old wives' tale (try 2...)

Have you done proper maintenance along the way? One thing you have to understand; they use a 'generic' ATF and add 'friction modifiers' to get the right blend for your car. When I had a Chrysler LHS I said, thanks but no thanks, since most trans problems with Chryslers are caused by using off the rack tranny fluid. But that's Chryslers.

I was working selling used cars for a guy who LOVED Fords. We sold a crapload of Escorts and Rangers and Explorers. (I hate SUVs, but the Explorers from the mid 90's were pretty neat...). We sent an Escort with ~175K for a tranny flush, I sold it and about 10 days later the tranny quit! Being the reputable people we were we replaced it. Then we had one that one of our associates wanted to acquire for his cousin. He took it up for a tranny flush. THis one had about 165K on it. About an hour later the phone rings....Can you send Joe up with the flatbed, the car won't move! Three miles from the service center!

It's a general rule of thumb...if you have done regular fluid changes, you don't NEED a flush, and if you didn't, then flushing it is probably going to wash out the friction material suspended in the fluid, and make the tranny a brick.

I just drain and fill at regular intervals, about 2 years for an older car (I'm talking 80's vintage here) I would suggest taking a look at the fluid; if it's red or pink, just do a normal service and call it. If it's brown or black, do a regular service, run it for ~1,000 miles, and repeat.

Good luck!

The wonderful independent Subaru shop Super Rupair of Boulder, Colorado (I have no connection with S-R other than being a satisfied customer for nine years and three cars plus my wife's Forester) flushed and refilled the transmission of my 1997 Subaru GT station wagon at the

142,500-mile service. S-R continued to perform regular maintenance (but no additional flush) on the '97 until I sold the car at 200,500 miles. The transmission was working perfectly at the time of sale and never needed any repairs.

My understanding is that there are a couple of different flush systems available to car shops, some apparently better than others. I don't know which system S-R uses (one could call them and find out) but it certainly didn't do any damage to my car. I'd flush again but my current Subaru -- a WRX -- has a manual transmission.

--ben

If it is done properly, flushing will not cause any more problems than just dropping the pan and changing the fluid. However, a fast lube shop can screw up anything - so make sure you have someone who knows what they are doing flush the fluid.

That's Soobs too. Use ONLY the specified fluid. Period.

You can basically "flush" the system yourself in an afternoon. Disconnect the trans cooler lines from the radiator, lift the driven wheels off the ground, start the car and see which line ATF is squirting from. Put that line in a 5 gallon pail, and either plug the other one or put it in a pail of the right grade ATF, start the car and put it in low gear. Run it until the fluid runs clear, reattach the tranny lines and check the level.

Either that or plug the return line and keep adding ATF through the filler tube while the engine is running, when it runs clear shut it down and top it off.

Same thing. A little messier, a little more work, but you KNOW what went into the tranny!

That's the way I've been doing it for over 40 years.

I called a local S00B specialist and asked about how to get most of the trans fluid out and he told me it's what he does. He's been in business for a long time and is the Go To guy for a lot of people in the area; so if he says it, I believe it! ;)

(BTW, you too!)