Flush 411

[Sarge]

I see a few threads recommending a flush. I recommend a flush. BUT....

A heads up here guys...............

The machine they use to flush your trannie......be damn sure they have flushed out the machine before they hook it up to your car. Often (see lazy ass) these mechanics at the JiffyPube/Dealerships will not clean the machine between flushes. What this does is fairly simple......
The guy before you was in a 1989 Ford Mustang with a kabillion miles on it and never had changed the ATF. He had tons of debris/shavings/crap in his burnt up ATF. It now is all over the inside of that flush machine. They hook you up and now you got his crap in your trannie along with your new ATF.

Like if a hospital used the same needle for IV's on all their patients. If the guy before you was sicker than you are guess what!

Make damn sure they have back flushed the flush machine before they hook you up.

[pajeff02]

The wife's Stratus "self flushes" during a fluid change. The procedure goes something like this -- disconnect a trans cooler line at the radiator. Start the engine and run it for exactly one minute. Shut it down, pour in 5 quarts of transmission fluid. Start the engine again and run it for a set period. Shut it down, pour in 6 quarts and you are done. The numbers may be off a bit, but that is essentially how it works.

I would really like to purchase a machine to perform transmission flushing in my garage -- anything out there for the hobbyist?

[Sarge]

I bought mine from a shop going broke. Craigs List.
New was $2500...I paid $500 and it had never been used

[pajeff02]

I see a lot of shop tools and equipment for sale at Carlisle, but I do not believe I have ever come across one of these.

[JayTA98]

The wife's Stratus "self flushes" during a fluid change. The procedure goes something like this -- disconnect a trans cooler line at the radiator. Start the engine and run it for exactly one minute. Shut it down, pour in 5 quarts of transmission fluid. Start the engine again and run it for a set period. Shut it down, pour in 6 quarts and you are done. The numbers may be off a bit, but that is essentially how it works.

I would really like to purchase a machine to perform transmission flushing in my garage -- anything out there for the hobbyist?

you saying that you do flush your tranny by just leting the fluid out that line? You just catch it in a bucket or something? Is this the same thing as the fluch machine with less mess?

Or are you talking about the machine?? i'm confused lol

[Cutlass]

We have 2 different trans flush machines at my shop and dirty and clean fluid are in 2 separate sections of the machine. And the machines only hold enough dirty fluid for one car so it has to be emptied before (or after) every use.

Poor man's at home flush is like what PaJeff described. Disconnect a trans cooler line, attach a long length of rubber hose to it, and stick the other end of that hose into a bucket.
Start the car and let the trans pump the fluid into the bucket.
Shut off the car and refill the trans.
Repeat until fluid comes out looking clean

[pajeff02]

you saying that you do flush your tranny by just leting the fluid out that line? You just catch it in a bucket or something? Is this the same thing as the fluch machine with less mess?

Or are you talking about the machine?? i'm confused lol

On the Dodge Stratus that my wife drives, what I posted is the recommended procedure for changing the transmission fluid.

We have 2 different trans flush machines at my shop and dirty and clean fluid are in 2 separate sections of the machine. And the machines only hold enough dirty fluid for one car so it has to be emptied before (or after) every use.

Poor man's at home flush is like what PaJeff described. Disconnect a trans cooler line, attach a long length of rubber hose to it, and stick the other end of that hose into a bucket.
Start the car and let the trans pump the fluid into the bucket.
Shut off the car and refill the trans.
Repeat until fluid comes out looking clean

How long do you dare run the transmission performing a flush in this manner -- 2-3 quarts at a time?

[Cutlass]

How long do you dare run the transmission performing a flush in this manner -- 2-3 quarts at a time?

Excellent question sir! Since the cooler circuit is also the lube circuit(on a lot of the transmissions I'm familiar with anyways), when you aren't returning the cooler fluid back to the transmission, you aren't lubricating the bearings and bushings in the transmission. So the answer is, you shouldn't do a flush that way.
Me personally, I think you can get away with it without much issue. If I were doing it, I'd run it until it was empty and sputtering out the hose. then shut it off.

