Hi everybody, does anyone know the big difference between the 2 types of transmissions; 5 speed & automatic
My point is the maintenance side, on 5 speed you mostly change clutch and transmission oil when your clutch is out, but on automatic what you have to do besides changing ATF oil? Does automatic has a clutch and pressure plate like the stick? Is automatic more durable than the standard 5 speed?
What would you choose between the two, and which one is more costly in terms of repairing and maintenance.
Thank You

 

The auto tranny is rated to tow more than the manual tranny, but costs more to repair if we break it.

For most of us it'll require a fluid & filter change evey 30K miles, but thats less expensive & easier to do than a clutch service, or having to bleed the danged clutch master & slave cylinder, when it goes belly up!!!!!

Since having my 5 speed auto, towing with it in the mountains & driving around town in traffic & in snow, I don't look back on my manual tranny days with any kind of longing!!!! lol

 

I prefer the five speed. After owning my Ranger for a couple of years (and rebuilds), I've really grown to despise the 4R55E.

 

I know how to change, drain and refill the 5 speed gear box, as it has drain & fill bolts at the manual tranny box, but never do the auto. So the auto gear box has the similar set up as fill & drain bolts? You mention "filter", what is the filter, where it normally located at? How much the filter cost if you have to replace it yourself?
Reason, I asked cause I am getting tired of manual, like you said, clutch master & slave cylinder, bleeding...yeah PIA.
Thank You

 

are you thinking of a new truck or a used truck

 

The $15 tranny filter is inside the tranny pan, attached to the tranny pump intake, so the tranny pan must be drained & dropped to access it.

So it isn't as straight forward as draning a manual 5 speed tranny.

From our "Tech Info" thread, this is how I do it.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...-pump-out.html

Total fluid & filter change is about $50, if we do it. Or $100-150 if the Dealer or a tranny shop does it.

 

Always used one, I will never have a car or truck payment, my current '94 Ranger 2.3 has about 232 K on its original engine and 5 speed tranny, but it is on the 3rd clutch and 3rd water pump and timing belt....still run strong, looking forward to 300k.
I ask about auto tranny cause I thought overall it will be cheaper than having 5 spd but actually it is not, as mentioned $50 do-it-youself tranny oil & filter change ( tranny oil pan drop to replace filter, I don't know how), auto will be more expensive than 5 spd no matter what.
I can do 3 qt plus quality ATF refill into my Ranger & '95 F150 (300-6, 5sp) , two trucks with less than $50.....the thing is my last 2 clutches last about 100k+ each truck before getting new ones.
So I think I stick with 5sp or 6 sp for a long haul.

 

Pawpaw, if I want to do the tranny oil change by myself on the auto tranny, I never do it before, I definitely need someone like you to point finger step by step with me underneath the truck, so no way...to do it myself without experience.
I would stick with my 5 or 6 spd for a long haul, dang....$50 or $150 for tranny oil & filter change??? I can do my 5 spd for a fraction of that without going to voracious dealership.

One more question? How many miles usually an average responsible driver will get out of an auto tranny? 100k or less or more before having to do major expensive service on that auto tranny? What is the symptom or bad auto tranny....like hard to shift gear or such? Auto tranny doen't have clutch and pressure plate like stick shift, correct?
I wear out a 5 spd clutch at about 100k before getting a new one, based on my past cars and current trucks: '90 Honda civic, '94 Ranger & '95 F 150.

 

Well I'd never done an auto tranny service either & was amazed at how simple it really is, so thats why I added my "tweaks" to the pump out proceedure. Heck if I can get down there & do it, anyone can!!!!

Right, the auto tranny uses a torque converter, in place of the clutch.

If we keep the auto tranny fluid changed at Fords severe service schedule, don't let it get low, or over heated & oxidized, the auto tranny will far outlast a clutch & will do so while towing heaver loads to boot.

BUT if we break it, it'll be more costly to repair or replace.

Some things to look for on a used truck, with an auto tranny, is it's fluids condition, if the tranny dipstick has any varnish or sludge on it, the vehicle & tranny service log, & look for a trailer hitch, which would suggest the previous owner did towing, so then look for a factory, or quality add-on tranny fluid cooler being in place.

Shift problems on an auto tranny, would suggest service neglect.

 

The Dealer has the best flush with conditioner for the Auto tranny. It's worth the price to get it done right the first time.

 

I don't know a lot about it, whoever i have seen a lot of different opinions about the flushing process. good and bad

 

primary differences between an automatic and a manual are that with an automatic you lose more horsepower, torque, and fuel economy due to parasitic loss. you are spinning a torque converter, hydraulic pump, and pushing all of that fluid through a valve body and the rest of its journey. automatics also need to be warmed up before driving, manuals do not. when traversing a hill with an automatic you create a tremendous amount of heat and can fry the thing. yes they are rated to tow more but i dont actually think they should be due to this reason. automatics in traffic generate a tremendous amount of heat and contribute to overheating your vehicle, especially if the transmission cooler is built into the radiator, but even if it isnt and it has its own cooler it still does. automatics are heavier adding more dead weight to the vehicle and also making removal more difficult than a manual. they are more expensive than a manual. they are much more complex than a manual. theres more things that can and do go wrong than a manual. think of how many people you know with automatics that have problems. they contain numerous bands/clutches inside them and are so much of a pain to work on, and so extremely costly to have it worked on, usually the entire thing is replaced. an automatic also reduces your awareness of driving. with a manual you must always pay attention to your speed, engine speed, and what gear youre in. with an automatic you just zone out, and an automatic also allows you to smoke a cigarette, eat a cheeseburger, and talk on the cell phone, a manual does not. there are only 2 automatic transmissions i would ever consider owning, a ford c6, or a 2 speed gm powerglide, and they would not be behind something that has less horsepower at the rear wheels than my 750cc motorcycle, only behind a big mighty V8.

 

The do-it-yourself proceedure in the Tech Info thread, that I use, is the proceedure the Dealers used before they had their Routunda flush machines.

Nothing wrong with how the flush machine does it's exchange the fluid thing.

Most problems seem to come about after the solvent flush part of the service is done, on a neglected, sludged & varnished up tranny, that someone is trying to revive.

So maybe skipping the solvent flush part of the process would help lower the number of problems that seem to come about after that part of the service.

Also the machine flush service doesn't normaly include a pan drop & filter change, that part is an extra $50 where I live!!!!

But I believe it's a good idea, as the solvent flush part of the service without the pan drop & filter change, stirs up & strains any pan deposits through the old tranny filter, on it's way out, just further clogging up that old filter.

SO, imo a pan drop & cleaning, new filter, then continuning on with a full fluid machine pumpout, Without the solvent flush, is likely to be the least problematic proceedure, if your going to have a machine flush done on an old sludged & varnished up tranny.

But we can get the same results at home, with the old do-it-youself pump out proceedure, for about 1/3 the cost of a Dealer or tranny shop pan drop, filter change & machine flush!!!!!

 

You really hit the nail on the head, that what keeps me away from owning an automatic car or truck. I last a clutch about 100k on every vehicle I own, so I think it is not that bad, and the cost of replacing clutch and master, slave cylinders never go over $900 for my entire life each time, while hearing friends' s stories about spending $1400 or more on auto tranny....and tranny oil leaks, the most common....on and on, etc.
Well, it is definitely things to learn and think about it, lots more to study...though.

 

just to throw a wrench in the finance part of the discussion. For anyone that is buying a new vehicle(not a corvette) you can buy a standard tranny vehicle for a lot less than a auto. the dealerships will take a standard and reduce the price tremendously and advertise it. I have bought about 10 cars this way for people that like standards.