Transmission Service

[CBlack]

Anyone service their 68 themselves?



Or does everyone take it to the stealership?

 

[DonFitzwater]

Service myself. Nothing to it. Just make certain you change the filter neck grommet and that your spin on filter is tight.

 

[bedroc]

Same here, serviced it myself.

 

[crispyboy]

I changed the fluid back in the fall. I found out that Hastings filters and Mopar filters are manufactured in the same plant. I did use Mopar fluid but saved about $25 on the filter.

 

[HBarlow]

I changed the fluid back in the fall. I found out that Hastings filters and Mopar filters are manufactured in the same plant. I did use Mopar fluid but saved about $25 on the filter.

Can you provide links to that information? I have always thought MOPAR filters were made by Fleetguard.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I did a complete fluid swap my self it was easy. Why waste the time only draining half the fluid???? Would you only change half the engine oil?

 

[HBarlow]

A routine draining of the pan, filter replacement, and refill is the prescribed procedure. It's good enough for most drivers unless the fluid has been severely overheated.

ATF is used in a closed system with contamination only from friction material. Engine lube oil is subjected to intake air contamination, extreme heat, and the combustion process. Very different operating environment.

 

[cerberusiam]

ATF is used in a closed system with contamination only from friction material.

It is true the operating environments are different, but, the above is not true. The trans is vented to atmoshpere, it will contaminate with moisture for constant cooling\heating. In addition the trans fluid itself has additives that are much more volatile than engine oil. The constant heating and cooling affects the composition of the fluid.

If all you change is what is in the pan that will only account to 1/3 to 1/2 of the total fluid content. A fluid exchange not just a pan drop and fill is really the recommended way to do it. As was pointed out earlier, one doesn't change 1/2 the engine oil and one should not change only 1/2 the trans fluid either.

 

[HBarlow]

Do owner's manuals tell owners to change all the fluid?

 

[cerberusiam]

Do owner's manuals tell owners to change all the fluid?

That is the crux of the problem and just leads down a rat hole.



IIRC, the owners manual says to service the tranmission on a schedule by an authorized entity, read that dealer because they are in the business to make money on things like this. I have yet to see an Owners Manua that will detail a "Transmission Service" to the level of describing how, what, and why. One is literally at the mercy of the shop doing the work as far as what a "transmission service" entails. Some will drop the pan, change the filter, and refill. Others won't drop the pan but just exchange the fluid.



The difference being the transmission technician that has experience is not doing the service, its a lube engineer and he is usually low man and told exactly what to do by the service manager. Any trans tech that has experinece is going to tell you that exchangung the fluid is the correct way to do it, but, that won't get as much repeat business. Shops, delaerships, etc, get paid for the work they do. Unfortunate fact but that is the way it is.



How many people can actually talk to a transmission design engineer and drag real world rec's and info out of them? The translation from design and engineering gets manipulated as it goes thru the corporate chain. Relying on owners manuals and corporate opinion for techincal facts is a joke.

 

[d6c]

Transengineer on Cummins Forum..... you and him could have some good conversations.

That is the crux of the problem and just leads down a rat hole.

IIRC, the owners manual says to service the tranmission on a schedule by an authorized entity, read that dealer because they are in the business to make money on things like this. I have yet to see an Owners Manua that will detail a "Transmission Service" to the level of describing how, what, and why. One is literally at the mercy of the shop doing the work as far as what a "transmission service" entails. Some will drop the pan, change the filter, and refill. Others won't drop the pan but just exchange the fluid.

The difference being the transmission technician that has experience is not doing the service, its a lube engineer and he is usually low man and told exactly what to do by the service manager. Any trans tech that has experinece is going to tell you that exchangung the fluid is the correct way to do it, but, that won't get as much repeat business. Shops, delaerships, etc, get paid for the work they do. Unfortunate fact but that is the way it is.

How many people can actually talk to a transmission design engineer and drag real world rec's and info out of them? The translation from design and engineering gets manipulated as it goes thru the corporate chain. Relying on owners manuals and corporate opinion for techincal facts is a joke.

