Two very different ways of TRANSMISSION FLUID Drain / Fill method

[AltaBrig]

I'm due for my first transmission service here in the next 3K miles and will be installing a PPE deep-sump pan for extra fluid (and thermal mass) and better cooling via aluminum. I have an RCI transmission skid plate that blocks a lot of the heat from escaping, and since I'm generously rough on my truck, it's prob smart to service everything early.

My strategy here is to do my first service at 30K which will include a filter change and a fluid change. Using the PPE pan's drain plug, I will replace the fluid every 30K (next @ 60K miles) then
every 60K (next @90K miles) I will drop the pan for a filter.

I wish they made the PPE with the drain for the PB. Contacted PPE and they said it is not in the works. I contacted Mishimoto and they did not respond.

Ok, so I did a fair bit of reading and a bunch of youtubes last night and it is fairly universal, that suggestions of at least drain and fill, happen at 30K mile increments. Same for the transfer case and diffs. Especially if towing is involved.

Since almost half of my miles are towing a TT in the 7500lb class, I'll be taking that seriously. Especially since once, numerical values displayed on my dash, for engine and trans temps, when normally they don't. They were in white, so I thought it might be a new feature via OTA but they disappeared and haven't come back. Snake hypothesized that they were triggered by excess heat. Even though they were white rather than red, now, I'm thinking thats probably a good bet. Don't recall exactly the values but fortunately, it was just for a few minutes, with no accompanying warnings. The analog gauges were never past say, 12:30 - 1:00, safely in the normal range but there must be some sort of threshold to trigger it and some reason for it.

I can get a pump and the arm protectors for proper drain and fills but pulling the pan for a filter change on a PB, is more than I want to tackle anymore. Age catches us all fellas. You aren't as indestructible as you think and small things can add up over time. Stay in shape but be careful.

Anyway, another thing that was universal, was on every filter and pan I saw, both magnets did have metal on them. Some worse than others but all had some. So, I'd like to get that out, at least once. Deciding whether that is at the 30K mark, or 60K, is the only decision left. I'm leaning toward 30K, or even my 3 yr. cutoff coming this June, so that if there are any problems, they'd be under warranty.

Jacking the transfer and moving exhaust sounds like a challenge without a lift, and the two little silicon tube connectors sound finnicky.

If you have a non PB, buy the aftermarket pan/ filter & fluid and do the swap around 50K and just drain and refill every 50K afterwards. Sooner if you tow often.

If you have a PB, vacuum out the fluid and replace. I'd recommend doing about 1 gallon every 3rd oil change.

GL.

I got two crap harbor freight pumps that may be good for one PB pump in and out. Any recommend=ation on one that will work every 15k miles for multiple pump and pump services?

Yah, PB = Powerboost. The PB's use a special oil pan that has oil flow lines through it, as such there is no aftermarket version.
Additionally, removing the pan is a true PITA on the PB. Thankfully it's pretty simply to just vacuum out about 5 quarts and pump 5 back in.
I did mine for the first time just last week at 70K miles and the old fluid came out black and even only swapping out 42% of the fluid, my trans now shifts WAY better.

I'd recommend not waiting as long as I did.

Dang that is not what I want to see, I am at 22k on my new to me 23'. I think I should do it at 30k. I am praying for someone to make a nice aftermarket pan like the PPE for the PB.

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[JGDallas]

Did the old oil and new oil side by side test. See the attached pictures. Optically, they are totally different. New smellls more “chemically” and old smells “smoked not burnt”. Feel no difference rubbing them on fingers. That said, for the peace of mind, I will do the drain/fill/drive/drain/fill from the dipstick right away.

I will still send sample with 61k miles to lab for their composition tests and contamination tests. I am still not sold on dropping a factory fitted pan that’s a closed system. The dealer told me they WILL NOT drop pan and change filter unless there is a problem or recall. But I’ll learn more along the way. At least the 61K mile test on oil will tell chemical and technical degradation oil has had, and maybe how frequent the oil changes should be for my application.

Showed the color results to a mechanic friend. He grinned and said any oil will change color and smell within 1000 miles in any engine, transmission, differential… basically a few heat cycles are enough to change appearance and odor. What’s important is how the thermal, fluid and chemical properties are remaining consistent to original fresh fluid.

For folks doing the transmission drain and fill without professional equipments, here is what my conclusions are:
1. First drain will get you 5qts out. Just fill back the 5 qts fresh fluid.
2. DRIVE 25-50 miles before second drain and fill (another 5 qts). Sitting the truck and cycling through P, R, N & D a few times in 30 seconds really didn't get my fresh 5 qts oil circulated properly. After driving 40 miles when I took a sample of out of the pan (before 2nd drain/fill), I observed the oil color to be closer to the first drain than to clearer drain/fill/30-seconds. So, PLEASE DRIVE 50 miles before 2nd drain/fill.
3. I bought 15 qts oil to begin with, and still had 5 qts left after the 2nd drain/fill. So, I drove another 50 miles and did the 3rd drain/fill/50 miles drive, and took another sample out of the pan. Comparing it to the sample I have from the 2nd drain/fill/drive, I did not see any difference in color. Science says the 3rd drain/fill enhanced the freshness of the oil, but I didn't see a difference in color. In my 3rd drain/fill, I probably got 1qt of the old oil and 4 qts of the fresh oil out, to fill back 5 qts of fresh oil. I feel this was unnecessary, given the fact I didn't know the chemical property deterioration of my old oil to begin with.
4. So going forward, I will do 2 drain/fills every 50K miles.
5. At 110K miles (next drain/fill), I will drop pan & replace filter, and then only drain/fill every 50K miles for the life of my truck.

 

[Aonarch]

The 10R80 has an internal thermostat that doesnt open until something like 180 degrees and closes if temps drop below that. Both of those options are going to allow the temp to drop, so I really dont see either one as a viable way to truly exchange all the old fluid. Certainly it wouldnt be an economical way to do it as it would take several drain/fill events. The real way to get the old fluid out and new in, involves a heated fluid exchanger. Ford dealerships should have one by now, as the aforementioned thermostat has been in Ford transmissions since the introduction of the 5R110 in 2003.

Is there a way to open the thermostat manually? On some Aisin transmissions you can "pin" the thermostat open.

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