Transmission Fluid Change Reaction

[keithw1975]

The wife and I trade our vehicles at 50k miles, or about every 4 years, but I still like to maintain them well. After watching YT channels like FordTechMakeuloco, I always get our vehicles transmission fluid changed at 30k miles. Every time the dealership tries to talk me out of it saying it isn’t necessary until 150k miles, but I insist.

Today, I take in the Powerboost for a recall and tire rotation as well as the fluid change and the kid at the counter gets into an argument with me about the transmission fluid change. I insist, but then he counters by saying that they no longer have the machine to siphon out the fluid, so they will have to drop the pan and change the gasket and filter, which will cost $600! I finally relented and just plan to do it myself with my suction tool and dump in new fluid.

I wanted some other opinions. Am I being ridiculous wanting it changed at 30k? Does that price seem ridiculous?

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[Calson]

You are wasting your money and the deaths of the men and women helping to steal the oil from other countries.

Why stop at 30,000 miles and change the ATF every 3,000 miles and change the air filter and the fuel filter and the motor oil, and replace the air in the tires?

What so many people fail to realize is that over the past 70 years the materials used in motor vehicles engines and transmissions and drivetrains and the lubricants used have improved considerably. In the 1960's a car or truck with more than 100,000 miles was not viewed as being reliable and should be replaced. In 2023 the reliability of a car or truck with 200,000 miles is not a concern.

 

[Sneezy]

You are wasting your money and the deaths of the men and women helping to steal the oil from other countries.

Why stop at 30,000 miles and change the ATF every 3,000 miles and change the air filter and the fuel filter and the motor oil, and replace the air in the tires?

What so many people fail to realize is that over the past 70 years the materials used in motor vehicles engines and transmissions and drivetrains and the lubricants used have improved considerably. In the 1960's a car or truck with more than 100,000 miles was not viewed as being reliable and should be replaced. In 2023 the reliability of a car or truck with 200,000 miles is not a concern.

That’s a lot of hyperbole when the owners manual even states that the transmission oil should be changed every 30k for vehicles operating under the severe duty cycle

 

[Sneezy]

The wife and I trade our vehicles at 50k miles, or about every 4 years, but I still like to maintain them well. After watching YT channels like FordTechMakeuloco, I always get our vehicles transmission fluid changed at 30k miles. Every time the dealership tries to talk me out of it saying it isn’t necessary until 150k miles, but I insist.

Today, I take in the Powerboost for a recall and tire rotation as well as the fluid change and the kid at the counter gets into an argument with me about the transmission fluid change. I insist, but then he counters by saying that they no longer have the machine to siphon out the fluid, so they will have to drop the pan and change the gasket and filter, which will cost $600! I finally relented and just plan to do it myself with my suction tool and dump in new fluid.

I wanted some other opinions. Am I being ridiculous wanting it changed at 30k? Does that price seem ridiculous?

My vote is yes to get it replaced, it makes a huge difference. The price you were quoted seems pretty comparable to what I paid at the dealership

 

[HammaMan]

Doing a pan drain at 30k is the right logic. At 60k you do another but changing the filter element. Modern fluids are leaps and bounds better today than at any point in history. This fact isn't lost on the engineers who then run the fluid harder / hotter.

 

[Samson16]

The wife and I trade our vehicles at 50k miles, or about every 4 years, but I still like to maintain them well. After watching YT channels like FordTechMakeuloco, I always get our vehicles transmission fluid changed at 30k miles. Every time the dealership tries to talk me out of it saying it isn’t necessary until 150k miles, but I insist.

Today, I take in the Powerboost for a recall and tire rotation as well as the fluid change and the kid at the counter gets into an argument with me about the transmission fluid change. I insist, but then he counters by saying that they no longer have the machine to siphon out the fluid, so they will have to drop the pan and change the gasket and filter, which will cost $600! I finally relented and just plan to do it myself with my suction tool and dump in new fluid.

I wanted some other opinions. Am I being ridiculous wanting it changed at 30k? Does that price seem ridiculous?

I weigh my desire for fresh fluids in my truck with my fear that a technician will screw it up by touching it lol. I end up following the manual recommendation for severe duty because the term is subjective.

