Auto Transmission Flushing

[Canuck]

Does anyone know if a process similar to the one I've posted below will work on the KJ transmission? This process is for flushing Ford Taurus transmissions, I've done this process on a Taurus and it works really nice! FYI - I copied the process from a Ford forum.

Here's the easiest and cleanest way to change the ALL the fluid and filter.

1. You may still spill some fluid when dropping the pan. Best just spread out the oil dry before starting.

2. Jack up the car and place on jack stands.

3. Next disconnect the line on the drivers side of the aux ATX cooler. Put the ****** side line in a five gallon bucket. Attach a piece of 3/8" hose to the cooler where you just disconnected the line and place it on the bucket.

4. Start the engine and wait until the fluid almost stops. There will be a definite difference in the amount flowing out.

5. Stop the engine.

6. Start loosening the bolts on the pan. There is still 3-4 quarts in the pan. Position a drain pan under the ****** pan and on the drivers side. Loosen and remove all the bolts but two on the passenger side. This will let the drivers side tip down as you then slowly loosen the remaining two. After the pan is mostly down and the fluid is in the drain pan remove the pan completely and replace the filter. Be sure to remove the rubber ring that will stick up in the ****** filter mount. Just bend it in with a screwdriver and pull it out with a needle nose. Do not scratch the aluminum ****** filter holding housing.

7. Reusing the OEM gasket and in a three pass sequence progressively tighten every other bolt until all are tightened. Do not over tighten as they really just need to be snug. Use a 1/4" ratchet drive socket.

8. Then add 10 quarts. Start the motor and wait until it almost stops pumping fluid out or until you see new fluid coming out. Better to waste a quart or two of new fluid to insure all the old stuff is out.

9. When the flow has almost stopped, shut off the engine and reconnect the hoses.

10. Add 5 quarts, idle motor, put the shifter in each position pausing for a few seconds in each position and return shifter to Park. Check level keeping it on the low side on the dipstick.

11. Then drive the car for a while to heat up the ****** fluid and recheck
and top off the fluid.

 

[RageOfFury]

I would like to know this as well!

 

[riptricket]

i feel more comfortable paying only $75

 

[JeepJeepster]

Running the ****** 'almost' dry? Reusing the old gasket? Running on the low side? Idk about all of that.

 

[osufans]

yeah, i think i've read about a similar procedure over on dodgeforum.com that the guys did on their rams. for fords specifically, they use a rubber gasket on the trans pan that is reusable, which is why that is part of that procedure, so it depends on the gasket for our liberty's if you can follow that step or not.

the only reason i've heard not to do it this way, is you can burn out the pump in the transmission if you run it dry. however, i'm not a transmission guru, so i don't know if having fluid in the pan still constitutes as "running it dry", since more than likely, the fluid pickup in the pan is still drawing fluid into circulation. the point to this step is most likely shutting off the vehicle when you notice the "difference in flow". as long as you shut off the vehicle when you get to that point, all you've really done is pumped the fluid out of the torque converter, but haven't drawn the fluid out of the sump pan yet.

so in theory, i could see this being a practical way of doing a "backyard ****** flush."

 

[tjkj2002]

Don't run the trans low or almost empty,bye-bye transmission.The 42RLE and 45RFE/545RFE do not use pan gaskets,RTV from the factory.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Only way I would ever do something like that is if I had one hose(return from cooler) in one bucket and the supply going to the cooler in another. Im not sure if the return side ***** or not so that may not work.

 

[Atrus]

I was considering the same but am still unsure if the PCM requires resetting.

Anyone know this for sure? The 2006 service manual says nothing about it when it discusses changing the filter/fluid.

I can get it flushed (no fluid change) at a dealer for $140. I know it's not a horrible deal given the cost of the fluid, but I still would feel better if I could change the filter as well.

 

[RageOfFury]

Can you remove the cooler line from the 42RLE and have it pump fluid into a bucket while you add new fluid down the dipstick?

 

[tjkj2002]

I was considering the same but am still unsure if the PCM requires resetting.

Anyone know this for sure? The 2006 service manual says nothing about it when it discusses changing the filter/fluid.

I can get it flushed (no fluid change) at a dealer for $140. I know it's not a horrible deal given the cost of the fluid, but I still would feel better if I could change the filter as well.

The trans relearn is more for the 45RFE.

Your filter in the 42RLE is designed for 100k of use before your required to change it.

 

[RageOfFury]

Hey tjkj is there anyway to do a self flush of the 42RLE? Can you remove one of the cooler lines, put it into a bucket and use the ****** pump to pump the old fluid into the bucket as you add new oil into the dipstick?

