Transmission Flush

[ISHOU]

Flushed the tranny fluid out of my 94ATX Saturday.
Man was it dirty. I disconnected a line entering the cooler, hooked up 6 feet of 3/8 hose to the cooler and inserted into a 5 gallon bucket. I turned the car on in neutral and as the old fluid was pumped out, I added fresh back in. It took 3 gallons total and about 3 minutes. No, I didn't use Redline, I used Valvoline. It seems to shift smoother. I have over 93,000 on it and have no idea if it was changed before since I've only had it a year but it will be interesting to see if it starts to slip like I've read in some posts here.

 

[Tommy's SHO]

I am going to change my tranny fluid tomorrow also, do you recommend Mobil ATF? Is Valvoline better?
Some times the tranny seems to be "looking" for the gear.

 

[ISHOU]

No recommendation either way. I've read alot about Redline brand fluid but couldn't justify the cost. Checker auto (AKA Kragen/Schucks) only carried Valvoline.

 

[ShoGuy93]

Just get the tranny flushed. It is a great thing got mine flushed a couple months ago and man the sho shifts so much better. And it seems like it has a little bit more lower end tq off the line now. But hey it is proably me! But the great thing is my sho just broke 140K this week. and after i got all my suspension and tranny work done it drives like a new car!!

 

[poissonverte]

did you just access the cooler lines from under the car?? pretty easy i assume?? where did you refill it from the out cooler line?? just trying to get ideas

 

[ISHOU]

I disconnected the line at the cooler on the drivers side. The fluid pumps out this side. I then attached a 3/8 hose to the cooler and as the fluid pumped out I added it back in at the filler tube.

 

[poissonverte]

sounds easy enough.. quick question I have an ATX.. Leave it in Park, or put it in neutral? Im assuming with it in park nothing is spinning..

 

[ISHOU]

Put it in neutral. Good Luck.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

ok, I havent done this yet, so bear with me: the fluid comes out of the cooler (not the disconnected line) right?

How did you add the fluid into the fill hole if it all drained into the bucket in 3 min? Did it run dry for a bit?

How did you know when to stop draining the fluid and put the line back in? Can u see the new fluid coming out at which point you stop?

I was going to do the following:

drop the pan slowly of course as that fluid needs to come out. Replace the filter and gasket. reinstall pan.

disconnect the line and start the car to drain converter.

Shut car off the moment fluid flow stops.

Refill thru the fill hold the 12.5 quarts required. Im thinking Mobile 1 Synthetic for my needs.

I know olympic suggested a bucket method that you add the fluid by way of a second hose on the intake line from the cooler, but I can't see knowing exactly when to stop the flow (ie will I inadvertently drain the new fluid out at 4.99 a quart?) Im guessing when you suck the 12.5 quarts into the tranny, then you are finished. Questions though as to what the quality of the fluid that is now in the tranny. Is it a mix of new and old, or not.

When the weather here breaks I was going to do this, my only concern is running the fluid out with the motor running. Dont want to break anything.

 

[poissonverte]

Theres a proportion of ATX fluid in the pan to the converter.. like 6 quarts in the converter i think i cant remember.. after you drop the pan drain it (dont forget ot clean that magnetic donught) drain the rest with the car running about 6 quarts(i think) once you get past that if your filling it back at the sme time youll be taking out new stuff.. soyou go a little over hence the word flush.. someone chime in if im wrong on this..

 

[olympic]

Once you've dropped the pan, cleaned it, changed the filter and reinstalled the pan, pour 7 quarts of new oil into the tranny. Then disconnect the pressure line from the cooler(the one that brings ATF from the tranny to the cooler), attach some rubber hose and place it in the drain bucket. Start the car and once you have 6-7 quarts in the bucket shut the car off, reconnect the cooler line and top off the tranny.

You can pour 7 quarts of water into the drain bucket and then mark the level of the water with a marker. That way you know when to shut the car off. Your going to waste 1-2 quarts no matter what though. You want to flush a little extra through to make sure you got all the old stuff out.

<small>[ February 26, 2002, 04:48 AM: Message edited by: olympic ]</small>

 

[ISHOU]

Get a 5 gallon bucket and mark 1 gallon, 2 gallons, and 3 gallons and even 4 if you want. When you drop the pan drain all the fluid that came out into the 5 gallon bucket. You then know how much came out - should be about 5 quarts. The whole transmission holds 24 pints which is 12 quarts which is 3 gallons. I bought the fluid in gallons so I was able to pour it in pretty quickly. If you get quarts, transfer the new fluid into gallon jugs so you can keep ahead of the pump. When you see clean fluid coming out after the last gallon is empty, you're done.