 

[HBarlow]

But even though your position is that all fluid should be changed will you agree that the average automatic transmission will provide 200,000 miles of service with only periodic scheduled service consisting of draining what is dumped when the drain plug is removed, cleaning the pan, replacing the filter(s), and refilling with ordinary ATF?

I think in more cases than not dealerships cause more problems than they correct with improper and unneeded transmission flush, or attempting to pump all atf out and running the system dry while almost any dummy can drain, replace filter, and refill.

 

[cerberusiam]

But even though your position is that all fluid should be changed will you agree that the average automatic transmission will provide 200,000 miles of service with only periodic scheduled service consisting of draining what is dumped when the drain plug is removed, cleaning the pan, replacing the filter(s), and refilling with ordinary ATF?

In these trucks used as intended, not a snowball's chance in the nether regions.

Even as a lifetime fill in a car ATF+4 was never intended to go beyond 100-110k. I think cars are recommended service at 60k intervals and the same thing applies, exchange the fluid not just drop the pan, change filter, and refill.

The point is not that it will do it under certain circumstances and some luck, it is that keeping the trans working in good order requires the exchange of fluid on a periodic basis. The volatile additives is what gives the fluid its high temp resistance, shear resistance, etc, and when its gone its gone.


Diluted worn fluid is still jsut worn out used up fluid.

 

[HBarlow]

I think you're exaggerating the need for the service you prefer. Lots of owners do nothing more than drain and fill service at approximately the recommended intervals and see very long service.

My Aisin has 120k miles on the odometer with only drain and fills with new filters on the recommended service intervals and it runs like new.

 

[crispyboy]

Can you provide links to that information? I have always thought MOPAR filters were made by Fleetguard.

Harvey,
You are probably correct in that Fleetguard makes filters for the Cummins engine but I was only referencing transmission filters in my earlier reply. My knowledge comes from nothing more than backyard experience and our family have used Hastings filters for at least 20 years.

I still had the old filters (Hastings and Chrysler)from changing transmission fluid in both our Jeep Grand Cherokee and the 09 Dodge pickup this fall. They take the same filters which is convenient for the parts counter and diy folks.

The first pictures are of the pan filters. Notice the part numbers are the same and both have "Filtran" stamped on the topside. Apparently both are manufactured by Filtran. There were no distinct markings on the spin-on filters but were visually identical except for the chrysler ink stamp.

http://www.filtranllc.com/home/

 

[cerberusiam]

I think you're exaggerating the need for the service you prefer. Lots of owners do nothing more than drain and fill service at approximately the recommended intervals and see very long service.

My Aisin has 120k miles on the odometer with only drain and fills with new filters on the recommended service intervals and it runs like new.

Then there was the guy, here, that was sucking the fluid out the dip stick tube and not exchanging it. Guess what the end result was?

Of course, that truck and others work for a living, as compared to a garage queen. YMMV.

 

[HBarlow]

The transmission filters do look the same. It appears that even Hastings doesn't make their own filters.

I guess it's hard to know who manufactured any products now. Filtran filters may be made in China and packaged as Filtan, Hastings, and MOPAR.

 

[crispyboy]

They say made in the USA right on them..... I bet filtran manufactures them for many other oem's and aftermarket names. Check their website.

 

[Bob4x4]

Harvey,

You are probably correct in that Fleetguard makes filters for the Cummins engine but I was only referencing transmission filters in my earlier reply. My knowledge comes from nothing more than backyard experience and our family have used Hastings filters for at least 20 years.



I still had the old filters (Hastings and Chrysler)from changing transmission fluid in both our Jeep Grand Cherokee and the 09 Dodge pickup this fall. They take the same filters which is convenient for the parts counter and diy folks.



The first pictures are of the pan filters. Notice the part numbers are the same and both have "Filtran" stamped on the topside. Apparently both are manufactured by Filtran. There were no distinct markings on the spin-on filters but were visually identical except for the chrysler ink stamp.



http://www.filtranllc.com/home/



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Products are copied all the time,especially off shore where patents are ignored,because they look alike on the outside does not mean they are the same

 

[Bob4x4]

If you do have a trans flush done make sure they do not use any flush chemical,atf+4 only