Ok fellas....


Ive got a 97 with 138,000 miles.

I need as many opinions on this as I can get before I screw this up.


I have been very good at doing the regular scheduled maintenance on my vehicle. However I have neglected my tranny services.

With this many miles if I finally do a service am I gonna be sorry or what do you think. I know there are some tranny experts out there and I need some opinions. Please!

I Have had the infamous shudder since I bought the truck with 30,000 on it but I learned to live with it. I have no other problems with the transmission other than that....


Anyone? Everyone????


Regular, synthetic, or what do you suggest?

Thanks

 

You haven't changed the fluid at all?

 

I know - I know - very much bad huh????


But I want to take a chance - what do you think???


would you chance it?

 

I'd change the fluid if it were my truck.

 

thank you casey_1

come on yall - I wont hold you responsible - I m the dummy who never changed it -

would you or wouldnt you - just type yes or no and be done with it if thats easy enough -please

Im taking a poll here -

do you think I would be hurting it more than making it better?

PS - anybody know whats up with the Lightning hood group purchase???

 

I would change it.

HiO

 

Drain the pan and converter, change the filter............NOW!

 

I'd go beyond just changing it. I'd find a shop w/ one of those flush-a-majiggers and flush all the old fluid out, install new filter, clean ALL the crap off the magnet and sludge off the pan and then fill it back up w/ Mercon V. There's now way that will make it worse.

 

There is a way that it can make it worse. What I'm about to say I was told by a transmission shop and heard from others. It is not what I know! I recently sold a '93 with 220k miles on it. I put 190K miles on the tranny, but I did flush and change the fluid at regular intervals. At the time I was talking the transmission guy he didn't know that I had kept up with scheduled maintenance. I was told that a person in your situation would be better off to just leave it alone. The reason is that if you change it you will likely "stir up" particles etc. that have reached a kind of equilibrium (sp.). You might well start to get some leakage from seals etc. loosen up metals and other things that are happy where they are at and then have to do a re-build. Just my humble opinion, but I would leave it alone, be greatful for every mile you get (you're already past what is considered "normal") and promise to better on the next one.

 

thanks guys -


keep 'em comming,,,


the more I get the better I'll feel - I've kinda heard the same thing about not changing it out because of the doing more damage thing too but Im in a pickle here...

Anyone else have an opinion on this?

 

Lucky for you that you have a torque converter drain on your truck. That combined with draining and dropping the pan should get almost all of the old fluid out. While the pan is down change the filter and clean out the pan and magnet. This way is better than a flush if you ask me ............ oh wait, you did ask me.

Good luck.

 

I was also told the same thing that MRG_86_AG speaks of.

I inquired about the "flush machine" when I wanted to service my trans not too long after buying it used with 62k miles on it. Since I did not know the previous history of the tranny maintenance and the guy said that a flush could be more harmful as it could push a particle into a place it normally would not go.....

Since it cost over $100.00 to do the "flush" compared to $50.00 for the basic "service", and he just talked himself out of the flush sale, I figure he had some experience in this! I just had the basic service done......

The next time I did a service (20k miles later), I had them drain the TC and do the filter change too.

I tow a #4500 travel trailer, so I do the trans service once a year, which reminds me, it's about time to do it again.

I'm still debating if I should do the TC drain, or just the basic service this time around...... The fluid is still very "pink" or "red" and clear, so I'm leaning more toward the basic service this time and the TC drain next year......

If it were my truck, I'd do the TC drain and pan service (no flush). That way it gets most of that old fluid out and you don't stir up any particles.

Good luck!

 

I just bought a used, one owner 1997 with 86,000 miles, I think other than car washes and engine oil changes this truck is all factory parts, Relative to this issue, I just replaced the tc oil and filter, cleaned the magnet (yuck) and added 12 qts of synthetic (amsoil) (btw the dust plug was still in the pan) the shudder is no longer there and so far so good, I have personally seen new oil break down old crud deposits in older unmaintained components so I will be keeping an eye on my tranny and report back.

 

I know that when I drain my fluid completely then refill w/new, the detergents are going to break down my deposits in the tranny.

that would be what would cause probhlems is breaking the old stuff loose again right?

what if I just do another service in say 10,000 miles - dont you guys think that would be a good preventative maint. thing?


Thanks for the input guys...

L

 

Some of the transmissions on new trucks are closed systems with 150,000 change intervals. I think the fluid in your transmission will continue to suspend any contaminants until it is saturated. I would not want saturated fluid in my trans. Change the oil and if you want to use the best then replace with synthetic fluid. If you go with synthetic Mercron V then it should help the shudder. I did the oil changes and everything and still lost the transmission at 150,000 miles but I tow and lost 4th while towing through mountains.

If it were me, I would change the fluid.