Taking her in for Tranny to be serviced. A few questions

[JBeezy]

I posted this in another thread, but didnt get a answer. Hopefully I can get a answer before tomorrow. I'm taking my car in tomorrow morning to have it serviced at my local dealer.

With all this being said. If I take my car in at 33XXX miles and let the dealer service my tranny, will they be responsible for it if I experience problems afterwards?

I also called the dealer and ask what all is done when they service a tranny.

The dealer stated:

They will pressure the tranny system and flush out all fluid except for maybe a qt, then they will run some type of cleaner thru the tranny to clean everything, then pump in new fluid.

Does this sound ok?

I asked if they would remove the pan at all and he said no.

He quoted the price to be around $160

[Blackened300a]

I posted this in another thread, but didnt get a answer. Hopefully I can get a answer before tomorrow. I'm taking my car in tomorrow morning to have it serviced at my local dealer.

With all this being said. If I take my car in at 33XXX miles and let the dealer service my tranny, will they be responsible for it if I experience problems afterwards?

I also called the dealer and ask what all is done when they service a tranny.

The dealer stated:

They will pressure the tranny system and flush out all fluid except for maybe a qt, then they will run some type of cleaner thru the tranny to clean everything, then pump in new fluid.

Does this sound ok?

I asked if they would remove the pan at all and he said no.

He quoted the price to be around $160

I never heard of the cleaner they pump through. :confused:
Tranny fluid is a cleaner as it is. Im not sure if they will cover any damages unless they did something during the flush. I had mine flushed and went 1500 miles, then my trans started to whine and shift erratic, I brought it back and all we did was put a new filter in and its been fine ever since. I do suggest getting the filter changed as well for piece of mind. $160 seems about right cause your looking at about 15qts of tranny fluid for the entire flush.

[JBeezy]

Scary! I wonder why they dont just replace the filter while doing this service? I asked him about it and he said the cleaner they run thru it cleans the filter as well. I guess I can call them and ask how much more they will charge to replace the filter as well.

[EMAS]

Just have them drop the pan change the filter and replace the fluid lost from the pan. With 33K on the clock you and if you keep doing it every 30K you shouldn't need to have it flushed.

[RF Overlord]

he said the cleaner they run thru it cleans the filter as well.False. No cleaner will dissolve the insolubles that the filter was designed to catch.

I agree with EMAS^^^ Even better, dude, do it yourself...it's really easy and there's nothing you can break unless you're a complete moron. Total cost to DIY is under $50...

Remove pan bolts. (requires 10mm socket)
Lower pan.
Pull down on filter. (no tools required)
Put new filter in. (no tools required)
Clean pan with Brakleen.
Put pan back on.
Add 4 quarts of Mercon V thru dipstick tube.
Done.

It's almost literally that simple.

[JBeezy]

I like that idea as well. Just want to know exactly what I need to tell them when I take it tomorrow. Trying to prevent future tranny problems. My car is suppose to have had the J-Mod done on it by the person that baught it new. He's a member here I just found out. I emailed him for more questions

[JBeezy]

False. No cleaner will dissolve the insolubles that the filter was designed to catch.

I agree with EMAS^^^ Even better, dude, do it yourself...it's really easy and there's nothing you can break unless you're a complete moron. Total cost to DIY is under $50...

Remove pan bolts. (requires 10mm socket)
Lower pan.
Pull down on filter. (no tools required)
Put new filter in. (no tools required)
Clean pan with Brakleen.
Put pan back on.
Add 4 quarts of Mercon V thru dipstick tube.
Done.

It's almost literally that simple.


So I really dont need a complete flush? I'm doing a lot of reading about this. Some say complete flush, some say, just pan and filter. One person said they got theirs serviced and 1500 miles later the tranny (went out)started whining, sorry. :confused:

[Blackened300a]

So I really dont need a complete flush? I'm doing a lot of reading about this. Some say complete flush, some say, just pan and filter. One person said they got theirs serviced and 1500 miles later the tranny went out. :confused:

Didn't go out, just picked up a whine. I had no bubbles in the fluid and we cut the filter open and didn't find anything inside. Mine may have been a fluke thing but its been fine since we did the filter change.

[JBeezy]

Bottom line.... Flush and filter change or just filter change and refill? Or both.... Just want it right.

[99SVT]

Pan and filter should be fine with the mileage you have on it, especailly if it's been J-moded, as the pan's already been off at one point. The first time mine was changed was around 60,000 miles just after i bought it, the lollipop was still in it. It still lasted another 50,000 miles of drag racing and supercharging before eventually breaking a stub shaft.

