eryque Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Getting various fluids flushed seems to be somewhat controversial. What do you folks think of flushing the radiator and tranny, etc? And can you do it yourself? Flushing has got to be more than just drain and fill, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Radiator and tranny ever three years. There is no contreversy here on those points, we swear by it. Brake fluid at every front pad change. Subarus intervals for brake fluid are way too short. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eryque Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 Radiator and tranny ever three years. There is no contreversy here on those points, we swear by it. Maybe folks here do, but I actually read on about.com "Never, EVER, flush your transmission fluid unless you have the money to pay for a new transmission." Lots of folks believe in not flushing your tranny. But back to the other question: how can you do this yourself? I know there's more to it than simply drain & refill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Maybe folks here do, but I actually read on about.com "Never, EVER, flush your transmission fluid unless you have the money to pay for a new transmission." Lots of folks believe in not flushing your tranny. But back to the other question: how can you do this yourself? I know there's more to it than simply drain & refill. Thats an old wives tail which no longer applies to computer controlled trannies. one way is every oil change do a drain and fill. another way is to drain, fill, start, go through the gears, and repeate 3-4 times. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eryque Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 Thats an old wives tail which no longer applies to computer controlled trannies. one way is every oil change do a drain and fill. another way is to drain, fill, start, go through the gears, and repeate 3-4 times. nipper I think I like method 1 better. It's a little more time consuming than a regular oil change each time, but a lot less time consuming than doing it all at once. btw, did you get my PM about the intake hose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zstalker Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 ...for a transmission at least, the "flush" that most places will perform now-a-days is just splicing into the fluid cooler lines, catching all the old fluid as it comes out, and replacing it with new fluid at the same rate. This is not a pressurized "flush" per-se, but just a fluid transfusion. The transmission doesn't even know the difference. The DIY way to do it, as mentioned above, is just drain the transmission, and put the same amount of fluid in the top that came out the bottom. Do this while the car is off, obviously. Then start the car, run through the gears, maybe even go drive a littlle bit if time isn't a concern, then do that all again. Twice is good, three times even better, but (also as mentioned) budget for fluid will be a limiting factor. Get the car good and warmed up (driving is the best warmup) and check the fluid hot. There is a "cold" reading, but the "hot" is a much better indicarion. The flush machines I mentioned before (non-pressurized) do the exact same thing as the repeated drain/fill, but all at once. that's the only difference, so I really think they're fine, when used correctly. One thing that may be a concern, however, is any type of a "trans flush" additive that you run before you flush, or a "treatment" you use after. Neither are truly approved specifically by any manufacturer, and even though lots of shops use them...even dealerships... the unknown (to anyone but the creating company) composition of the fluid is introducing a major variable into the transmission that the engineers didn't design it for. Automatic transmissions are expensive, you going to risk it because some bottle or commercial told you it was a good idea? I really feel that the best maintenance for a transmission is regular exchanging of the fluid with the correct fluid type, and nothing else. Shifting funny? Change the fluid. Been 100,000 miles? Change the fluid. Transmission fall apart after the change? Fine...it was poor maintenance beforehand that destroyed it, not the new fluid. Do you really think that a transmission that fell apart after a change would have lasted another 10, 20, or 30,000 miles without it? ...but it might with it. (my transmission in my Toyota, with no significant maintenance before 100,000 miles has gone 50,000 more because of regular maintenance) Anyone who tells you that "the old fluid and deposits are holding it together" is just repeating something that they heard from "some guy" before. New fluid has fresh friction modifiers to help the clutches grab better, fresh conditioners to help seals hold better, and fresh detergents to help shift valves slide better, the way they ought. ok, sorry I'm ranting, I just really get wound up about stuff like mis-information, so take it for what you will...bottom line: do what you want, it's your car. ~Erik~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Some people only consider a tranny flush when they start experiencing problems with the AT. Sometimes mechanical damage has already set in and then a flush either makes the problem worse or seems to make the problem worse when the unit was already doomed anyway. Another diy tranny flush method involves pulling one of the lines off the radiator in-tank ATF cooler and then doing the pump and dump method. For radiator/cooling system flushing, there are articles on EndWrench about having it done. If a machine is used, the unit cannot have been used on other vehicle makes that have copper or brass components in the cooling system. I made a homemade flusher last year with a