I have owned my 1999 2WD 7.3 Auto Trans since it had 22k. Now it has 179k...I have had the trans flushed by a lube joint every 30k. Flush only did not drop the pan or change the filter.

Curiosity has got to me and was wondering what other's do?
Flush only?
Drop pan and change filter only?
Flush and drop pan and change filter?

Additional Factoid: I have read that Ford does not recommend ever changing the transmission filter?

 

I am not a transmission expert, but it makes sense to change the filter and our trucks have a torque converter drain plug. I would drain the TC, change the filter, and install a magnefiner or similar filter. You can also drain the cooler. Be sure to reuse the factory gasket, that cork thing that comes with the filter is best used as a cat toy.

 

I am a transmission expert, and it doesn't make a lot of sense to me to replace the filter. If there is enough junk in the filter that it needs to be replaced then the transmission has already failed. This isn't a fine filter that can clog. It only catches larger pieces.

I recommend THIS procedure. I've rethought the recommendation to change the filter every other fluid change. I agree with Ford, it doesn't need to be changed until the trans is rebuilt. This will change more of the fluid than draining the torque converter and the pan.

 

i do the procedure as Mark described above, except i do not change filter.

 

Is not changing the filter just considered a waste of time and money or is there a negative impact on changing the filter?

After seeing pictures of what the magnet looks like, I would not mind just cleaning that!

 

I have respect for everyone's opinion here. What works for me is I change fluid and filter every 50K including the converter. This gives me a chance to see how much clutch material is in the pan. My pan has a factory magnet in it that I clean too. I've never had a trans failure in any of my vehicles in over 35 years of my approach. My current truck has a little over 300K on the stock trans so it works for me. I always feel the fluids and filters are cheaper than the hard parts and the oil is really what keeps everything working, plus the fluids break down over the numerous heat cycles these trucks experience if you use it for it's intended purpose and capacity.

Again, all due respect for the other opinions here, everybody here is very knowledgeable, just sharing my 2 cents.

 

There is no negative impact unless you screw up changing the filter. One way to do that is to not get the old o-ring out of the pump. It usually doesn't come out with the filter.

 

Is it that ford just has no recommend filter change recommendation or is there something in writing? Reason I ask is almost got onto argument at ford dealership when they insisted that the filter needed to be changed each time. When I told them that ford did not recommend a filter change he basically said BS and wanted to know if I had ssomething in writing

 

Heeeeheeee
don't ever tell them you found it on the internet..
They class every internet story in the same box.
This forum will not fit in that box..
I recently changed my filter .. I should have saved the 45$ CDN..
But I was in there , cleaned the magnet everything looked good..
Truck has 186,000 miles , I won't change that filter ever again on this Trans

Kyle

 

I am also confused on trans fluid for
early 99 4r100.. Mercron no longer available? Then there's Dextron lll and Mercron V???????

 

Mercon V

Kyle

 

There is nothing in writing that says not to change the filter. There is also nothing in writing that says the filter SHOULD be changed!

 

dealer insists that the filter must be changed because they charge you $29.95 for a filter they pay $9.95 for

 

They don't pay that much for the filter.

 

The filter looks seriously overbuilt for the volume of fluid that flows thru it; it looks like it is designed to never become a restriction in normal operation. Again I look at it in comparison to what the truck cost me; a 20 dollar filter on a 50 thousand dollar truck is relatively meaningless. I like putting new in since I'm in there anyhow.

That being said I can't see a filter ever being a restriction unless the trans suffers a catastrophic failure, and in that event it's going to be replaced anyhow.