Transmission flush - Do I need to flush my transmission fluid?

Transmissions have specialized fluid that lubricate all of the gears and moving parts inside of a transmission to keep it from shearing off as little metal as possible during the contact they make as the transmission delivers the power from the engine to the wheels.

The Hydraulic System sends the fluid under pressure by the oil pump through the valve body to control the clutches and the bands which controls the planetary gear sets. This entire lubrication system is quite complex and it is imperative that your fluid is able to do its job. As your vehicle gets older the fluid becomes darker and loses its ability to properly lubricate the gears and components inside of the transmission and crank case. However in todays cars often you do not need to flush there system. So it depends on when your car was made and what the model is.

The transmissions that need a "transmission flush" and new fluid added will be indicated in your owner's manual’s maintenance schedule. The older your vehicle gets the more frequent the flushes are needed as filters can become clogged causing it to run hot and break down components and older cars.

One school of thought is that by forcing the transmission's fluid through the system it will damage weak parts and lodge debris inside the transmission. This process is not a flush, but rather a draining and adding of new fluid. This process is not as thorough and can leave old debris, metal shavings and old fluid in the transmission system.

Reliable technicians at a reputable transmission repair shop such as ours in Stuart will perform this procedure the correct way. One way is by applying the use of a specialized machine that pumps cleaning fluid through the entire system which cleans out metal shavings, gunk and other debris until your system is running clean. This specialized system is connected to the cooling line and the solution enters the transmission from the exchange flush cleaning machine. The vehicle's pump uses its pressure to circulate the solution and force the old fluid out and the new transmission fluid back in.

The premium method which costs a little more is a pump inlet flush which removes everything including the old oil and debris in the pan that the previous flush method has a little more difficult time achieving. The lines are hooked up directly to the pump intake valve which transfers fluid throughout the system and through the drainage pan.