to change or not to change tran fluid

[xltguy]

I drive a 97 5.0L XLT AWD, tow package. I am preparing to tow a trailer (3600 lbs dry weight) in the mountains for the first time. Truck runs great, no hint of tranny probs, has 70K mi. I bought the vehicle used (35K mi.) and not sure if tran. fluid ever changed. Suspect it was, because well maintained otherwise and fluid is nice and pink still. I have heard horror stories about transmissions going bad after fluid change if they have gone a long time without a change. So, what is the consensus? Should I leave well enough alone, or have transmission fluid flushed and replaced before dragging trailer through Colorado mountains? THanks for any thoughts/opinions/personal experiences.

 

[aldive]

I would definately recommend a fluid change; a complete change not just a pan drop change. Further, I would recommend a switch to synthetic fluid, especially if towing.

Another nice addition is an external filter and trannt temp gauge. See Dead Link Removed

Good luck.....

 

[james t]

basically, the "dont change your fluid if its old" idea is crap. sorry, but i have had much experience with high mileage auto trannies, and have never experienced anything negative with changing the filter/fluid. i just changed mine to B&M Trick Shift Synthetic a few months ago, and the stuff works great. going to ANY brand synth will be a big help with towing. by the way, at 70k miles i dont think you qualify as "high mileage". also, if you tow any at all, do what i did to my 5.0. get a big tranny cooler, and run it in-line with your stock one. you can never have too much tranny cooler, especially in a SUV that tows... i would really like to hear from someone that had their tranny rebuilt and the shop told them "well, it would have been ok, but you changed the fluid/filter and just screwed it up." an old wives tale.

 

[xltguy]

thanks for the feedback...I was planning on changing the fluid, but then ran across a couple of posts on this site while searching for info, in which people made comments about new fluid dislodging sludge, particles getting stirred up and blocking flow of fluid to parts of the tranny, detergent effect of ATF that causes one or both of above, synthetic fluid being "too slippery" for a tranny that always used stock ATF and thus causing slippage, etc. Good to hear that the consensus, at least so far, is to change and probably change to synthetic. Thanks again.

 

[xlt-sport]

xltguy

have the whole transmission service done, fluid,filter, the works.

i agree with the other guys GO with SYNTHETIC.

there's too much to lose if it's not been serviced when it should have been.

enjoy the mountains

peter

 

[GR899V8]

I changed my own transmission oil and filter at about 30K. When I pulled the pan, a small plastic mushroom-shaped piece with an O-ring on it was in the pan. After 1/2 hour trying to see where it could have possibly come from I determined it was either a plug for the dipstick tube or just somehow was left in there. I got brave and put it all back together, ran fine with no problems. A few weeks later I was at the dealer and showed it to him. He smiled and 'fessed up that Ford would shove the dipstick plug inside the tranny, then if there was a failure due to the fluid going bad, they could nail the unsuspecting customer. Mine's a '99 V8 with the 4R70W tranny.

Oh, if you do your own change, remember to drain the torque converter too! Mine has a reuseable gasket on the tranny pan.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Does Ford specifically not recommend Synthetic tranny fluid? There isn't a tranny shop in town that will change my fluid with synthetic. One guy I pestered said "Sure bring it in. I can just put Mercon in it and tell ya it was synthetic if it made ya feel better". I told him I could come down there and shove my foot up his ass to make me feel better.

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by Mbrooks420
Does Ford specifically not recommend Synthetic tranny fluid? There isn't a tranny shop in town that will change my fluid with synthetic. One guy I pestered said "Sure bring it in. I can just put Mercon in it and tell ya it was synthetic if it made ya feel better".

This is not true. Find another changer. Both Mobil 1 and Amsoil ATF are Mercon compatable.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I called 5 places. It's no big deal I can always just go ahead and do it myself. It's not like it is a big job or anything. This will probobly be put off tho due to needing an alignment and tires.

 

[Texplorer]

I have a gift certificate for AMSOIL. I was thinking about using it to get some tranny oil. Is it ok to just switch the tranny oil from the factory one to AMS. I know this sounds bad but I have no clue when the last time the tranny oil was changed, I have been looking for it on receipts I have for the X but I cant find anything. So is it bad to just change it to synthetic.

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by Texplorer
I So is it bad to just change it to synthetic.

No its not.

Good luck..........

 

[Texplorer]

One more question. Im gonna be going on a trip at the end of the month. About 2000 miles in about 3 days. Should I change it before or after I go on the trip. I dont want to open a can of worms if I get it changed before.

 

[espnfreak]

I changed the trans fluid at 84k on my truck to amsoil and have had no problems whatsoever.

xltguy- people say to change the fluid every 20-30k to be safe. heck a fluid change costs $100 or so, a new tranny? $1500. Fluid changes help the tranny out a lot too, so its best to stay on top of them. With amsoil you should be able to go a little longer in between changes, like 40k or 50k since the oil is supposedly way better than conventional trans oils.

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by Texplorer
One more question. Im gonna be going on a trip at the end of the month. About 2000 miles in about 3 days. Should I change it before or after I go on the trip. I dont want to open a can of worms if I get it changed before.

I would change immediately.

Good luck......

 

[xltguy]

Thanks again for all of the info. None of the horror stories about transmission failure following fluid change have surfaced, so I am reassured and will assume that reports of those incidents are either hard to die lore or happened in vehicles with probs already and owners looking for someone/something to blame.