What transmission flush?
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 599
Likes: 85
From: Bakersfield
It is frustrating knowing that Ford recommends the flush, but most dealers do not offer the service. My truck is due for transmission fluid, and after reading up on this I decided to buy an 08 pan and internal filter. This way I will be at least filtering the fluid since I don't have the option for the flush. The difference here is a 100% full flow filter vs. the remote bypass filter on my truck now. It is all internal and replaces the screen filter that's in there now.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 599
Likes: 85
From: Bakersfield
The 08 and up uses a real internal filter, not just a screen like ours. You have to buy a pan and filter because as the filter will not fit in your stock pan. The maintenance on the 08 is fluid change every 30k, filter at 60k. You have to drop the pan to change it though.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 675
Likes: 1
From: NV
Thanks' for the great response. I thought the service guy was BS'g about breaking the filter cap. So, his $90 price for the filter must be to cover the breakage because the filters are just under $19 @ Diesel Filters.com. I ordered two, and will take the chance of breaking the cap or not. In my mind, it would be like doing an engine oil change without changing the filter.
I love my Ford Truck but have lost all faith in Ford Motor Company and their engineering (or maybe accounting) strategy.
I love my Ford Truck but have lost all faith in Ford Motor Company and their engineering (or maybe accounting) strategy.
Opps, cartmanea already suggested that! I didn't read far enough.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,777
Likes: 4
From: Des Moines, IA
The only time I've seen a heated flush machine was when we were doing trans rebuilds, otherwise I've not seen a normal flush machine that was heated. I've thought about just using the regular flush machine at work and just doing it that way, but if it bypasses 90% of the fluid back into the pan then you're just pushing your new fluid back into the flush machine.
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,722
Likes: 2,648
From: SE Florida
Heated machines are very rare. A few Ford dealers have them. I've never found one outside a dealer, but I haven't looked very hard, either.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,777
Likes: 4
From: Des Moines, IA
Mark, do you just recommend doing a drain, fill, drive, and repeat method then if you don't have a heated flush machine? I'm thinking of doing the 08+ pan and filter along with the external filter, filling, driving it, draining, and refilling then repeating the process again. I would think 3 times is enough?
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,722
Likes: 2,648
From: SE Florida
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,777
Likes: 4
From: Des Moines, IA
Perfect. That will be my plan then. I'll just monitor the trans fluid temp PID so I know that's it's properly warm then and has flown through the system. Anyone on here have the correct trans fluid temp PID for Torque? Mine seems to read like 40 degrees low.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 6
From: Florida
Just pay attention to your external filter, don' t be an idiot like me and put the spring and magnet on top of the filter. Just found that after 29k, I installed it wrong thus rendering it useless. I was wondering why it looked so clean.
lol
lol
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
Likes: 25
From: Middle Tn.
I have just been doing the 8 qt. drain and fill once every 10,000 miles with a new filter. Started doing that after the 30,000 mile hot flush. Fluid always looks pink and the tranny has never gotten over 185 degrees towing in 100+ ambients.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8,241
Likes: 155
From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
Would it be possible to "spoof" the thermostat or even remove it for the flush? Just trying to think outside the box. I did a fluid change (8qt) and filter after buying the truck and planned to do it again at 30k intervals. You guys have me re-thinking that strategy. The trans seems to be working well and running cool. The fluid (SP) looks fresh. Never had the pan off.
Is there a reason the torque converter doesn't have a drain plug?
Is there a reason the torque converter doesn't have a drain plug?
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,722
Likes: 2,648
From: SE Florida
I don't know how to spoof the thermostat. You can remove it for a flush, but I don't think you will want to. Take the trans out of the truck. Remove the torque converter, then remove the pump. Disassemble the pump to get to the thermostat. You can't just remove it, you will need to install one the is held open. Put it all back together and install the trans. Once you finish the flush do it all again to install a functional thermostat.
The reason the torque converter doesn't have a drain plug is that the bean counters wouldn't pay for it.
The reason the torque converter doesn't have a drain plug is that the bean counters wouldn't pay for it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,777
Likes: 4
From: Des Moines, IA
I don't know how to spoof the thermostat. You can remove it for a flush, but I don't think you will want to. Take the trans out of the truck. Remove the torque converter, then remove the pump. Disassemble the pump to get to the thermostat. You can't just remove it, you will need to install one the is held open. Put it all back together and install the trans. Once you finish the flush do it all again to install a functional thermostat.
The reason the torque converter doesn't have a drain plug is that the bean counters wouldn't pay for it.
The reason the torque converter doesn't have a drain plug is that the bean counters wouldn't pay for it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,951
Likes: 512
From: Foothills, CA
There are several trans temps to select from so make sure you pick: Transmission Fluid Temp. The PID is 221674with: Min:100.0/0.0 . Make sure you verify the equation is right (it was wrong when I 1st loaded it - had one too many leading parans) so it should be: ((A*256)+B)/8. And lastly Change the Header from Auto to TCM.
That should do it!