auto trans myth? (vehicle related)

[450raider]

i was just curious of whos all heard this and can either confirm its authenticity or its bs.......... i heard from this dude that lievs in the mountains (not really a friend as much as an aquaintance) that if you get a new car with an auto trans and get the oil changed in it thats when youve just screwed up, and ive got a tranny changecoming on the f150 and now im kinda on the fence with it, why? well i dismissed this after hearing it but when i got to thinking about it i remembered 2 separate cars that my grandpas had (bought new) and get them fully maintained just for the trans start to slip on both of em (but this was when i was little and just remembered it)

if you have an auto trans thats when you screwed up.


and thats a fact, not no myth.

[450raider]

so....... youve heard it too?

[<DRS>GPF]

so youre wondering if changing tranny fluid will cause it harm? :confused:


though ive not owned an f150, i cant see the logic in not changing fluid/filter in your tranny.. i usually do it around 50K miles(not new, but nowadays not old)

the few times ive lost a transmission was due in part to my lead foot or just plain wore out after 150K + miles.

[450raider]

well yeah, seriously noone else has ever heard this? ive heard it a handful of times from different sources, im just citing my most recent time and just thought i ask...

[<DRS>GPF]

ive not heard it, but its not to say that there isnt a particular fluid youre supposed to use as opposed to the regular tranny fluid.


as long as its the mfr's recommended type, i cant image how you could go wrong..
make sure to change the filter/screen also.

[YZ400EX]

Originally posted by 450raider
well yeah, seriously noone else has ever heard this? ive heard it a handful of times from different sources, im just citing my most recent time and just thought i ask...

If it ruined your tranny to change the fluid in it, the manufacturer would not put drain plugs in it, nor a place to fill it back up. ATF is like anything else, it wears out and it should be replaced.

[Rastus]

I've heard many times of older transmissions dieing if someone has it flushed and new fluid put in, if the tranny hasn't had the ATF changed much/at all in its lifetime. Which makes sense really, the new fluid would clean out and recirculate all the nasty stuff that the old fluid left in places.

[TRX450RACER174]

Originally posted by YZ400EX
If it ruined your tranny to change the fluid in it, the manufacturer would not put drain plugs in it, nor a place to fill it back up. ATF is like anything else, it wears out and it should be replaced.

Correct it's lack of maintenance and using the wrong fluid that causes most problems, Don't be cheap but Motorcraft atf and change the fluid, Btw do not let anyone tell you you need a powerflush on your trans those are bad and do more harm than good.

[450raider]

oh, so just get it changed and not flushed and youll be good?

[TRX450RACER174]

Originally posted by 450raider
oh, so just get it changed and not flushed and youll be good?

Yes power flushing causes contaminates and debris that would normally be in the pan the be circulated into the solenoids and passages of the valve body, If your fluid is that dirty do multiple fluid changes not a power flush.

[eastside 400]

yes, i am a mechanic, it is part truthful. If you dont maintain your vehicle and the trans fluid is old and hasnt been changed in over 100k i would leave it in, you passed your time, if your still under 100k i would get it flushed, flushing the transmission is NOT a power flush, good trans flush machines dont even have a pump. all a trans flush machine does it hook inline with your trans cooler line or any trans line, start the vehicle and the pump in the trans moves the fluid through the line into the machine, new fluid is then pushed back into the trans, the machine doesnt pump the new fluid through, the old fluid pushes the new fluid in. Just dropping the pan and refilling will only change about 1/4 of the fluid, most trucks and RWD car trans hold around 14-16 qts, you flush through 18 about so it makes sure all the old fluid is gone, dropping the pan only drains about 4-5 qts normally since the converter holds alot and the valves hold alot also.

[FreekShow]

maybe you can help me out eastside.... i have a 99 cavalier and the transmission is acting strange. every once in a while....id say every 30 times u start the car it does this.....i put the transmission into drive and it doesnt kick in right away. when it finally kicks in it goes through the first gear fine and then once it hits the second gear it like grinds or stutters i guess you could say. what do you think this could be? like i said it only does it once in a while

[TRX_450]

ok well ive got an 05 silverado 1500 and its got about 94k on it. its due for an oil change next week and ive been toying wit the idea of getting the tranny fluid changed. am i going to be better off leaving it? i got a sample last time i changed the oil and it was pretty dark.

[eastside 400]

i would go ahead and flush it, i should be fine. about the cavalier, im not sure, trans problems are hard to diagnose without driving it, almost sounds like a sticking soleniod or something like that though, but hold to what i say, just a guess