Ok .. I have a 03 F150 4.6 2WD ... a little over 29K on it. Which route should I go .. a Trans Flush and don't touch the pan at this time or just go "old school" and drop the pan / change filter / refill 5 qts or so ??

I am really confused .... seems you can find a different opinion at every turn!!

 

Alot has to do with how bad the fluid is. With 29k on the truck the fluid should be in good shape unless you done alot of hard towing or racing the truck. So I would either wait and go another 10 to 15k or get a flush. Now if the fluid is really bad I would drop the pan change the filter and drain the torque converter as well.

 

I would drop the pan and change the filter. I sucked a couple quarts out the dipstick tube to avoid spilling when dropping the pan. I've read a few threads about trans problems after the flush method. I had a Taurus trans go bye-bye 2,000 miles after a flush. Not sure if that was the reason but I'm not ever gonna take that chance again.

 

Well .. the truck has not done any hard towing / racing /etc. The fluid seems ok, but I guess Ford recommends a 30K service. I called the dealer where I bought the truck .... said they don't have the flush machine yet, but still will do the pan option. Although, he was not against doing a flush. They just don't have a machine to do it. Plus, on a 03 the torque converter does not have a drain plug any longer.

I guess I'm not "sold" on this flush process, but then again I am not that familiar with it.

I wish I could see something in writing from Ford ... that would shed some light.

 

Can't go wrong with dropping the pan. I don't trust the flush machines. I'm just old school I guess. I like to see what is going on, or what isn't for that matter, when I drop the pan.If you are that worried about draining the torque convertor, just cut your drain intervals down.
Instead of 30k, go 15k, or 20k.
I have an '03 as well. I do mine every 15-20k. I'm **** about it because I hate doing trans work. Engine, susp, brakes, I don't mind. I don't know why, I just hate working on transmissions.
So, if by shortening my intervals because I can't get all the fluid out of the convertor lengthens my trans life and in the long run prevents me from doing any major repairs to it, then that's what I'm going to do. Some people may say it's overkill. I just don't want to mess with it in the long run.
Hope this helps MikeyB61.

Damn I'm long winded tonight! Sorry guys!

 

Thanks for the input guys!!

 

I went to another Ford dealer today and they push the flush for $139. That is the only thing they do. Told me Ford recommends this and the pan should not be removed. They warranty it ( I guess the flush process from any damage incurred by this process) ... plus they said (who knows if this is true) that it will benefit my extended warranty by having this done. I have the 6yr/75000 mile extended warranty and by following this type of trans service, if I ever have trans issues the extended warranty should never be questioned because I followed the Ford recommended service.

Just for the heck of it ... I called two trans shops in town and they both said just drop pan / filter / refill. One for $85 & one for $110.

Now if that doesn't make things more confusing. I agree with the drop pan method because that is what I have always done in the past and have always had good trans life with doing that at regular intervals.

But, I think I'll let the Ford dealer do this. If it backs up my ext. warranty then I am thinking that may be the way to go. I guess if tehy screw it up, they can buy me a new trans!!

 

I would follow the trans shop method. I did that for my 97 when i got it at 170k and changed out the original filter. I now have 199k and just did a second filter and my trans has yet to be opened. I prefer the dropping the pan so you can clean the magnet and check for anything out of the ordinary.

 

I call BS by the dealer. How does it " benefit " the warranty. The manual gives a service interval, it does not say " it must be flushed only, do not drop the pan". Keep your fluid and filter receipts and your warranty should never be questioned. Of course their going to push the flush service on you.
It's easier ( and cleaner ) for them to flush than to drop the pan.

 

Well just to clarify which is better to. They both involve fuild tranfer but one does a better job at getting all of the old fluid out. when you get a flush done you only get new fluid put in and get all the old fluid out, buy process of hooking lines up to the trans oil cooler lines and having the transmisson pump the fluid out with no other machine. (in other words the trans pump does the work witch is nothing because the vehicle runs at idle for the process). when you take the pan and filter out you only get some of the fluid out that is sitting in the trans. and trans pan nothing in the tourqe converter or cooler. so i would just go with a flush beings that your truck doesnt have high miles. The filter should in thoery but ok till another 30,000 miles.

oh and for all you guys that got a flush or heard of a car or truck going out is most likely bringing the vehicle to late.

 

This is what the "warranty" the dealer was talking about .... They use the BG Protection Plan ....

http://www.bgfindashop.com/bgprotectionplan.htm


Seems advice is leading towards ... Flush at 30K and Pan/Filter/Flush at 60K ....



Thanks for the input ...

 

I use to work at a shop that did both the flush and pan drops. if you had anything near 100K miles and never touched the trans fluid before (theres a ton of people out there like this) we wouldnt even talk about flushing it, we would push the pan drop. If you were under 100k and have had your services done I would do either. The reason to avoid the flush with high milage is during the flush process the tech will add a chemical that will break up all the deposits and build-up on the inside of the trans, if the fluid has been neglected there will be more 'sludge' inside the trans than the machine will able to remove.

Considering the milage you have on your truck you will be fine getting the flush done. Now my truck will get both, the flush and the pan drop, thats just cause I like working on the truck.

 

Flush your toilet not your transmission.

Drop the pan, clean the magnet and have a look for garbage. Its the only way to tell what is going on in the transmission.

Darrin

 

I meant to include this in my other reply - http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/i...nsmission.html

Its a pretty good article I think....


Thanks for all your input ..... it definitely seems to be a 50/50 mix lol

 

My dealer would have done either one, but said that they recommended the drop pan, change filter at every 30,000. That was what i did. They had a special on it, too.