Trans flush or drop the pan?

[rickshaw]

I have close to 60K miles on my car and want to change my trans fluid, it's an automatic. One shop wants to do a flush and another wants to drop the pan, drain the TC and re-fill.

Personally I like the drop the pan option and changing the filter. And I'd also like to do the JMod, but not confident and the trans shop wants $175 to do it. Does it make sense to get a new separator plate, drill out the holes and have them re-assemble it? How much would the separator plate cost and would I be able to re-sell the stocker?

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[rickshaw]

I found these options on separator plates;

1996-2000 AODE/4R70W "B" Plate

or

Blue Oval Chips Inc. - Product » 4R70W / 4R75W Separator Kits.

 

[bdcardinal]

drop the pan and clean everything out. replace the filter, dont bother with the gasket as they are reusable. make sure if a shop does it they use Mercon V and not a universal fluid with a modifier additive. also have them flush out the cooler lines.

as for the j-mod, do it. its not that complicated and mostly involves drilling which any shop should be able to do.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I prefer dropping pan and refilling over flushing. Automatics are sensitive and the only way i would do a flush is if i did it at low miles and regular intervals...say every 30K religiously.

With higher and higher miles, i prefer dropping the pan, and replacing whatever comes out. Most of the old fluid will remain, but it won't flush all the friction material that is basically keeping the trans togehter away. A lot of shops will refuse to do a flush over 100K miles. Sometimes, when it's done, the trans will slip.

 

[mr-mike]

do it yourself

its a snap , the converter has a plug so you will get 99% of the old fluid out , put a small magnet in the pan in the corner for next time , I always change the fluid once the car has 60-70 thousand miles , I also do the steering rack fluid its easy take your time you will have that stang for a long time ....

 

[rickshaw]

damn, now i'm all confident and ready to drop it my self. and the jmod job has very good documentation, it's just pulling the valve body and having no fn idea where things go if they fall out!

but that's the beauty of stang.net! :SNSign:

 

[GDTrumbo]

My practice with auto's has been to flush the trans every 40K, changing the filter every other time. Local Ford techie seemed to think that was a good practice.

GT

 

[rickshaw]

I'm finally ready to drop the pan and do the work myself. What's the best filter - OEM or aftermarket?

 

[streethorse]

I would go OEM if posible although I have used a Borg Warner filter from
a zone with no problem. Just dont use the cork type gasket in the kit,
reuse the rubber original.