The Ford Tech told me that the filter is really just a screen. There is no service interval. It just traps large debri and by then your Trans is toast anyway..

 

Dont take it to a 30 min shop, they wont do it right. Do it yourself its a piece of cake and I would do a full flush.

 

The filter is basically a screen, but as the transmissions wears there is always gonna be pieces getting caught in the filter and especially the magnet, which can old hold onto a certain amount of fine particles. Im not tryin to be an ****, but under that logic there would be no one doing oil analysis, I realize I dont currently have an auto, but if I still had one I would like an idea of how my tranny looked on the inside before I set out on a long journey.

 

Actually the 30 minute shop I take mine to does a fine job. Now I would be worried if they were pulling the pan. Years ago I had the transmisson filter replaced at a repair shop and they put the wrong filter in. (GMC) I know I was a sinner.... The little rubber grommet that the filter pushes into was the wrong size and the transmission started slipping. Luckily I was only a couple of blocks away. If they would have taken it for a test drive they would have figured it out on their own.

I don't do oil analysis either. I think the best diagnostic tool you can have is a quality Trans temp gauge. Don't rely on the one from the factory.... If you see your temps start to go up you got a problem.

 

I did the flush on my newly purchased 2000 F250 just yesterday using Marks method. Pulled the pan plug and left it overnight, what drained over 2 gallons.
Than I run 5 gallons of new fluid. PO had radiator failure and old fluid was pretty milky from the coolant in it. After running 5 gallons of new fluid, the stuff coming from the hose was still milky, although got more red in it.
I only had 5 gallons of fluid, so I stopped there. Bough Walmart ATF what is Mercon V comparable for $12 a gallon.

 

The fuel filter is just a screen... the air filter is just a screen...

Brian of BTS told me to change the filter every 30,000 miles, when you change the fluids.

 

I think there is a difference between a oil screen and a air filter or oil filter. If you look at the trans filter very thin and flat. You can tell it's not designed to do any filtering. Where a air/oil filter is designed to filter out small particles and has pleating and more surface area. It's my understanding that Ford does not recommend changing the trans filter for the life of the transmission. I don't think you can hurt anything by changing your trans filter as many times as you like.

 

It has been said by many that 'Ford does not recommend changing the trans filter'. I went with this though also, for awhile, not any more. An issue that would rise up was that when a person pulled the Filter out that the o-ring would remain in the port and when the new Filter was put in it would tend to fall out after pan was put on, because of the obstruction in the port. Hence, the 'leave it alone' than have a novice take the chance of not putting it in correctly. This is what was told to me when I asked about 'Ford does not recommend changing the Filter'by BTS.....

 

Same with me. I only drop the pan once every 100k or so simply to change that OEM filter. The pan bolt threads seem a bit on the delicate side and they can strip out easily especially when using a torque wrench. Maybe I am doing something wrong there...

I change my fluid every 30-35k and install a new Magnafine inline filter at each flush. I send a sample to the lab every 16k as well. I seem to be having good results so far so I'll keep doing it that way unless I begin to have problems.

 

There is also a valve body screen. On a high mileage tranny it would be a good idea to change it or at least clean it.
Unfortunately it can only be accessed by removing the valve body.

 

If your in the wrong them I am right there with you. I do pretty much the same thing, except I don't send off for the analysis but I do run a magnefine and change it and the fluid (Super tech Dex/Merc with 2 bottles of lubegard) on 30k intervals, I won't drop the pan until 100k. Stripping the bolts on the thermostat neck and busting up a few filter heads has me a little gun shy.

 

Wow, good stuff...I would send you reps but the rep cop is blocking me.

 

It's the thought that counts.

 

unless you guys have aftermarket converters i would stay far away from synthetic atf

 

Ford doesn't recommend changing the filter because the filter won't get enough junk in it to need changing unless the trans was already destroyed. It has nothing to do with the Oring.

That screen is designed to screen out machining chips that don't get cleaned up during manufacture. There is no need to replace that screen if it is ever removed. Once the trans has a few miles on it you don't need that screen any longer.

Why is that? I don't know anything about that, please enlighten me.