[JBeezy]

Well I just found out today that "vegasmarauder" was the original owner of my car. I've read all his posts and he stated that he had all his cars J-Moded. Mine has the tight firm shifts as if it has been. I have all the paper work that he gave the person that purchased it from him. It said the J-Mod had been performed as well. I may just tell them to replace the filter then, and refill with Mercon V(nothing else) and hope for the best. Then at 60K I'll get the flush and filter change. Hows that sound?

EDIT:::

Your going to love this. Just called about just getting the filter changed and fluid topped off. The guy said they recommend flushing and cleaning as I mentioned above on a tranny with that less of miles. Only do they just change the filter after 100K miles.

[BLACKMARAUDER04]

I had my filter changed at my first transmission service at 38,000 miles.
It was slipping. After reading several threads, I know change my fluid every 30,000 miles.( The slipping stopped after the fluid change.)
I changed the fluid only at about 68000 and when I got to 98,000 mile service, I had them change the filter again along with a differential service. I have 117,000+ miles now.

[ctrlraven]

I've only had one Ford gravity flow trans fluid exchange before. Every 3rd oil change I change my trans fluid, drain 4-5 qts and replace. I replace the filter every 40-50k miles.

[JBeezy]

Good info. I guess I'm going to let them flush it, and around 40-45K miles, I'll pull the pan myself and change the filter. I only drive this car on weekends mostly if the weather is nice. With that being said, theres no telling when it will hit 40K miles.

Well it may get at least another 200 miles on it this weekend from a trip to Ga.

[RF Overlord]

JBeezy, the real deal is that if the transmission is properly serviced from new, i.e. a drain & fill every 30,000 miles, you shouldn't ever need to have it flushed. Since the original owner did a j-mod, the fluid was obviously changed at least once before you got it, so doing another drain & fill now should be more than adequate. Doing a flush now certainly won't hurt anything but your wallet, so go ahead if it makes you feel better.

Another tip: if the dealer won't do it for you now, then when you do the filter change yourself, add a drain plug or replace the pan with the U-Haul version that has a factory drain plug. Makes doing future services much easier and much less messy.

[JBeezy]

JBeezy, the real deal is that if the transmission is properly serviced from new, i.e. a drain & fill every 30,000 miles, you shouldn't ever need to have it flushed. Since the original owner did a j-mod, the fluid was obviously changed at least once before you got it, so doing another drain & fill now should be more than adequate. Doing a flush now certainly won't hurt anything but your wallet, so go ahead if it makes you feel better.

Another tip: if the dealer won't do it for you now, then when you do the filter change yourself, add a drain plug or replace the pan with the U-Haul version that has a factory drain plug. Makes doing future services much easier and much less messy.


Thanks! I'm on my way now. I'm going to ask them to just change the filter and refill. Then I'll replace the pan and filter in another 15K miles. Doesnt seem like much work, I just dont have the time right now.

[JBeezy]

Took it in and did the whole flush. Receptionist said to change filter and top off was $120 and flush was $145 so I just let them flush it. Technician said the fluid was dirty so I guess it was a good thing to go ahead and flush it all out.

At 40-45k miles I'll change the filter as I watched the video posted on the site and it's fairly easy.

I've done head cam and intake swaps on my 5.0's. Even clutch and tranny swaps but never fooled too much with opening a automatic tranny for the smallest lil thing

[TooManyFords]

Wow, you got screwed. Was it painful? Did they use Vasoline?

[TooManyFords]

I wish I made $800/hr.

like my hero Marty!

[JBeezy]

Wow, you got screwed. Was it painful? Did they use Vasoline?


LOL! I wouldnt say that. From what I read thats about normal for a flush at the dealer. I did it so I can at least feel comfortable knowing I've had it flushed at least once. I'll drain it from now on in order to keep fresh fluid in it.

[RF Overlord]

Technician said the fluid was dirty so I guess it was a good thing to go ahead and flush it all out.So the car only has 33k on it and the fluid has already been changed at least once, and it was dirty again?


never fooled too much with opening a automatic tranny for the smallest lil thingNot to worry...we'll be right beside you the whole way!

[JBeezy]

So the car only has 33k on it and the fluid has already been changed at least once, and it was dirty again?

Not to worry...we'll be right beside you the whole way!

Well that's what he said. I'm sure he wouldn't have said it wasn't dirty so we didn't change it and miss out on a easy $160. I expected him to say it was.

