does flushing really do the job?
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Southern USA
does flushing really do the job?
does anyone know if the recirculating type machines really get all, or even 90% of the old oil out? (any automatic, a 4R70W in particular) I've heard that the cooling lines only transfer a portion of the oil, thru the radiator, & it takes a lot of oil to really get all of the old out of the t. converter. If 100% of the oil coming out of the pump went thru the machine, then it would prob. work fine. A shop told me you really need to have it done twice, maybe 50-100 miles later, that way it's had time to move all the oil around and thru the t.c., & valve body etc. I do find it hard to believe a 5-10 min recirc. job gets all the old stuff out. Any comments??? thanks...paul '01 4 x 2 f150 xlt
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
On the BF flush machines you are suppose to put the pre-flush in, drive the car to get the fluid hot, then flush the tranny. FWIW: All the tranny guys I know dropped the pans on their cars/trucks and did not use the machine and considered it nothing more then a gimmick. The only reason I think it is offered in most places is because the manager gets a spiff (kick back) and it requires less experience to use the flush machine.
Once, someone was complaining about the flush job taking too long (45 minutes). I walked over, looked under the hood, and asked him why he was flushing the power steering. DOH!
Once, someone was complaining about the flush job taking too long (45 minutes). I walked over, looked under the hood, and asked him why he was flushing the power steering. DOH!
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,623
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From: Albuquerque
You can do it your self and let the tranny pump fluid out till it starts to slow down and then start adding and continue untill the fluid is clear. You need to basically get the pan about empty and them put fluid in at least as fast as it comes out.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Southern USA
beartracks...i suppose in thru the radiator, not adding it in thru the dipstick. or it would right back in the pan and get pumped out again? my goal was to get all i.e. 90-95% of the old oil out because i didn't know if the previous owner used mercon V or not, and i am fanactic about geting everything right.... i have tried this but the top rad. connector will not draw in the oil. you have to, as you alluded to, force it in (with an hand held vacum/pressure pump.?) at least that's what i did. i like idea of a pre flush as a previous poster mentioned. but still how do you know all the oil's gone thru the t.conv. and valve body? i understand it takes a while to get all the oil out of the t.c., even if draining it. thanks...paul
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 926
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From: SE, Michigan
Like rebocardo said about the power steering, I've seen that happen before. I used to work at a Valvoline instant oil change. The manager there was my friends brother in law. He was really dumb. I was changing the oil on a van that wanted the trans flush done on it. I noticed that the manager ended up hitching the machine up to the power steering pump because both the transmission lines and power steering lines where right next to each other. I noticed it about half way through the flush, because the machine was going slow. He unhitched the machine and sent the guy on his way without telling him that he didn't flush the trans. The guy came back about ten minutes later with his power steering pump making noise. And he flat out denied that he had done anything to it, just because he didn't want any claims against the store for his stupidy. So if anyone does get the flush done make sure for your sake that the people doing the work know what they are doing.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
You can thank your friendly Tree Huggers for this. This is a total recovery system. All of the old fluid is recovered and contained to be properly disposed of. None to get on and in the ground to contaminate their drinking water.
I was told that there is no filter in the newer vehicles to change.
See how nice it really is.
John
I was told that there is no filter in the newer vehicles to change.
See how nice it really is.
John
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From: Calgary, Canada
I think the flush system was invented to be more of an 'idiot-proof' system more than anything. When quickie oil change places started doing tranny oil changes it was supposed to be a money making venture for them but about half of the vehicles ended up in the repair shop. I think it's Nissan that has a tranny with one of the pan bolts that is shorter than the rest and is only supposed to go in one specific hole and if a longer bolt is installed it will cause sever damage. There are several instances that contributed to the flush system being devised.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
I have rescued more then one pan when someone torqued one of those little 1/4 bolts right off ... using a 3/8 drive air ratchet! One thing a bad fast lube place will do is torque the bolts off, then replace them in the hole, and let the pan leak. Then deny they did it.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Southern USA
thanks for the comments. let me ask this another way: how many quarts OVER what the tranny will hold does a good flush need? i'm still interested in doing this again myself, because i want to make sure it's got nothing but merc. V in it. i just don't trust that those machines to get it all out, esp the t.c. Mine holds 14 qt's. would running 20 thru it (~50% over) do it? thanks...paul
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Remsen, NY
Drain the pan, clean it, change the filter, drain the converter if it has a plug on it and fill it back up (a few quarts, then run it, then a few more, etc). I can tell you my E4OD has a capacity of something like 16 quarts and I remember putting about 15 back in. There really isn't that much in the valve body and servo assemblies. Most of it is in the pan and converter. If you're really nervous about it drive it for 50 miles and do it again.
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