[JayTA98]

Excellent question sir! Since the cooler circuit is also the lube circuit(on a lot of the transmissions I'm familiar with anyways), when you aren't returning the cooler fluid back to the transmission, you aren't lubricating the bearings and bushings in the transmission. So the answer is, you shouldn't do a flush that way.
Me personally, I think you can get away with it without much issue. If I were doing it, I'd run it until it was empty and sputtering out the hose. then shut it off.

Do you go shift from 1st to 4th gear while draining it out? Or leaving it in Park will drain it? I just don't know what kinda of ATF these shops put in my tranny. I will like to do it myself and put some good ATF in it. What fluid you guys recommend? Thanks.

[thearborbarber]

We have 2 different trans flush machines at my shop and dirty and clean fluid are in 2 separate sections of the machine. And the machines only hold enough dirty fluid for one car so it has to be emptied before (or after) every use.

Poor man's at home flush is like what PaJeff described. Disconnect a trans cooler line, attach a long length of rubber hose to it, and stick the other end of that hose into a bucket.
Start the car and let the trans pump the fluid into the bucket.
Shut off the car and refill the trans.
Repeat until fluid comes out looking clean

This is the same type of machine that my shop uses. A reservoir for clean and reservoir for dirty.

[Cutlass]

Do you go shift from 1st to 4th gear while draining it out? Or leaving it in Park will drain it? I just don't know what kinda of ATF these shops put in my tranny. I will like to do it myself and put some good ATF in it. What fluid you guys recommend? Thanks.

You just leave it in park and it'll pump the fluid out.

[JayTA98]

You just leave it in park and it'll pump the fluid out.

Does it matter what line I disconnect at the cooler? How many quarts of ATF I need to fully refill it? Thanks.

[Demon_Z28]

I see a few threads recommending a flush. I recommend a flush. BUT....

A heads up here guys...............

The machine they use to flush your trannie......be damn sure they have flushed out the machine before they hook it up to your car. Often (see lazy ass) these mechanics at the JiffyPube/Dealerships will not clean the machine between flushes. What this does is fairly simple......
The guy before you was in a 1989 Ford Mustang with a kabillion miles on it and never had changed the ATF. He had tons of debris/shavings/crap in his burnt up ATF. It now is all over the inside of that flush machine. They hook you up and now you got his crap in your trannie along with your new ATF.

Like if a hospital used the same needle for IV's on all their patients. If the guy before you was sicker than you are guess what!

Make damn sure they have back flushed the flush machine before they hook you up.

Our Flush Machine will never allow old fluid back into the trans at Nissan. But that's because we do flush's right while the machine is an only in and then out and it can monitor the trans fluid cycling through the trans. I agree some shops are really crappy about doing the right things. If we got caught doing something like that at the shop I work at. I would be fired pretty fast.

[Cutlass]

Does it matter what line I disconnect at the cooler? How many quarts of ATF I need to fully refill it? Thanks.

Yes it does. Its generally the top line you wanna use. Its the one that comes from the trans. The other is the return. Choose the wrong one and you'll have a huge mess as the pressurized ATF sprays out of the cooler and not the hose you put in the bucket...I've been there.

[JayTA98]

Yes it does. Its generally the top line you wanna use. Its the one that comes from the trans. The other is the return. Choose the wrong one and you'll have a huge mess as the pressurized ATF sprays out of the cooler and not the hose you put in the bucket...I've been there.

Thanks thats good to know.

[planemech2]

Are you changing the filter too? Why flush and keep the old filter?

[pajeff02]

Are you changing the filter too? Why flush and keep the old filter?

To whom is this question directed?

[JayTA98]

To whom is this question directed?

If it is to me, yes i'm changing the filter. I will do the flush 1st and then change the filter.

[JayTA98]

Anyone suggests a specific brand of ATF fluid?