tranny oil-- "TO CHANGE OR NOT TO CHANGE, THAT IS THE QUESTION"
 

so I have the 99 dodge ram 1500 5.9, and it has 180,+ mi. the tranny hasn't been service for well over 100,+. I just know so many people who has had tranny problems after an oil change and stuff, so I figure if it ant broke don't f^%$ with it. the truck has been sitting for quite a while (2yrs) and I don't want it to feel neglected =)>

If it hasn't been serviced in over 100k, it's probably in your best interest to do so. I think the problems you are hearing about is whn people take their trucks to the shop where they "power flush" them with machine. I can't see a simple drain and fill causing issues unless you use the wrong oil.

If the fluid looks discolored, change it. If it is going to give you problems, you will get them anyway.

How does the fluid look? I dropped my pan and there was a bunch of grey silvery slime I wiped all of that out changed the fluid and filter didn't touch anything else and when I put it back together the trans was just a slipping banging and popping.

A little fresh fluid and new filter can't hurt. Would be good time to have bands checked /adjusted. I wouldn't power flush it. Or do what HeyYou said..check level, color and see how it goes.

If you have high cholesterol, is a doctor going to say "well you've had this for years, and if we start to eat healthy and medicate to lower your cholesterol, there could be some side effects, so just go ahead and pound down that McD?"

Nope. You're on meds and a diet, pal.

If an infant has a soiled diaper, do we say "well he's just going to do that again, so let's not change him?"

Not unless you want a visit from child protective services.

If someone hasn't changed their motor oil in two years because the engine burns enough of it that they have put in five fresh quarts by the time they hit 3,000miles and they think, "well if I change my oil I could dislodge some crap and block the oil pickup tube and then I'm in big trouble," would you advise them to change their oil?

Of course.

If you have crap in the fluid, it needs changed. If the fluid is worn, it needs changed. If the fluid is brown, or murky, or varnished, it needs changed. Even if the dirt and debris and crap is masking other problems, that doesn't mean it's "fixing" them or making it better with crap and debris.

Past neglect doesn't excuse current neglect. Change the fluid.

see!! jpsycoboy5 did his and then had problems. I totally agree if anything has oil and a filter ect. it needs replacing. I grease, change oil, filters, fluids, and all that stuff religiously; but I only check fluid level, color and smell of the tranny oil because of the problems I've heard of. how do these problems always happen, air lock, dry running? I've heard it happen so often that it truly scares me.

Yeah change that oil. If you are going to have problems, it will be from the oil in there, not fresh oil...

I'd change the fluid I think my problem was I wiped out all of the gunk and crud and everything in there and my trans was on its last leg it most likely would have gone out either way I honestly think my case was coincidence on my 98 I change the fluid every 30,000

so is there anyway to change ALL the oil safely? I would think a garage that droped the pan cleaned it then changed filter AND THEN used a flush machine would be the best, no? I know of tons of horror stories of those things, but I think that's the only way to actually change ALL the oil

The reccomended way is changing the fluid more frequently until it stays cherry red DO NOT power flush it that will for sure mess it up.

Let your transmission fluid drain overnight. You will drain twice as much fluid this way

if your fluid is particularly nasty, just drop the pan, do a fluid/filter change every 500 miles or so, until you are happy with it.

Using a machine to flush the oil out can create problems. If you want to do it safely you can you drop the pan and filter, let it drip for an hour or or, refill, and a few hundred (or thousand) miles later do it again....

But having said that a pan and filter drop in my trucks requires about 7qts to fill back up, a pretty significant amount of fluid....

I think they should make something that u can hook up to your tranny cooler lines where u can have a reservoir of new fluid that hooks up to the suction side back to the tranny and a bucket for the used oil coming out of the tranny. would that work?
so is there nobody on here who had didn't have problems with there tranny and then changed the oil and filter then had problems?
u know I've tackled almost everything there is to do with rebuilding autos even ring&pinions, but auto trannies bug me.

No suction on the return side. You would have to have a split container, sealed between new and old fluid. Old fluid coming into container would force new fluid into trans. Since the fluid would still be mixing with dirty fluid in the trans, this would require at least twice the amount of fluid your trans holds, to flush it out, probably closer to three times the volume.

I have an '01 1500 and I got a flush done on it at the garage when they replaced the pan and filter for me (too messy for me, I'll just watch them). I haven't had any problems at all aside from them not believing me a Dodge has to be in neutral for it to power everything and have a true reading..So had to add more (at their expense), but the truck still sounds and shifts great..so no complaints here on the flush. They drained, replaced parts, refilled, and then flushed.

everyone says a flush machine is the worst cuz it stirs everything up, but id u dropped the pan and did a filter change wouldn't it be the best way?

7 quarts, that's a stock pan right, how much do u think is left in the tranny, converter?

I think total capacity is like 12 quarts or so.

Per this sticky in the DIY section, total fill is 11.7 quarts of ATF+4.

I remember when I dropped the pan, it drained about 5 quarts out (nearly filled the little 6quart oil pan I was using). When I pulled the filter, I got another half quart or so. So the pan holds about half the fluid.

If you do this, it's generally considered a good idea to either install a drain plug in the pan or replace the pan with one that has a drain plug. Odds are that you'll be in the tranny again soon.

Read all 80 pages of this thread in the tech section to get some good advice about maintenance and upgrades. Then you can get into some things like removing the check valve and installing a auxiliary filter and cooler.

Myself, I had a slightly slipping transmission. I changed the fluid via pan drop (no flush) and installed a cooler and guess what - I still had a slightly slipping transmission. It didn't fix the problem, but I feel it may have slowed the damage caused by running old dirty fluid through the trans. One day when I have the funds I'll rebuild it per the advice in MonteC's thread. Until then I limp along.

Slippiing Tranny
 

I have a 97 pickup with a 5.9, auto that is starting to slip, it was a rebuilt around 2009. I was wondering if there was and tranny additive that I can put in for a quick fix, till I can get it in for a rebuild.
Thank Ya Guys.

Mmmm using an additive could end up making the rebuild cost more and it might make you need to rebuild it much sooner.

I don't know what to suggest to you for an additive. Check the bands and a fluid change.

I know I'm outnumbered by a lot here, but I've had my tranny power flushed twice in the 64,000 miles I've owned it (now has 147,000), not a single problem knock on wood. Yes twice is a bit over kill in 64,000 but hey I'm still on my original tranny and its holding strong...

I to am on my original tranny, 187,xxx and not one noticeable problem; the guy I bought my truck from at 75,000 10yrs ago did a tranny service at 40,000, and that's all.