I need to get my transmission serviced... So I went up to my local dealer and they use the automatic pump that sucks the old fuild out of the lines, tranny, TC, cooler, and transmission pan while pumping new fluid in (I think that is what it does)... But they don't actually drop the transmission pan and replace the filter.

Should I do this myself or have them do it? Will it be ok for the dealer to do it without dropping the pan and replacing the filter?

They said it would coast 129.99 for them to do it and I know I could do it myself for about 45.00.

My truck is now at 94,000mi and I have a E4OD.

What should I do?

 

Replacing the filter is mandatory.

As the transmission operates, it slowly causes wear on all the metal bits - which is pretty much all of the innards - and the wear leaves little tiny metal fragments in the fluid, which the filter collects to protect the transmission.

If you don't replace the filter, like with your oil filter, eventually it will plug up and cause problems and major wear very quickly from the point in which it plugs up.

Filters are cheap insurance.

 

I would go with the flush. Ford does not have a recommended mileage to change the filter, because they rarely plug. If they do plug, it's because the trans has already failed. I've seen filters with over 200k miles that looked fine.

Have you read the article about changing the fluid in the Tech Articles section? I've used that method several times. It's easy and changes almost 100% of the fluid. There is even an option to change the filter if you really want to.

 

Casey and Frederic please help me here!

You both said the totally opposite thing...

I would like to change the filter though...

Any more suggestions?

 

Give your self peace of mind.... Change the filter.... And besides that, Frederic is usually right.....

 

I second that, your transmission is not something to get cheap with. However, if you are looking at it from a financial point, I would save some $$ and drop the pan myself. Change the filter and replace the gasket with a good quality one. Make sure you replace the oil with the proper type. Only use Mercon and none other, especially not Mercon 5. It will state what type on the dipstick and in the owner's manual, don't use any other type. Good luck.

 

Perhaps it has failed since no one had changed the fluid and or filter, eh??? $20 for a filter is less than $2000 for a tranny, do the math, i think i'm right on this one.

$2000 - $20 = hmm, yeah, its ALOT less!!

 

I was just told by the dealer change the fluid at 30,000 miles and no mention about the filter.

 

Hey BVON,

Unlike Casey, I've seen transmissions (of many makers) fail because of clogged filters, and while he's correct in that Ford doesn't have a service schedule for replacing the filters, I tend to err on the side of paranoia.

A real life, related anecdote:

I totally subscribe to Murphy's Law. If it were my truck, and I didn't replace the filter, it would be perfectly fine until i make my next "haul" from NJ to Dayton OH and back, clog on that trip, and leave me on the side of the road with a nasty towing bill.

I learned this lesson the hard way in my late teens... I had a 66 GTO convertible at the time and the head gaskets were weeping, so I bought a new set, and this was to be my first "major repair". But the weekend I was going to replace the head gaskets, my friends wanted to go to the shore, 120 miles each way. So I went... as going to the shore with your friends and girlfriend is by far more important than fixing your car - at 17.

Anyway, on the way back, the temp gauge went nuts and my GTO was losing power fast... then finally... POP! I was very lucky to have my tools and the headgaskets in the trunk. Guess what I did on the side of the road for the next four hours? And it started raining too!

And the top wouldn't go up, and my G/F at the time was soooooooo unhappy.

Casey may be absolutely correct - however like I said above, replacing filters are cheap insurance and I'm of the paranoid sort... I dislike being stranded so much, my bedbox contains gaskets for the whole engine, an alternator, a water pump, a starter relay, a braided ground strap, spare oil, spare trans fluid, spare PS fluid, a cheapo 12V air compressor, a tire plug kit, some fuses, a spare relay (more like 10, they collect like ship rats), a few spare switches, a 12V soldering iron, a motor cycle battery (its small, good for emergency starts), and about 20 other things.

Yes, I'm paranoid. What is cool is with my truck, I've never needed any of this spare stuff. But the second I take it out of the bedbox to make room for something else, I'll need it all !

 

Some of the dealers don't even know what fluid to use in the trannies. I've heard of them putting Mercon V where Mercon is reqiured, and ruining trannies. Doesn't the dealer also recommend 5,000 or 7,000 mile intervals between engine oil service? Not me 3,000 every time!

 

ATV -

Yes, the mileage between oil change recommendations has increased... and there are some valid reasons for that.

Nowadays, motor oil is a really refined product, much better technology than 20 years ago, even the cheapest, generic motor oil of today is better than top quality non-synthetic Halvoline of 20 years ago.

Also, filters have improved significantly... they flow better yet trap smaller particles. Again, technology to the rescue.

Engine tolerances also have changed significantly, as have the materials used. In the "old days" pistons could be off (in weight) from each other as much as 10%. On a 500g piston, that's 50 grams either way. Factory engines are not balanced as you know, they're engineered to tolerances, so in theory an older engine could have three 450 gram pistons, and five 550 gram pistons. That will run well

Pistons and bearings and such were also dimensionally unstable years ago... because of the materials used. Now we have hypertuerics and fancy aluminum alloys and all sorts of neat stuff. All of this makes for lighter parts which are easier on the bearings, and the parts are closer to each other in tolerance. Did you know that the Northstar GM engines of today, have pistons that weigh within 10rams of each other? I'm not sure if a machine picks out matched sets or GM has a crew of "piston weight managers" on their engine assembly line, but 10 grams is pretty darn impressive. Some engine rebuilders don't even do that except for racing engines and they charge a premium for that.

Where do you think these came from:

Ford = Fix Or Repair Daily
Mustang = Rustang

And to be fair....
Chevrolet: Can Hear Every Valve Rap On Long Extended Trips
Dodge: Drips Oil & Drops Grease Everywhere
GM: General Maintenance
GMC: Garage Man's Companion
Jeep: Just Empty Every Pocket
Mopar: Many Odd Parts Arranged Randomly
PLYMOUTH: Please Leave Your Money Out Under The Hood

And I'm sure most of these cute acronyms started in the 70's when the "Big Three" didn't take engineering or quality control very seriously. While overall cars did work in those days, there sure were a few lemons, and why we have lemon laws.

I had a 1975 Dodge D200 extended cab that expemplefied the "Drips Oil and Grease Everywhere" concept. What I never understood is how it left more oil/grease on the driveway than I put into it... I found that rather baffling

 

Did everyone miss this line in my post? I don't disagree with changing the filter, I said I wouldn't., but showed him where the instructions were to change it.

 

Nope, didn't miss it at all. I even stated that you are probably correct in that it doesn't need to be changed.

I was merely saying *I* would.

 

If a transmission were overheated at one point the fluid can take on a glue type consistency.
This gluey stuff will adhere to the filter and actually cause the filter to implode.
When the fluid intake is restricted all hell will break loose.
I have seen filters that have had chunks missing, yet the transmission was still operating correctly.

My 2 cents, that's Canadian, is replace the filter.
One of the facts I learned from 40 years rebuilding transmissions.

 

Anyone who argues otherwise would be nuts!