towing question

[agoric875]

hello all,

i'll be towing my bayliner capri about 150 miles in about a week. the truck just turned over with 100k, original tranny. are there any precausions i should take while makiong this trip? any comments would be very helpful. thanks

Andy

 

[bipolarbob]

Get a flush and an aftermarket cooler.Do not tow a trailer in overdrive.

 

[agoric875]

Thanks for the info, but i have but one problem...the tranny fluid is a different viscosity, than when it is new, thus if i changed it, it may cause damage to the tranny...so i wont be able to do that...about the overdrive; if the road is flat can i use overdrive? why is it not a good idea to use overdrive when towing anyway...?appreciate the info. tahnks again.

 

[TheRookie]

just bring some tranny fluid to the place to have the flush done. Bring like 12 quarts, seriously.

 

[agoric875]

ok, thanks lot for your help, my dad is driving his Ford Windstar up too, so maybe i'll just have him tow the boat, duno if it's worth maybe having tranny problems.

 

[plrs x45]

I thought I saw in this forum that you were not supposed to get your tranny flushed after 100k. I was told that many a trans have been ruined. At 100k I just got it changed. Again, do not tow in OD. Good luck. I also to two jet-skiis and a 3600lb Ebbtide open bow ski-boat.

 

[01EB5.0]

Whoever said not to change th etrans fluid after 100K must have been a transmission mechanic needing work. Always change your transmission fluid. Change it every 30,000 AT LEAST. If you go for 100K and never have had it flushed out, then you may run into a problem if you do get it flushed, but going that long without a fluid change and you are bound to have issues anyway. Also what do you mean by "different viscosity" do you mean the oil is so old that it has broken down? Or that you put some aftermarket type oil in there? Well, either way, get the thing flushed at least every 30,000. On mine i have the trans flushed out every 30,000 and the filter replaced every 90,000.
You should have no problem towing the boat as long as your trans is not acting up now. I would definatly buy an auxiallry trans oil cooler. On my 95 i installed the largest model B&M cooler (just don;t get the "racing" one). Also I keep the trans IN overdrive if i an travelling over 60 MPH and the road is flat. If i notice the trans shifting in and out of overdrive often, then i turn overdrive off. I towed a 6,700 pound trailer with my 2001 and generally had to keep overdrive off all the time. I say just see how the trans acts..if it is shifting alot turn off OD.
Anyway good luck!

 

[agoric875]

many props to this site, it's awesome, lots of usefull information...so to answer your question, the mechanic said that the tranny fluid didnt seem "heavy" to him,...that it seemed like it wasnt as "gooy" if you will. I took it to jiffy lube a few months ago and they said it wasnt a goood idea either to change the fluid...only reason being that i told them i didnt know if the previous owners had changed it regularily. i guess the fluid is supposed to be red or visevera, either way i was told that i shouldt change it...now i'm starting to think i should. NO problems with the tranny at this point, though last time i went to the cape, on the beach i was in low for so long the o/d light kept flashing...took it to a shop and they reset the comp. , no problems since. anways thanks alot for the info.

 

[plrs x45]

Sorry for the confusion. I did not say "do not" change it. I said that you shouldnt flush it. My X was used and I was unaware of the past history before 40k. When I accesed this forum a few months back, I was told not to flush. Sorry for the mis-info.

 

[01EB5.0]

Well, I guess there are differing opinions. Flushing is the only way to change out all of th efluid. Dropping th epan only does some of it (4 quarts or so) If you only have 40K just flush it now and flush it every 30K after that.

As for the information about the fluid not being "gooy enough"...you never want your ATF to be gooy. In a manual transmission, the gear oil is supposed to be thicker, but the oil in an automatic should be thin...very thin. i mean it has the consistancy of water almost. I also do not know how one can tell if th econsitancy of an auto trans fluid is correct or not. It should not change viscosity.

Anyway, i believe, and have been told by both of my local ford dealers, that the main way to extend the life of your tranny is a flush every 30K. in fact, they told me if I do not do the flush it may void my extended warentee on the transmission. If the flush could damage the trans in any way I am sure they would not be pushing it soo much, considering anything that happens to the trans has to be fixed by them, and i am not paying.

