camaro69z

So I would like to do a tranny flush now that it just rolled over 40k. I probably should have done this at 30k, but never got around to doing it. I know these trannys can backfire on flushes, but I figure 40k would still be fine, correct?

I would probably putting a shift kit in at the same time. What do you guys think? I haven't dropped the pan so not sure how many metal has gone through yet. Thanks!

vroom_vroom

iTrader: (5)

everything considerd about the car, the weather here being triple digits my tranny builder told me to service it twice a year i put about a thousand miles a month in it

Battle_Ravage

I done a flush at 38k and mine failed 2k miles later, the flush blew stuff around. Just do a fluid and filter change.

EmersonHart13

iTrader: (3)

No Flush, I am nearing 36k and I am planning to change mine.

06MonteSS

yeah, you don't want to do a flush at all man... just drop the pan and do a fluid/filter change...

I only did a fluid/filter change on mine once - at 50/55k miles.. and my tranny lasted to 98,675 miles... this new tranny, I think I'll have it done at 30k...

camaro69z

Okay no to a flush then! While I have the powertrain warranty, I still don't want all the hassle that comes with a tranny replacement so I just want to keep up on preventative maintenance. I'll just do a fluid/filter change then this week. Thanks guys.

cbrdoo

I had mine flushed at about 45k, and it has almost 54k on it now. It shifts great and I have no issues. If you think you need to flush it because its acting up, like many others I suspect, it won't be a magic fix. If there is debris floating around that gets disturbed, likely there is a bigger problem than fluid. I really don't see how flushing the fluid from a properly working transmission can do any harm. If someone has any facts to back up that statement I would really love to see it.

jmilz28

iTrader: (13)

Flushing a tranny will NOT cause problems. That is absolute bunk, don't listen to that bad advice. That said, your flush process should use only the transmission's pump, like BG or something similar. It does happen that a tranny can fail shortly after a service or a flush. If that is the case, you were on borrowed time anyhow. If a flush is going to precipitate (not cause) a problem, it will be within a couple hundred miles. It does this because varnish inside the transmission is holding stuff together (seals, clutches, etc) that should no longer be together anyway. Hence, the borrowed time. If you're willing to service it, go ahead and flush it. Your mileage is fine, go ahead and flush it. In all likelihood, you'll be significantly extending its life. Just go every 30k afterwards, though in reality there's not much difference between 30k and 40k in most cases.

06MonteSS

Flushing CAN cause problems and tranny damage... a FLUID EXCHANGER is a different story... a fluid exchanger would be good to use... but don't do a flush... my GM dealer even told me specifically to not do a flush when I asked them about doing one for me a few years ago...

Flushing is the high pressure forcing of fluid back against the normal flow of the fluid. In other words if the normal flow is left to right, the flush would force the fluid right to left. This is accomplished by connecting a machine that will force special solvents back through the engine and transmission. The idea is that by forcing cleaning solvents backwards through the system, it will get all the junk and garbage that has formed over time and "flush" it out of the system. In theory this may be sound, but in actual practice, it's dangerous.

The Dangers Of Flushing...

Flush machines do what they say; they force high pressure cleaning solvents back through the engine and transmission and clean out some of the accumulated junk that has formed. Now engines have small passages and galleries through which oil or automatic transmission fluid flow and there are one-way valves that keep the fluids from backtracking for whatever reason. By using an aggressive cleaning procedure like flushing, large chunks of accumulated sludge are broken off and forced backwards through these galleries and valves and, more often than not, lodge tightly and block them. This cuts off the normal flow of the fluid and causes lack of lubrication in an engine and abnormal or no shifting in a transmission. The results are expensive repairs, or more often, engine or transmission replacement.

The shops that want to sell you the engine or transmission flush charge anywhere from $49.95 to $99.95, not including a new engine or transmission. Those are extra. And they state quite emphatically that it is recommended that it be done. But who actually recommends that it be done? GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Honda and several other car manufacturers do NOT recommend an engine or transmission flush specifically as routine maintenance. They specifically don't recommend it at all!! The new car dealerships that do sell them use the implication that since they are the dealer that it must be the factory that recommends it. And if they do say the factory recommends it, they are flat out lying to you.

If you do get a flush, I recommend you do it when you can afford to replace the engine or transmission.

http://www.suite101.com/content/do-y...#ixzz1M4hzBSnr

http://www.suite101.com/content/tran...lushing-a39896


and if you do a search on yahoo or google, there are many many many other articles about NOT doing flushes...

Bryan921SS

Another issue with the trans flush is that it doesn't change the trans filter that our cars have.

You wouldn't change your oil in your engine and leave the old oil filter on would you?

Same principle. It just sucks when the dealer wants $250 to do a fluid/filter change.

jmilz28

iTrader: (13)

OK, Monte put some good info in here but there's more to it, let's get specific. The BG Transmission flush, for example, only uses the transmission's own pump. There is no "high pressure" external pump used, nor is the flow reversed. It is more accurately called a fluid exchanger, but no one anywhere calls it that. Regardless of what it is called, this is the procedure you should use and look for in the service. It changes ALL the fluid and is the best option. The filter in transmissions is only designed to stop large particles from recirculating through the tranny. It is a safeguard, not a true maintenance item, check out the flow properties of those filters and you will see that for yourself. You should certainly steer clear of a high pressure back flush in 100% of cases BUT a fluid exchange/flush like BG's will NOT cause a failure, period. If you do it regularly, it will extend the life of the trans.

The real question is how rigorous do you want to maintain your car? I'll tell you this, when you tear down components such as engines, trannies, and rear ends, you can tell who has maintained them with regular fluid changes and who hasn't. You can usually tell who uses synthetic too, in each application. In rear diffs, synthetic lowers operating temps 10-20 degrees, which is significant.

To the original question: If you flush your tranny every 30k or so (regular flow, standard pressure), you will be VERY unlikely to ever have sludge or varnish build in the first place. How much do you want to stack the odds in your favor? There are other good services but specific to BG, if you follow their recommendations, they will throw in warranties on the components (engine, trans, diff, etc.) for free. When their checkbook is on the hook, that says it all to me, putting your money where your mouth is.

Why don't most dealerships and manufacturers recommend flushes? Use your head, the answer is simple...they want to sell you cars. If your car lasts you 200 or 300 thousand miles, that's a sale or two they lost. If you listen to "manufacturer's recommendations", all you need to do is change the oil every 5-20k, whenever the "light" comes on and change your cabin air filter. You can do that, thereby assuring you will need a new car every 100k.

Comes down to your finances and priorities. Cheaper to me to maintain for the long haul and have the option to go a long time. Should I decide to sell, the maintenance receipt pile pays off in resale too. YMMV, there are no guarantees but the numbers don't lie and hardcore maintenance will skew the odds in your favor big time.

Finally, it comes down to your situation: If you get rid of the car every 50-100k, do the minimum and get on down the road. If you want to give it to your kids, hammer home an **** retentive maintenance regimen and you'll be stunned how long new cars can last.

06MonteSS

exactly! a fluid exchanger is a different story, like I said in my post...

good info man!