Should I "change" or "flush my transmission fluid?

The proper way to do it is drain and clean the pan, drive it for a day or two, then repeat. At that point, you've removed about two thirds of the old fluid, which is generally sufficient. If you want, you can install a drain plug so subsequent changes are that much easier.

zxc090

Flushing Transmission Fluid

Unless it's burnt, a trans flush isn't necessary. If it's just really dirty, you may want to change the fluid and filter a couple of times. Otherwise, if you only do it once, only about half the fluid will be changed (the other half will be stuck up in the torque converter, and valves). If it's not dirty, just change it once and don't worry about it. Now about flushing the trans (if it does in fact need it). Depending on how bad the transmission is, It may clean it all out, make in nearly like new again. On the other hand, i could remove the only thing holding the trans together (the dirt), which would cause it to fail completely. It all just depends. However the trans would have to be much further gone than what you described to be the latter scenario.

I have known several people that had an older transmission flushed, and then had transmission trouble shortly afterward. The pressurized flush knocks things loose. Most cars used to recommend a change every 30,000 miles because 2/3s of the old oil was left in the torque converter. Some newer ones recommend every 100,000 miles because they use synthetic fluid. I personally change the filter, and fluid in the trans and torque converter. I also add a bottle of Lucas automatic transmission additive.

Yes you need to get it flushed, not just changed. In order to do it you will need a mechanic to peform the flushing. If you want to do it yourself you may need some expensive specialized equipment. Note that most Haynes manuals recomend flushing the automatic transmission fluid every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. I've bought only 3 automatic transmission vehicles, all used, and since they had never had the transmission flushed all three have had transmission problems after 200.000 miles. I'm never buying a used automatic again!

It's a tough call. You might want to get more opinions. My car has 137,000 miles on it, and I had a mechanic say not to flush out the old trans fluid once a car is at 100,000 miles because it will just cause problems like you said. I'd get some more opinions not that your mechanic doesn't know what he's talking about, but you definitely don't want your transmission to fail because, as you surely know, that's super expensive.

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RE:

Should I "change" or "flush my transmission fluid?

My car is a 2000 Dodge Stratus it has 109,000 miles, and my friend that is a mechanic told me that I needed my Transmission Fluid changed. On my owners manual it said that I had to change it at 100,000 miles, so I am 9,000 miles overdue. So im wondering if I should just change the filter and drain...

Just do a flush.

IF the old wives tale of the trans grenading is true and becomes true in your case, then teh trans wasn't going to last long, anyway.

Think about it...if all that junk that was "holding the trans together" gets washed out, the trans was a goner.

I flushed my F150 at well over 160k miles and it's fine about 15k miles later. But, it's a 4r70w, not a Chrysler FWD piece or a GM 4L60E.

Transmission Flusher

If you're really that concerned about some old fluid contaminating the new fluid you could always drain and replace, drive it for a week with new fluid, then drain and replace again.

The second drain and replace should include a new filter.