Good luck!

 

[Bill Kemp]

Flushing the trans. every 30 thousand miles is excessive. Changing the filter every 30 thousand is good maint. practice. If you do a lot of towing or offroading change the filter once a year.
When you flush an older trans. the cleaning abilities of the fluid can loosen chunks of crap that can clog the valves. Changing the filter you only put in 5 or so qts. of fluid and hope it disloves the chunks slowly so as not to clog. If you dont know when the filter was last changed it is time to do it now.

 

[01EB5.0]

As I said it is all up to your beliefs. I change my filter every third flush i have...dropping the pan is messy, and it is a lot easier to just get it flushed. If your transmission is clean and operating correctly, the filter should not get too much junk in in during only 30,000 miles of use. I just look at the flushing as cheap insurance for a long-lasting trnasmission. If you do the flush on a regular basis, chances are the sludge and junk will not have a chance to form in th etransmission, so even when the trans does get older, you won;t risk clogging any oil tracks. You may think it is excessive, but it is listed on ford's service plan and in my service schedule, so I do it. It's sort of like asking if you change your oil and filter every 3,000 miles in the engine. If you say yes, I could say thats excessive, but you may say it keeps your engine cleaner inside.

 

[agoric875]

thanks everyone for all the usefull information. i got a quote for a tranny cooler at the local dealer and they quoted me $117.00 for the cooler and (1) hour labor. sound like a good price? what are the advantages on the cooler anyway, sorrry i'm a newbie. thanks

 

[Bill Kemp]

I didnt think Ford even knew the word "flush". Up untill a few years ago there wasnt such a thing and now it is in your service schedule.
Well you learn something every day.
Price isnt bad. Ask them to through in a filter change also. Dont worry about mixing fluids. It's what is supposed to happen.
The trans. will last longer if the fluid is not overheated, which towing can do.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Rather than a total flush, I would have your dealer/service shop drop the transmission pan and change the filter, then just top it off.

One of the main reasons flushes cause a trans to let go is because the filter is NOT changed. All of the junk that is clinging to the inside of the trans collects - and clogs - the filter, cutting off fluid flow at the worst, reducing pressure at the least.

If the fluid doesn't look like new fluid, and your truck was mine, I'd do the pan dop/filter replacement, then 10,000 miles later, do it again. It may be excessive - but it's a lot less than a busted trans.

Also - along with that cooler, look into an external trans filter that you can change with your oil filter.

 

[agoric875]

Thanks, I think i'm going to do that, hopefully i can get a appointment from the dealer before i leave on the 17th, thanks again.

 

[snocross1985]

I have 60,000 miles on my Ex. would i be OK with a tranny flush? Don't know if the guy before me ever did it. Also about how much would it cost me for a tranny flush at a tranny shop?

 

[01EB5.0]

Originally posted by snocross1985
I have 60,000 miles on my Ex. would i be OK with a tranny flush? Don't know if the guy before me ever did it. Also about how much would it cost me for a tranny flush at a tranny shop?

I would first drop the pan a nd repalce the filter in your case, then maybe a year later, or 10,000 miles later, have a flush.
A tranny flush at ford is usually around 120 or so. At a local auto repair place it was $110 or so.

 

[rscamaro73]

Originally posted by 01EB5.0
Also I keep the trans IN overdrive if i an travelling over 60 MPH and the road is flat. If i notice the trans shifting in and out of overdrive often, then i turn overdrive off.

Exactly. I towed my 73 Camaro on a dolly from San Diego to Philly. I musta been doing 75 at least 1/2 the way. 99 2wd 4 dr explorer, 5.0. Even towed an 84 suburban 2 hours back to my place with this truck. I am just so impressed over the 89 Ranger 4x4 I had.

Stock trans cooler and all...and haven't even TOUCHED thr trans fluid...and at 86K now. I think I'm gonna do it before spring, as well as a good rad flush. Been too broke to get it done properly before....but its all good now.