Have changed the filter once a year since. (appx every 12 to 15K mi) Last time I changed the filter I had slow ahifts between R & 1st. Took the pan off and found the filter design must have changed and the screw, that holds the filter in place, now needed a washer on it to keep the filter in place. The O ring on the fluid pick-up was not tight enough without the washer holding up the filter. So it sucked air instead of fluid and caused the slow shifts. No problems since.
Generally speaking if you want a trans to last you gotta change the filter regularly.

 

[Miker]

Tranny Troubles

There is a Ford TSB out on this transmission for vague or missing shifts.

 

[Shurup]

Miker
What does FSB stand for?

 

[Miker]

Tranny

I have no idea what FSB stands for. TSB is a technical servce bulletin.

 

[XplorerKid]

yea like the weekend i got my X i had a full flush and everything done to it...............

i havent had a propblem with ne thing yet and its been um a while( i tihnk ive had it for a year)

and i dunno if you would consider my tranny high milage its at bout 85xxx miles.......

PEACE

 

[Shurup]

XplorerKid
And how many miles was on you tranny before you flushed it?