I'm due for a tranny flush and just called the local shop. To do a complete flush and run full Amsoil Synthetic Tranny Fluid is about $200. They said that they would also throw in a tire rotation (which is good because I'm running big ole 35s).

I know 14 quarts or Amsoil Synthetic can get expensive. Plus it would be more than 14 becaue I would have to run a few quarts through first to make sure all the old fluid is out. I change my own oil, barkes, just changed my fuel filter and have done most minor mechanical work and mods to my truck, including installing a Body Lift. I'm sure I could probably do the Trans Flush and Tire Rotation with no problem, but I have an 03. I did a few searches and saw that the 03's usually don't have a drain plug on the TC. So, should I do it on my own which I've never tried before or should I just pay the $200 to have it done? Is it worth the $200 (w/ the tire rotation) or is that just way too high?

Thanks,

 

You can do this job yourself also. There was a web site link a while back but I can't find it now. Basically you remove/drain the pan. Reinstall and fill what came out of the pan plus an additional quart or two. Remove the return line from the side of the transmission and slide a piece of rubber hose over it so you can direct the fluid into a container. Have a partner in the truck for crank and shut down duties!! While you're under the truck watching, crank the truck and pump out about two quarts, then shut the truck off. Add two quarts to the pan (through the fill tube obviously) and repeat. Keep this cycle going until you go through your 14 qts. I went through 17. Planned to pump through 16 just to be sure, then ended up a tiny bit short and had to pick up another qt to top off the system. Works like a champ.

The fluid also does not pump soo fast that it's uncontrollable. It takes a minute or two to pump out two quarts...not seconds. While the assistant is in the truck, have him cycle through RND21 and back while the truck is running.

Once your satisfied, re-install the line and go for a test drive to get it warmed up. Then finally check and top off the fluid level.

If they are really using Amsoil, $200 isn't a bad price I don't guess. Heck, that's a $140+ just in fluid if you pay retail. I've never shopped around for something like that since I do everything myself. Good luck, but yea, you can do it!

 

You're only focusing on the parts cost. How much money is your aggravation worth? My feeling is $200 is a little (or a lot) much. I would do it myself is that was the only cost I could find.

 

How do you figure?? (were you talking to me or him?) At that price, he's spending about $50 in labor to do a tranny flush and rotate tires. Considering most shop rates are $80++ an hour then yea, that's not a bad price.

Working on my vehicles is never an aggrivation and there is no price you can put on it. Wether the job is a cool new mod or fixing some required maintenance, doesn't matter. How can you put a price on your hobby?

 

Lets see, go buy the oil, drain the oil while trying to get all the old out, mess with the filter and gasket, swap around the "big" tires, bottle and take the old oil to the recycle place, get cleaned up, stand behind the work, clean up the driveway, clean up me. or $200 job done? Its cheap let him do it!

 

My time and aggravation is worth more than that. I used to do absolutely everything myself, but now I only do what I *FEEL* like doing myself, the cost is not a big issue. I haven't even changed my own oil in years.

$200 for a tranny flush with Amsoil and a tire rotation is a good price.

 

How many miles are on the truck? if the fluid has not been changed reguarly
You may not want a total flush.On mine The shop recomended a pan drop and filter change as I was unsure as to the last time the service was done.
(bought used)This way you are just replacing 4-5 quarts and then do that again in 10,000 miles.

 

If you want to use Amsoil, a complete replacement is the right way to do it.

 

Agreed that is the right way to do it. Just be aware if the trans service has not been done a full flush can cause problems. It happend to me.

 

If your tranny is that messed up where a full flush causes problems, it was getting ready to go anyway.

 

I priced out Amsoil and it's around $7 a quart. I've got 90K on the truck right now, but I bought it used wil 80K on it. The current tranny fluid looks to be in good shape, still got some pinkish tint to it and doesn't smell burned at all. The guy who had the truck before me took good care of it, but I am not sure when he changed the tranny fluid last. Besides, I want to run a synthetic fluid anyway.

I am not having any slipping issues so I figured I would do the whole thing, not just a pan drop, again because I want full synthetic.

At $7 a quart x 14 quarts at a minimum = $98. Then add a few more quarts to flush it all out (even if I don't use sythetic for the flush) plus a new filter, I'm thinking I'm around $120 at a minimum. So it comes down to is the $80 worth the labor and a free tire rotation? Plus, I've never done it (not that I am too worried about it). I think I'll just bite the bullet on the $80 difference and have them do it.

 

If they use a machine to flush it, there will not be any fluid waste.