 

[tjkj2002]

Hey tjkj is there anyway to do a self flush of the 42RLE? Can you remove one of the cooler lines, put it into a bucket and use the ****** pump to pump the old fluid into the bucket as you add new oil into the dipstick?

I personally wouldn't.The trans cooler lines are not easily disconnected on the 42RLE,when I do a flush on a 42RLE I end up tapping into the cooler line right at the transmission(on a lift).Plus you need to add fluid at the same rate as it is being pumped out threw the cooler return line and not the dipstick otherwise you aerate the fluid and fry the pump and clutches.

 

[RageOfFury]

I personally wouldn't.The trans cooler lines are not easily disconnected on the 42RLE,when I do a flush on a 42RLE I end up tapping into the cooler line right at the transmission(on a lift).Plus you need to add fluid at the same rate as it is being pumped out threw the cooler return line and not the dipstick otherwise you aerate the fluid and fry the pump and clutches.

Yeah that's what I thought. Wasn't really keen on the self flush idea to begin with. I'm gonna go with the drain/refill method every 100 miles. After the 4th or 5th refill I should be at 95% new fluid/5% old fluid.

 

[Atrus]

Thanks for the head's up Troy....if it's really designed to last that long, I'll just get the dealer flush and not look back. Just eats away at me a little because I know that there's material sitting on the magnet and trans pan.

I'll change the transfer case myself unless they are super cheap at the dealer and it won't cost much more than the fliud would run me anyway.

 

[tjkj2002]

Thanks for the head's up Troy....if it's really designed to last that long, I'll just get the dealer flush and not look back. Just eats away at me a little because I know that there's material sitting on the magnet and trans pan.

I'll change the transfer case myself unless they are super cheap at the dealer and it won't cost much more than the fliud would run me anyway.

That material on the magnet is not going anywhere.

 

[Warren.fischbeck]

That material on the magnet is not going anywhere.

True, but no one likes seeing shards on the magnet in the first place. Makes me think there's something wrong.

 

[Canuck]

I posted this in reference to the flush not reusing the gasket. I did this process on a Taurus and it worked really well. There was a noticeable improvement in the trans shifting after I did the flush. I didn't run the trans dry, as soon as the flow slowed I shut the engine off. Not enough time to fry the pump and clutches because the pump never runs dry, the clutches really don't come into play when you are idling, and it's running for a very short period of time (under a minute) so there really isn't any heat to fry anything. There was also no air in the fluid (pump cavitation). The basic process is running the trans low, draining the pan and replacing the filter, overfilling it, running it until new fluid comes out, then filling it. I was skeptical when I first read about the process but after doing a lot of reading it is very well documented for the Ford transmission. I did the process and was really impressed with the results. I just threw it out to the forum to see if anyone had ever heard of doing this or had experience with this type of process with the Jeep trans. Possibly there are differences with the Jeep trans versus the Ford trans that would prevent this process from working correctly. The Ford's have had a bit of a history of trans problems if you don't change the fluid, that's possibly why it is so well documented.

 

[Atrus]

I posted this in reference to the flush not reusing the gasket. I did this process on a Taurus and it worked really well. There was a noticeable improvement in the trans shifting after I did the flush. I didn't run the trans dry, as soon as the flow slowed I shut the engine off. Not enough time to fry the pump and clutches because the pump never runs dry, the clutches really don't come into play when you are idling, and it's running for a very short period of time (under a minute) so there really isn't any heat to fry anything. There was also no air in the fluid (pump cavitation). The basic process is running the trans low, draining the pan and replacing the filter, overfilling it, running it until new fluid comes out, then filling it. I was skeptical when I first read about the process but after doing a lot of reading it is very well documented for the Ford transmission. I did the process and was really impressed with the results. I just threw it out to the forum to see if anyone had ever heard of doing this or had experience with this type of process with the Jeep trans. Possibly there are differences with the Jeep trans versus the Ford trans that would prevent this process from working correctly.

I had done the same on my Grand Prix years back.

 

[ShafferNY]

I did this with my '96 Blazer(4L60E) with no ill effect, and with my '88 Ford Taurus (AX4N).

The only reason I haven't done it with my Jeep is because:

1. I'm still making payments on my Jeep.
2. It's only about $50 for the professional flush after you factor in the cost of the fluid.
3. I don't have to deal with disposing the old fluid.

 

[RageOfFury]

I got an estimate from the dealer for a ****** flush + new filter. 285$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

100.85$ worth of fluid
120$ labor
32$ filter kit

add taxes and your at 285$