old wives' tale?

[Tim Conway]

I have a 2000 Forester with 176k miles and I'd like to change the
transmission fluid and replace the filter if it has one. I told the shop I
don't want it flushed - only drained and filled. I had heard horror stories
of bad things happening if you flushed an old transmission. The shop said
that this is an old wives' tale and isn't a problem. Opinions anyone? The
car has been reasonably well maintained. TIA

 

[Big Jim]

Don't flush it whatever you do. Drain and refill . only. Ask the
shop if they will pay for the tranny rebuild you will need

 

[Tim Conway]

Don't flush it whatever you do. Drain and refill . only. Ask the
shop if they will pay for the tranny rebuild you will need
*******************************************************************************************
Good point. I think I"ll just drain and refill. It's too risky. Thanks
everyone for your replies.
tim

 

[clare]

Don't flush it whatever you do. Drain and refill . only. Ask the
shop if they will pay for the tranny rebuild you will need

If it is PROPERLY flushed there is no danger.
An automatic transmission that fails after a PROPER flush would have
failed very shortly without a flush as well.

A PROPER flush is just an "extended drain and fill", with no flushing
agent, and no applied pressures or suctions.

The difference between a "drain " and a "flush" is several liters of
dirty fluid - and that is ALL. It can NOT cause damage to friction
materials, bearings, or gears.

The WRONG FLUID, hawever, can kill a transmission pretty quickly.

The only good alternative to a proper flush is a drain and refill with
addition of a QUALITY transmission fluid conditioner.

BG Chemicals makes a good one. Likely a few others around as well, but
they need to restore the additives that are depleted in the fluid you
are not changing with a "drain and fill" (which only changes,
optimistically, 25% of the fluid in the transmission)

 

[clare]

Don't flush it whatever you do. Drain and refill . only. Ask the
shop if they will pay for the tranny rebuild you will need
*******************************************************************************************
Good point. I think I"ll just drain and refill. It's too risky. Thanks
everyone for your replies.
tim

It is JUST as risky NOT to do a proper fluid change/flush.

 

[Big Jim]

Happened to me- '94 Trooper w /100k miles but it had a GM trans so
that might be it. Car ran perfect until flush. Failed shortly after
flush -- I lost reverse. Vehicle had proper prior service. A shame
they stopped selling them.

 

[AS]

Hachiroku got it right, ref similar thread here.

Oil flushes of transmissions that have not been maintained properly is
very risky. Many will fail afterwards.

In transmissions with proper maintenance, flushing should not pose a
problem.

Good luck!

AS

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

Hachiroku got it right, ref similar thread here.

Oil flushes of transmissions that have not been maintained properly is
very risky. Many will fail afterwards.

In transmissions with proper maintenance, flushing should not pose a
problem.

Good luck!

AS

LOL! Experience is an excellent teacher!