 

[CoolCoyote]

You are wasting your money and the deaths of the men and women helping to steal the oil from other countries.

Why stop at 30,000 miles and change the ATF every 3,000 miles and change the air filter and the fuel filter and the motor oil, and replace the air in the tires?

What so many people fail to realize is that over the past 70 years the materials used in motor vehicles engines and transmissions and drivetrains and the lubricants used have improved considerably. In the 1960's a car or truck with more than 100,000 miles was not viewed as being reliable and should be replaced. In 2023 the reliability of a car or truck with 200,000 miles is not a concern.

" Location Monterey CA " - Checks out.

 

[HammaMan]

The trans holds ~14 quarts. Pan drains get you ~5qts. Barring a removal of the trans and draining the gallon or so in the TC, it's pretty much impossible to fully change the fluid. The TC is a mixing bowl of sorts and nearly instantly dilutes/mixes any new fluid sending a proportional amount of that mixed fluid back out. As such the 30k mile pan drain is preferred. Assuming that there's no usable life left in the fluid at the 100k mark, which isn't unreasonable, here's what a fluid condition plot using the 5qt 30k mile drain looks like

I need mad props for that chart -- I had to wring the little Ai's neck to get that. (it's still off).

 

[HammaMan]

Man that took too much work to get it right when I did it in excel in a couple minutes. It really didn't like doing percent of percent. I told it to refer to them as points instead and each 1k miles the fluid degrades 1 life point. LOL (FWIW my brain is telling me that's wrong too, can't explain it)

Felt like

 

[slow3v]

Try a different dealer. My local one does 10R80 drain filter fill (drop pan) for 279.99 flat with labor. Can’t beat it.

 

[Samson16]

The procedure for proper fill is quite complicated for PBs due to lack of ICE control in Park. Does the tech manual walk through how to do it properly?

 

[Mosey]

Get an oil extractor and suck out as much fluid as you can. Then refill with the same amount. You will end up at the same level, be it too low, hi or just right.

 

[PB2021]

Certainly does not hurt to replace. I’m considering the same service but would want full pan drop and filter replacement. We don’t drop the oil plug and refill while leaving the dirty filter. I see no difference in servicing the trans. Although fluids have no doubt improved over the years that is to meet the increased demands and stresses placed on these very complex components.

 

[Mosey]

Certainly does not hurt to replace. I’m considering the same service but would want full pan drop and filter replacement. We don’t drop the oil plug and refill while leaving the dirty filter. I see no difference in servicing the trans. Although fluids have no doubt improved over the years that is to meet the increased demands and stresses placed on these very complex components.

The difference is motor oil gets a tremendous amount of contamination due to the combustion process. Now, I must admit that when I had my cracked tranny pan replaced under warranty at 29k miles I did have the filter replaced, otherwise I would have waited until 60k.

 

[shooters1380]

The wife and I trade our vehicles at 50k miles, or about every 4 years, but I still like to maintain them well. After watching YT channels like FordTechMakeuloco, I always get our vehicles transmission fluid changed at 30k miles. Every time the dealership tries to talk me out of it saying it isn’t necessary until 150k miles, but I insist.

Today, I take in the Powerboost for a recall and tire rotation as well as the fluid change and the kid at the counter gets into an argument with me about the transmission fluid change. I insist, but then he counters by saying that they no longer have the machine to siphon out the fluid, so they will have to drop the pan and change the gasket and filter, which will cost $600! I finally relented and just plan to do it myself with my suction tool and dump in new fluid.

I wanted some other opinions. Am I being ridiculous wanting it changed at 30k? Does that price seem ridiculous?

Ya know brother, I’ve been chastised because of my own maintenance practices. I was told I was a “climate terrorist” on another forum because I always change the engine oil at the first 1000 on a new vehicle, then every 3 after. Honestly, it’s your money and your truck. I’d say 6 bills for a tranny oil swap is bullshit but what do I know. If you wanna change out the tranny fluid every 5000 miles, really who gives a shit; it’s your business and as far as I’m concerned you don’t have to explain your reasoning behind early maintenance. Certainly not to some kid working the counter. I’d of said “lemme stop you right there and just change Fn fluid.” But that’s me.

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