When Not to Flush Your Automatic Transmission Fluid
Before draining or flushing, you should pull the dip stick and look at the condition of your transmission fluid. If it’s dark, smells burnt, or you see little specks or flakes, DO NOT FLUSH IT.
Friction material has come off the clutch disks and bands and is suspended in your fluid. Those floating particles provide the only friction, which your transmission needs to operate. Flushing fluid in that condition and replacing it with new, clean fluid may cause your transmission to fail at any moment possibly leaving you stranded on the side of the road.
At this point, the transmission is in serious need of repair. There is no way of knowing exactly when the transmission will fail. It could be today, next week, or next year, but it is destined to fail.
Set up a regular maintenance schedule with our experts and flush the transmission BEFORE the fluid gets bad. What is being removed should look like what was put in. Don’t wait for a change in color or smell. The industry standard for a transmission fluid change is around two years or 25,000 – 30,000 miles, whichever comes first.
PowerFlush™
Our Patented Powerflush – Automatic Transmission Service
Powerflush is a special automatic transmission fluid change service – the only one that replaces all of your transmission fluid.
Just like changing your engine oil is good for your engine, changing your automatic transmission fluid at consistent intervals is the most important thing you can do to keep your automatic transmission running properly.
But not all automatic transmission fluid changes are equal. The best automatic transmission fluid change will remove every last drop of dirty fluid, will replace the filter (where possible), and will clean the pan gasket.
This is more that just the standard drain and fill. Because typical transmission services do not include transmission filter changes, they can leave you with between 1/3 and 1/2 of the old transmission fluid left behind. Powerflush removes every last drop.
Best Western Transmission’s Unique “Powerflush”
For the most complete and efficient transmission fluid changes, we use a pump inlet flush machine. This method completely displaces the old fluid in your vehicle with new fluid, and fluid passes through the transmission using the transmission’s own system. This is unlike most systems which force the fluid through with additional pressure, in some cases damaging the internal seals or gaskets and causing transmission failure.
Our patented Powerflush machine uses an inlet design: the Powerflush machine is attached to the pump intake after the pan and filter are removed. The machine supplies only fresh new fluid to the pump intake, moving the fluid through using the transmission pump.
Passing through the transmission, the fluid dumps into a collection tray, and never goes back into the transmission. All old fluid is replaced with fresh new transmission fluid. After the Powerflush service, we install a new filter* (where possible, not all vehicles have a replaceable transmission filter), clean and replace the transmission pan, and make sure the fluid is at the proper dipstick level.
The Powerflush process takes about 20 quarts of fluid to flush out 15 quarts of old fluid and replace the fluid. This process also gives our mechanics the opportunity to check inside the pan for anything that would indicate a pending transmission failure. Under normal circumstances, most vehicles should do this type of service every 25,000 – 30,000 miles. If you tow or subject your vehicle to other high-risk conditions, you should have this done more often.
While this type of flush takes more effort, makes more of a mess, and costs a little more, our years of experience have taught us that it is more than worth it to protect your vehicle’s most expensive component.
A Warning About Owner’s Manual Recommendations
You may read in many vehicle manuals that your first transmission fluid flush should happen at 60,000 miles. Take our expert advice and take proper care of your precious vehicle: here at Best Western Transmission, we recommend service every 25,000 – 30,000 miles.
When you need it done honestly and right the first time and every time, choose Colorado’s premier transmission repair shop.
Book your transmission fluid change today! Call us at 970-484-6255 or visit our shop at 1810 S. College Ave in Fort Collins.
