Transmission Service Advice

[Blueox]

I have a 2005 TC with 159,000 on the clock. Considering transmission service.. The service interval per the dealer is 3 years or 60,000 miles. This March I hit the 3 year period, but I only have 38,000 since the last service. Most of my driving is long distance road trips, maybe 80% plus. Does anyone see any reason I can't wait another year of two until I am closer to the 60,000 mile mark?

 

[alumarine]

Personally, if my fluid levels were good and I wasn't towing anything I'd be comfortable going longer.
My 2cents worth.

 

[wolf_walker]

Fluid lot cheaper than a trans, and any domestic automatic overdrive of the era is subject to failure at anything over 150K, especially if it's not been done on time. I put a pan with a drain plug in mine. If ford put a time spec on change intervals they probably had a reason.

 

[Norms1stTC]

I would drain it, put a filter in, fill her back up and drive her. Peace of mind.

______________________________

 

[Vladimir2112]

That fluid should be a nice red. If you pull out the dipstick and its red opaque fluid you're good.that's how we tell on a lot of manufacturing equipment I work on. Also get a change and a filter. DO NOT flush the transmission. Especially if your fluid does not look good. Or if your ride has quite a few miles on it. Without explaining the science of fluid dynamics. I think you will find better explanation since I don't want to write a book here. On YouTube. Why to not flush your transmission. This is just my opinion I don't want to get controversial

 

[Corsart]

That fluid should be a nice red. If you pull out the dipstick and its red opaque fluid you're good.that's how we tell on a lot of manufacturing equipment I work on. Also get a change and a filter. DO NOT flush the transmission. Especially if your fluid does not look good. Or if your ride has quite a few miles on it. Without explaining the science of fluid dynamics. I think you will find better explanation since I don't want to write a book here. On YouTube. Why to not flush your transmission. This is just my opinion I don't want to get controversial

Clean fluids are always cheap insurance, and Vlad is right that you don't power flush bc here's a better chance that crud will clog the valve body and cause real problems. Also, on cars with torque converters, when you drain the fluid from the bolt (and not drop the pan and get to the TC) , a significant amount remains in the torque converter, so unless you drain, refill, run, drain, refill a few times, there's always fluid left....hence the rec to change it out based on either time or distance. At the very least, you're adding enough new fluid to renew the additives and provide added protection.