Flush machine or conventional drain?
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 494
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From: Louisville, KY, USA
Opinions are like @##%$&*#
Everyone has one. All kidding aside you'll get a variance of opinion here. I've done both, but prefer the flush at this point. It seems to get more of the fluid out.
I think it depends on your mileage. If you have a newer truck and you're doing the first 30k service, then I'd flush and flush again at 60k. At 90k I'd change the filter and drain the TC just to be safe. Mark Kovalsky, who's on this board and a Ford Transmission Engineer , prefers the flush and says he's seen filters wtih up to 300k on them that look brand new.
That being said, what year, tranny and mileage do you have? The newer models do not have a plug in the Torque Converter. So the Flush would be the easiest method to use.
I've been using the flush since 30k and no problems. I have 78K on now. At 75k I had a new PA valve body put on. I asked for the filter back and tore it apart. Looked fine to me. No evidence of any clogging or excessive buildup. One thing I did do after reading some posts on this board was install the Magnefine in-line filter in the return line from the cooler. Not only is it an additional filter but has a magnet to trap any metal particles from entering the tranny. They recommended the return line for vehiclles with over 8k, in the outgoing line for vehicles with under 8k.
John
I think it depends on your mileage. If you have a newer truck and you're doing the first 30k service, then I'd flush and flush again at 60k. At 90k I'd change the filter and drain the TC just to be safe. Mark Kovalsky, who's on this board and a Ford Transmission Engineer , prefers the flush and says he's seen filters wtih up to 300k on them that look brand new.
That being said, what year, tranny and mileage do you have? The newer models do not have a plug in the Torque Converter. So the Flush would be the easiest method to use.
I've been using the flush since 30k and no problems. I have 78K on now. At 75k I had a new PA valve body put on. I asked for the filter back and tore it apart. Looked fine to me. No evidence of any clogging or excessive buildup. One thing I did do after reading some posts on this board was install the Magnefine in-line filter in the return line from the cooler. Not only is it an additional filter but has a magnet to trap any metal particles from entering the tranny. They recommended the return line for vehiclles with over 8k, in the outgoing line for vehicles with under 8k.
John
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Florida
JBR,
Well my 2000F-150XL SC 4.6L 4X4 3:31 is the truck that is going to be flushed. It was rebuilt at 31.000 miles. I tow with it and it didnt have a tow package. Im converting it monday by a flush machine to Amsoil. I have since the rebuild, installed an auxilliary cooler and a tranny gauge and now converting ATF to amsoil all in hopes that i can get a little longer life out of the tranny ( and so i dont have a 2000 dollar bill LOL). I never had it serviced before the rebuild at 31.000 miles. I know lessons learned the hard way.
I am converting to amsoil 10,000 miles post tranny rebuild. The truck now has 41,000 miles on it. The GVW of the trailer i tow is 4400 lbs.
Now my E-150 with a tow package 4.2L 3:55,I had flushed at 50,000 miles and gonna have flushed again here soon at about 85,000 and have had no problems at all with it.
I just read on another forum that conventional drain was better because there will be no risk of metal particles being flushed into parts of the tranny that metal particles dont belong. Thanks!!
Dave
Well my 2000F-150XL SC 4.6L 4X4 3:31 is the truck that is going to be flushed. It was rebuilt at 31.000 miles. I tow with it and it didnt have a tow package. Im converting it monday by a flush machine to Amsoil. I have since the rebuild, installed an auxilliary cooler and a tranny gauge and now converting ATF to amsoil all in hopes that i can get a little longer life out of the tranny ( and so i dont have a 2000 dollar bill LOL). I never had it serviced before the rebuild at 31.000 miles. I know lessons learned the hard way.
I am converting to amsoil 10,000 miles post tranny rebuild. The truck now has 41,000 miles on it. The GVW of the trailer i tow is 4400 lbs.
Now my E-150 with a tow package 4.2L 3:55,I had flushed at 50,000 miles and gonna have flushed again here soon at about 85,000 and have had no problems at all with it.
I just read on another forum that conventional drain was better because there will be no risk of metal particles being flushed into parts of the tranny that metal particles dont belong. Thanks!!
Dave