dirty water pump from Harbor Freight, some PVC fittings, and some hose; it seemed to work ok. Chemical flushes are not recommended. Ones like the prestone will leave a soapy residue in the system for many coolant changes to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckeand13 Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Read my post here. http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5843&perpage=20&pagenumber=3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmyowensfan20 Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 You can make your own rad flush system with 2 5 gallon buckets, hoses and atachmenets the one with new fluid just needs to be set up high so gravity fills system and water pump pumps out old into other bucket. by the time you run 3 gallons through it you should be good. ours costed less than 30 bucks to make, a little cauching and a couple threadd plastic plumbing pieces to attach hose to bucket and shut off valves with rad hose attachments at auto zone.... pretty simple. I drain and fill my trans about every 3rd oil change and will continue to do so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 You can make your own rad flush system with 2 5 gallon buckets, hoses and atachmenets the one with new fluid just needs to be set up high so gravity fills system and water pump pumps out old into other bucket. by the time you run 3 gallons through it you should be good. ours costed less than 30 bucks to make, a little cauching and a couple threadd plastic plumbing pieces to attach hose to bucket and shut off valves with rad hose attachments at auto zone.... pretty simple. I drain and fill my trans about every 3rd oil change and will continue to do so... I should have added a note that it depends upon your oil change cycle. As long as fresh fluid gets in the tranny somehow every 36/3 years its all good nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virrdog Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 I can understand why people are scared about flushing, though. I had a 1984 Olds Delta 88 with an auto transmission. Had the fluid flushed just for regular maintenance (had recently bought the car). Afterwards the tranny just started going to crap. I kind of felt its impending doom before anything bad happened and sold it. A couple of months later the tranny crapped out. So, I have a feeling in the back of my heart not to flush auto trannies, just leave it be. What was the deal with this failing? This will be of concern for me because I am about to get another automatic transmission car for the wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Thats over 20 years ago. I had a 69 rambler (in 1981) flushed and it went to hell. That was a borg warner tranny. Thats why it no longer applies, materials have changed many many times since then, along with the removal of many parts from the transmission that used to be affected by flushing. NEVER use any kind of flush additive, its a good way of ensuring something will go wrong. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarikoptic Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Solving my vibration problem I called one mech, highly recommended by other usmb members. When I said that AT is not performing great (late shift, rought shift, rapid shifts back and forth under load) he asked if I did flush - I said yes (stealership coupon); he asked if I replaced the AT filter -- I said they didn't and I haven't done that yet. So he concluded: change AT filter, no flush is necessary since fluid is quite new (if stealership at least replaced the fluid) and add half-pint of seafoam tranny additive and lucas tranny friction modifier. Today I went below, found damn AT filter (on 3.0L it is not on transmission, but upfront of the left mud catcher with 2 hoses leading back to AT), and that beast didn't want to get off (I've lost the head which could have fit) -- well, big screwdriver helped me out. What I saw didn't please my eye at all: dirt-browny (like a very rusty water) was comming out, sorry I didn't take a picture. AT fluid on outer (inner) exit from filter looked fine though -- seems to be transparent redish AT, as it should. So, though filter was 'working' and filtering (hopefully) AT, it had lots of crap accumulated in it at those 100kmiles car has. So, whenever flushing/changing oil in AT, and having some subi (I believe since 2000) which has screw-on type of AT filter -- change that one as well. Today it was already too late whenever I got car back together (had to do other things as well) -- so tomorrow morning additive and test-fun part ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zstalker Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Subaru, for whatever reason, does not specify a time frame for replacing the ATF filter, not even under severe service. when asked, the Subaru trainer for dealership techs said that "officially," they don't need to be changed. I, however, feel that if a filter is in place, it's there to do a job: filter. If that job is being performed, that means that particles of something are being trapped inside it, and it's not a terrible idea to periodically put on a fresh filter...just, for the love of god, don't use the oil filter, even though they can thread on. ~Erik~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5GL Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 The story that I got was to change the filter (screw on type) if major (read: catastrophic) damage/failure has occured and the trans has been properly repaired... flush the pick-up screen for those earlier models. "They (Subaru) put a drain plug on it for a reason, to drain and fill... the pan should not be removed unless an internal service is being performed." Lewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.