I drove it 336 miles yesterday and she ran and shifted great as usual. I felt really good about my car yesterday. Smooth as silk

[vegasmarauder]

Just found this post. You better take care of her, I still miss it! I did the J-Mod with about 50 miles on it a few days after I bought it new on Valenine's day 2003. New trans fluid put in then. I like it has only 33K on it since it sat in my garage 90% of the time I had it. I never even drove it in the rain to keep the underside looking like new. I ended up having to buy a MM for the wife (oh yeah, that was an easy arm twist) and then a used blue one as a daily driver for me since I just couldn't stand to drive yours in the rain, or then on cloudy days, or then any day they thought it might rain, or then when the outside temp got over 100 degrees, or then during rush hour traffic so it wouldn't get wrecked, and so on. I became OCD about it. Couldn't justfy 3 MM's, so I let that one go. On the day I sold it it looked just like the day I bought it. Everyone thought I was nuts (and they were right!)

By the way, my pictures in the gallery of the guage conversion are from your car's guage.

[vegasmarauder]

Oh Yeah, I just remembered something else. If you look at the PATS LED on the top left side of the dash, you will see there are TWO LEDs inside the housing. When I put in the factory alarm system, I didn't want to drill any holes in the dash so I modified the PATS LED/EATC sun sensor housing to fit the two red LEDs side by side (was going to post that as a tech article, but got lazy, I do all the alarm installs this way). It takes a bit to figure them out, but the alarm LED is a bit dimmer than the PATS one and they flash at different rates.

[JBeezy]

That's awesome. Glad u replied. I have all the papers you provided to the person you sold it to in a folder including one that you took of the undercarriage with it on jack stands. I've read almost all your posts once I found out you was the original owner

I told myself I wouldn't be OCD about this car but it has already set it. I don't drive it when it rains or when I think it might rain. It snowed last weekend and I won't even drive it now since the roads are nasty and snow is still melting.

I just bought a programmer(xcal1) with lidio tunes for 3.55's and 4.10's. I'm kind of scared to install it as I don't want to have any tranny problems, but I think that's just a myth and bad luck one member had. My buddy just found me a set of 4.10's brand new in the box for $125. Ford racing too. Not sure if I will make these changes. If I do that will be it!

[JBeezy]

Vegasmarauder, could u also tell me what all this alarm is capable of as far as protection vs the stock alarm?

[RF Overlord]

I'm kind of scared to install it as I don't want to have any tranny problems, but I think that's just a myth and bad luck one member had. Dude, if anything, Lidio's tune will make the transmission last longer as he corrects a lot of things that are wrong with the factory shift parameters. Do it!
My buddy just found me a set of 4.10's brand new in the box for $125. Ford racing too. Not sure if I will make these changes. If I do that will be it!That's a good deal...go for it. I've not heard of one single person who regretted installing 4.10s.

[JBeezy]

I am going to. I've heard nothing but good things about lidios tune. Plus I have heard from vegasmarauder confirming again that the j-mod was done and I now have more detail of the tranny fluid change. Looks like draining the tranny completely was the best way to go being that the last time it was known to be flushed was over 33,000 miles ago.

I'm going to wait to install the tune until I get a day when I can drive my car around a bit and get a good feel about how it performs stock

[vegasmarauder]

Yep, that's why I couldn't bare to take it out in the bad weather. Wouldn't even allow anyone to eat or drink in it either.....

It's the Ford add-on alarm. It is basically a perimeter alarm with ignition kill and a shock sensor. What I liked about it it has a delay so you can enter the door code and the alarm turns off. Most of the aftermarket alarms will go off as soon as you try to enter the door code.

It arms when the driver's door lock cycles electrically, disarms when the lock cyles, or the trunk is opened with the keypad or fob. To put it in valet mode, turn the key off and on three times and the LED will double flash. Out of valet mode is three keys cycles again.

At the time it was the only alarm that would let me retain the original key fobs, and it was a Ford product (really made by CodeAlarm-Audiovox).

It should have come with a separate owner's manual.

I think it also has the Police Interceptor fuel tank protector kit installed as well.

PM me if you have any specific questions.

[JBeezy]

I think I've fallen in love with it more since I've been driving it a lil harder instead of cruising like I'm in a parade. Still haven't floored it but 1/4 to 1/2 throttle and the firm shifts feel great. Tranny is right on time.

[Peter]

I'm glad I was able to help you find the original owner!

[JBeezy]

I'm glad I was able to help you find the original owner!

Yea! Me too! He's a nice guy and provided a lot of info. Thanks for your help