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A/T fluid swap/flush?

z6cyl

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The service interval for the transmission fluid in the automatic is 150K miles, aka "lifetime" fluid. This doesn't sit very well with me, so I'd like to start a thread on a sooner service interval and get some feedback from A/T owners.

From what I've heard the A/T "flush" services offered by many lube places are dangerous and scammy. Can anyone speak to this?

My thought is to just drop the pan and replace the filter and then fill with fresh fluid (about half of the fluid will be replaced) every 30K miles or so. The car wont probably be ever tracked, but it wont be driven like a grandma. Everyones thoughts on this?
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Reaper

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Not sure about it being a "lifetime" fluid or not but I don't think you need to worry about it any time soon. Most mechanics I've talked to (the ones you can trust) agree that you shouldn't do any kind of transmission flush unless something forces you to.
 

EcoBOSS

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"Sealed for Life" seems to me to be an attempt to reduce cost of ownership and little else. Also "Life" being 150,000 miles with no fluid change just sounds absurd!
I plan on swapping fluid and filter when I do my Sonnax Zip Kit later this year.
 

bone56

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Ive been wondering the exact thing, I'm gonna change it at 30k. Waiting to 150k , heck 100k is just too long in my opinion.
 

Niz55

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Never do a. Flush. Drain the fluid and refill whatever amount comes out. Drive it for 10min and repeat process till the fluid is new.
 

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EcoBoostang

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Never do a. Flush. Drain the fluid and refill whatever amount comes out. Drive it for 10min and repeat process till the fluid is new.
:amen:
 

wolf_79

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Never do a. Flush. Drain the fluid and refill whatever amount comes out. Drive it for 10min and repeat process till the fluid is new.
Not trying to come off as being a dick the what the hell is the difference between this and flushing?
 

Brian V

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Not to come off as a di ck , but flushing these sealed transmissions with fluid has the capacity to do a lot of damage to certain critical components internally .. there is also the ability for the particulates that are in the transmission fluid to accumulate at given circulation points internally . Blocking these critical flow points .. there are newer techniques instituted for the replacement of transmission fluids today so look into these ideas first before you guys undertake the process of draining and filling your transmission fluid !

1 final thought . Do find the best possible Automatic Transmission fluid on the Market if you are so inclined to do this procedure ... Look at AMSOIL's first .
 

Hogie

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The Mercon LV in the 6F35 in my Tribute is supposed to last 100k. We changed it out at 50k and again at 100k. I know this isn't apples to apples, but the fluid looked horrible both times. It couldn't have been much darker.

At least it didn't smell burnt at all. If I had an automatic, I would probably change it early.
 

EcoBOSS

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I changed mine at 40K - DARK, not burnt. Future changes are at 30K from now on.
SONNAX ZipKit was a bear to put in because the directions were vague (made for Transmission shops, not shadetrees), reassembly was a cinch.
Delay from P to R, R to D and D to R is all but gone.
5K later the shifts are MUCH nicer, more firm and quicker.
I believe the issue was the fresh fluid (8 quarts when you drop the VB!!!) needed time to remove built up sludge and varnish.
I added a reuseable pan gasket, new filter, drain plug and Royal Purple Synthetic ATF.
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