Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Why Your Dirty Transmission Needs To Be Flushed

How long have you owned your vehicle? Does it still shift through to each gear smoothly and quietly? Has your car or truck been making strange noises, slipping gears, or surging unexpectedly? If any of this sounds familiar to you, it may be time to have the automatic transmission cleaned and flushed to restore performance and help protect it from costly repairs. Transmission repairs can be some of the most expensive you will ever encounter, especially if the entire transmission has to be replaced. Repairs of this nature could potentially cost thousands of dollars. Why not give your vehicle's transmission the best chance for a long life by maintaining it properly and having an automatic transmission flush performed at the suggested maintenance intervals.

A clean transmission with clean fluid is a beautiful thing. Transmission fluid is the life blood of the system which runs through all the essential parts of an automatic transmission including the torque converter, transmission pump, ATF cooler, and the cooler lines. Like many other systems, the automatic transmission produces an extraordinary amount of heat which causes the fluid to break down over time. There is also the added problem of debris, gunk, and varnish which can all contribute to shifting problems and overall poor performance. Too much debris can actually block the free flow of fluid which can definitely cause performance problems. It's important that a transmission be able to sustain enough pressure to stay in gear. A dirty transmission that blocks the flow of fluid can cause a loss of hydraulic pressure which may result in gear slippage. Problems such as these can be cleared away with a full service transmission flush.

A transmission flush isn't a very lengthy process and won't put too much of a hurt on your pocket book. Having this preventive maintenance procedure performed at scheduled intervals will give you the best chance of preventing an expensive transmission breakdown. A good, full service transmission flush will include a cleaning solution and conditioner in addition to replacing the transmission fluid. As we mentioned before, a dirty transmission can cause all sorts of performance problems. The cleaning solution will break up any sludge or debris within the transmission system so it can be flushed out. The conditioner is a great addition because it helps to restore pliability of the seals to help prevent any leakage. Finally, brand new transmission fluid will be added to the system until all the old contaminated fluid is gone.

As a general rule of thumb, it is suggested that an automatic transmission flush be performed every 2 years or every 30,000 miles. Of course you should always check your owner's manual for maintenance recommendations specific to your vehicle. When dealing with a system like the transmission with so many moving parts that depend on good quality fluid for proper lubrication, it's important to take preventive maintenance seriously. If your vehicle's transmission is shifting smoothly and quietly, don't take it for granted. Make sure it stays that way by investing in a transmission flush from time to time.

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