I have a 2000 Forester with 176k miles and I'd like to change the transmission fluid and replace the filter if it has one. I told the shop I don't want it flushed - only drained and filled. I had heard horror stories of bad things happening if you flushed an old transmission. The shop said that this is an old wives' tale and isn't a problem. Opinions anyone? The car has been reasonably well maintained. TIA
******************************************************************************************* Good point. I think I"ll just drain and refill. It's too risky. Thanks everyone for your replies. tim
will> I have a 2000 Forester with 176k miles and I'd like to change the
If it is PROPERLY flushed there is no danger. An automatic transmission that fails after a PROPER flush would have failed very shortly without a flush as well.
A PROPER flush is just an "extended drain and fill", with no flushing agent, and no applied pressures or suctions.
The difference between a "drain " and a "flush" is several liters of dirty fluid - and that is ALL. It can NOT cause damage to friction materials, bearings, or gears.
The WRONG FLUID, hawever, can kill a transmission pretty quickly.
The only good alternative to a proper flush is a drain and refill with addition of a QUALITY transmission fluid conditioner.
BG Chemicals makes a good one. Likely a few others around as well, but they need to restore the additives that are depleted in the fluid you are not changing with a "drain and fill" (which only changes, optimistically, 25% of the fluid in the transmission)
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