I was under the impression that there is a check valve in line with the automatic tranny cooler that will prevent all the fluid from draining out when you change fluids, requiring you do do a little flush with a temp. pump of some sort. Please correct me if I'm wrong, I've never even done it, but that was the rumor I heard.

 

I took my truck to the dealer and they completely flushed out all the old tranny fluid and replaced it with new ATF+4 for about $100, and adjusted the trans and put a new filter in, and installed a double deep Mag-Hytec pan cover that I purchased. well worth it

 

if the fluid in your truck has never been changed than I wouldnt even consider a flush. It will loosen all sorts of gunk and cause issues.
If you have over 80K I wouldnt do a change of fluid at all. Because in the fluid there are detergents. if the fluid hasnt been changed then the filter is full of stuff as well as the rest of the system putting in new fluid will clean the system and loosen particles and get thm stuck in a solenoid or something.

not good.

Most places wont do a tranny fluid flushes afer 50K miles

 

Being a professional service tech., I have seen the bulletin, it's also probably readily available on the web...ATF+4 is essentially the same as ATF+3, just semi-synthetic now...it's the same thing that Ford did with Mercon to Merc. V, and with GM from Dexron-IIe to Dexron-III...being semi-synthetic, it's going to take alot longer to thermally break down the additive package, thus extending transmission life compared with ATF+3...it's not a safety issue, so no recall...but if you took your truck into a dealer, asked for ATF+3 since it came with it o.e., they'll tell you no, it's getting ATF+4, bottom line. There's no reason not to use it, unless it's a 99 or older minivan...from the tsb -
"A new transmission fluid (ATF+4(R) - Type 9602) has been developed and is being used as factory fill for all vehicles with Chrysler automatic transmissions. Until now, vehicles originally filled with ATF+2 or ATF+3 were to be serviced with ATF+3. Effective immediately, it is recommended that all vehicles with Chrysler automatic transmissions except for 1999 and earlier minivans be serviced with ATF+4(R). ATF+3 should continue to be used for 1999 and earlier minivans because of the potential for torque converter shudder during break in."

Baloney...2 days ago, I flushed a 1995 Buick Century with about 130,000 miles...the customer said it's never been done to his knowledge, and by the looks of the fluid, I'd have to agree...but mileage has nothing to do with flushing or not flushing, existing problems are the only reason I don't do it and send them to a trans shop down the street (we don't do engine/trans removal)...leaving the old, deteriorated fluid in there is causing more problems than flushing and adding new fluid will...I have yet to see "gunk" inside a trans., meaning they don't look like the inside of a valve cover or intake after 100k miles...the only "gunk" in there is the metal fragments floating around from the worn out additive package of the old fluid. And since trans flush equipment depends on the vehicle running, using the cars trans pump to circulate the fluid, it has an equal chance of "causing" a problem...the whole "flush fooked my trans" myth is overplayed.

As a slight $ saving alternative to ATF+4, buy some Dexron-III and look for a product called Lubeguard...it has the additive package to convert standard Dexron to ATF+4 specs.

 

ATF+4 is dealer only? i just saw vavoline ATF+4 at autobone yesterday... or my eyes were playing tricks on me!

does the TQ Converter drain out when you do a fluid change? basicly wondering if just droping the pan how much of the fluid will actually come out? including the cooler and the filled TQ Converter?

 

No, it's not dealer only...sorry for the confusion, was just making a point to God Ram It about the +4 being better than the +3, a dealer won't put +3 in any trans anymore unless it's a pre-99 minivan.

No, the torque converter doesn't drain when you drop the pan...ypu'll probably get about 4 to 6 quarts from the pan...the other 6 to 8 quarts is in the tc...try looking thru a service manual for tc drain procedures...I'm not up on my Dodges yet, but I know some Fords have a drain plug in it that's accessible from an inspecrion plate...just not sure about Dodge, it's not something I do anymnore since the machines do a good job of removing the majority of the old fluid.

 

I just had my tranny rebuilt and ATF+4 is not available from anywhere but the DEALER. Go to NAPA or any of the other parts places and try to get it. Not available. If it is available it just became available within the last 3 months. But then the question is, does it meet Chryslers specs (of course it will say that it does on the jug).

ANy reputable tranny shop will advise you not to do a tranny flush. If you tell them that you want to do it they will they cant tell you that you cant do it.

When I said gunk, what I meant was the metal that has been created from wearing parts. They circulate through the whole system and find hiding spots. The filter does crap. By the time it get to the filter it has already been through the whole system. Ive seen plenty of trannys first hand with material in all of the nooks and crannys.

You could get it flushed and have no problems. but you could get it flushed and then be getting rebuilt a short time later. All of the shops that Ive worked with say that rule of thumb is 50k or lower if the fluid has never been changed

I never said that +3 was better than +4. I know better.
Dodge is actually putting a ATF+5 in the current trannys.
If there was no recall on the oil than the trucks still have ATF+3. a very small amount of people have work done at the dealer after the warranty is up and very rarely does the dealer change the tranny during the warranty period even though most manufactureers recomend 20K miles.

 

Valvoline MaxLife ATF has been available for nearly 2 years and is fully ATF+4 compatible, part # VV324...people can't honestly think that a major company like Valvoline or Amsoil would say it meets specs of ATF+4 but really doesn't...email them about it...they don't just decide to put "ATF+4 compatible" on their product without actually testing it, that would be quite silly. http://www.valvoline.com/products/Maxlife%20ATF.pdf

What trans flush machine(s) have you personally used?? I've worked with the White Industries ATX31000 and the BG PF5...neither uses any sort of additional pressure as I said before...they use the vehicles trans pump while running to circulate fluid...it is completely impossible for these machines to dislodge any gunk/metal from the nooks and crannys, bottom line. Nobody I know uses any machine that actually uses pressure other than the trans pump to perform a fluid exchange.

I may have misread a comment of yours earlier...honest mistake, my apologies. When you said "the chances of the fluid being ATF+4 because of the bulliten are slim to non being that there wasnt a recall or anything making it manditory", I understood that as you not believeing that ATF+4 was the recommended fluid for your truck.
I'm not following this one...ATF+4 is the recommended fluid for all DC vehicles except 99 and previous minivans with the 41TE/A604 transmission due to different wear tolerance of the clutch packs. ATF+5 is just now being introduced in 06 models...it's a fully synthetic ATF+4 instead of semi-syn.

 

Thats what I mean all brand new trannys are coming with ATF+5

I guess we could go round an round with this but the bottom line is, if you do your tranny service on the recomended intervals you have nothing to worry about.

skip them and you're playing russian roulette. Many people run the vehicle without ever changing the tranny fluid even after 200K and never have any issues.
BEing that the 46/47 RE and RH trannys have had a history of problems not keeping up with maintenance is just shooting yourself in the foot or shooting your truck in the tires (how ever you want to look at it.