Synthetic Transmission Fluid @ 1000 Miles?

[AndyMan]

Guys,

My '03 has right at 1000 miles. I've got the 48re transmission, and am thinking about changing the fluid/filter this weekend (unless someone thinks that 1000 miles may be too quick). I'm planning on going with sythetic. I've used AMSoils ATF in the past with GREAT results in my GM's. I don't see too much AMSoil stuff here. Do Dodge prods and AMSoil not get along? What would you guys recommend instead?





Thanks!

Andy





P. S. Any of you guys in the Nashville Area? Would like to meet up with other owners and admire each others trucks!

 

[amsoilman]

I think you would be doing your transmission a very good deed by installing the Synthetic ATF at this point. My 94 CTD had the Amsoil ATF in it the entire time I owned it. (150,000 miles)



I have also used it in other Dodge vehicles, so I wouldn't be concerned at all. Just make sure the one you use is +4 rated.



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[GLolas]

Is it just as simple as doing a transmission service and changing to synthetic or do we have to flush out the entire transmission, converter and all?

 

[AndyMan]

Good question!!! I would like to know the answer to that as well. It seems that I have seen a thread somewhere about needing to do the flush. It seemed to be a collosial pain, but if it's required, I'll do it. I had forgotten about that. Thanks for bringing it to my (our) attention.



Could someone with knowlege of how best to accomplish this taks chime in here?



Thanks!

Andy

 

[BHolm]

There are simple machines that can pump out your whole system. It wouldn't do you any good to just change what is in the pan. The problem is, you need to find somebody willing to fill their trans service machine with synthetic. It isn't something most people do. They probably have 5-10 gallons of dino trans fluid in the machine at any given time.



Personally, I got 200k miles out of a 4R100 in my Ford PSD. This is a trans that failed really early for a lot of Ford owners. I tow max loads daily and have the trans fluid changed via on of these machines at 30k intervals. I am a big Amsoil fan but, the pain of the change has kept me from running it in my work truck transmissions. For $90 every 30k to flush it out with dino juice and ,200k before a rebuild, I can't justify switching.

 

[Don Edmonds]

There is an article in this months Popular Mechanics Mag. on how to get most of the oil out of the torque converter when changing the transmission oil. They say open one of the lines to the cooler, start the engine and run it until it stops draining and no longer. I used this method on my '99 and had no trouble in the 4 years that I owned it. I figure I got all but about a quart out of the system.

 

[DPKetchum]

All the flush machines I know of are a blader type. Fliud is added for each flush. I did both my trucks(1993 diesel,1998 slt 318)with amsoil fliud and 4 qts of 5 w30 syn. motor oil in each.

 

[EXSTROKER]

for years i have done the poor mans flush

just take both lines off the cooler one in to empty 2. 5 gal

other in the full one completely does all but cooler

if you adapt one line to the cooler . . then all is done

if the out line is clear you can tell wen you are done.

by the color

 

[GWHaley]

synthetic install

You'll need to flush the converter to do the job right. It's not too hard as you remove the return line from the cooler to the trans. Which one is that you ask??? If you find the cooler lines on the side of the trans, the return is the rear one. you can take it off there (relatively easy) or you can follow it to the cooler and remove it there. Slide on the proper size clear tubing and you can see the old fluid flow out. Do this after you've drained the pan and refill (or slightly overfill) the pan. After you've run the clear tube into the apprpriate container, start the eng and let it run for 30 sec, refill the pan and keep doing this until the fluid coming from the cooler line is looking new! Hope this helps, Gordon