inline transmission filter

[WJones]

i found this in the northern catalog, return line hydraulic oil filters. Has anyone tried anything like this on their automatic transmission?



It has a bypass valve and the medium is good for 10 micron.

 

[cerberusiam]

i found this in the northern catalog, return line hydraulic oil filters. Has anyone tried anything like this on their automatic transmission?



It has a bypass valve and the medium is good for 10 micron.

Only if you plumb it with a separate pump to circulate the fluid. Do NOT rely on the trans pump to circulate fluid thru the coolers and this or just about any external filter. The cooler return line is lube and cooling oil for the trans. The cooler flows are barely adequate for a stock system under normal use.



If one wants to run a synthetic that does not require frequent replacement and does contain volatile additives, it would be a good additional filtering add.

 

[JFaughn]

That is not intended for what you want , there are units made for that , maybe talk to a trans builder when you get bit by the HP & TQ bug .

 

[PToombs]

Plain and simple, don't do it! My cousin had a F550, at 38k, he put in a Factory Reman trans. For warrenty it had to have an inline filter. Last fall, after about 50k miles, the trans was puking oil out of the converter seal. I was looking at it and saw the filter. I pulled it off and it was plugged almost solid, I couldn't blow thru it even after draining. The trans quit puking oil, but it was too late, it had already been fried.

Remember, the cooler lines come right from the converter.

 

[WJones]

cerberusiam: thanks for the insight.



pete: did it have a bypass or was it one of those cheap looking magnefine filters?

 

[PToombs]

WJ, it had a little fat filter, looked like an inline fuel filter by the radiator. Not sure what a magnafine is, mighta been? I think if it was me, I'd use one like in the link, with a seperate pump like Cerberusiam said. Don't hook to the existing lines at all. Any restriction in them will definetely cause problems!

 

[WJones]

they look like this: #ad
dont think they have a bypass.



i thought it might be cool but im not planning on adding anything just toying with the idea. i figured the line pressure was pretty low from the type of hose they used to connect the front cooler (didnt think it was as low as cerberusiam made it sound).



learning is fun.

 

[cerberusiam]

they look like this: #ad
dont think they have a bypass.



i thought it might be cool but im not planning on adding anything just toying with the idea. i figured the line pressure was pretty low from the type of hose they used to connect the front cooler (didnt think it was as low as cerberusiam made it sound).



learning is fun.

Yikes!!! That looks like an accident waiting to happen!



You have to remember until the 48RE came along there was little done to address the real issues behind transmission failures, namely heat and lube. The 48RE increased the flow 20% at the pump which is probably half of what a medium duty trans would flow. The 46/47RE was really a converted gasser trans with a fewer heavy duty parts. It worked great behind gassers but lacked a little when you really worked them behind a diesel.



Its hard to prove, but I would hazard a guess more harm than good has been done with external filters and coolers that aggravated the problems they were supposed to address.

 

[B KIRK]

No harm here with an external filter.

I have been using one going on 5 years.

Installed it when I put a DTT transmission in.

Still using the same Amsoil fluid also.

The thing to remember is it's a filter, and needs to be changed.

Once a year, $11 to change it out.

I cut the filter open to see how well it works.

Traps a lot of small particles that the filter in the pan misses.

And if the pan filter is clean, there is better flow through the transmission.



The Magnafine I use in my power steering return line.

Once again, change it yearly.

It unscrews to open it up an see what has been caught by the filter and the magnet.

You would be surprised whats in there.

I would never use one for a transmission as the amount of fluid to be filtered would be to much for a filter that small.



My truck is not babied in any way.

I tow and drag race with it.

4WD launches with 38. 5" tires.



#ad




Brad

 

[PToombs]

WJ, that's the one! I didn't know they unscrewed, I would have opened it up. I know it was plugged, and cooked the trans. And Ford wants that in there! Must be a plan to sell more trannys.