What to do with this brown ATF??

[phillymscott]

So i have a 97 explorer sport with 212,x... Bought it from some family at 197,x... Since then have maintenanced about every part of it because it seems they haven't. Now I get to the transmission. It's starting to slip a little and take its time to get into gear and the transmission fluid is now a little brown as well. I want to change the filter and fluid but I dont want detergant ruining what little I have left. I'm in college with not exactly the biggest budget but it's getting a little worse by the moment. What is everyones recommendations? Is there high mileage fluid without detergants i can try? Should I just mix a little new fluid in with the old and maybe not do to much harm?

 

[Blee1099]

With high mileage and it never being flushed, don't flush it.. Just drop the pan and change the filter and add fresh fluid. Some people say you can use a vacuum pump and suck the fluid out via the dipstick hole and then re-fill with clean fluid..

 

[phillymscott]

the clean fluid wont do any damage?

 

[Joe Dirt]

No more than fluid with 200k+ on it.

Do what Ben said...

 

[phillymscott]

haha good point

 

[Blee1099]

A flush using high pressure.. You can sometime do more damage.. Simply vacuuming out the old fluid and putting new doesn't do much harm if any.