6L80E, 150k, Unknown history, flush or pan drop?

[NateDiggity]

Title pretty much says it all, I think the fluid is a bit burnt, have a little bit of whine, and just a slight hesitation when put into Drive for a second then it "clicks" in.....

I have heard a bunch of horror storys about flushing higher mileage transmission and I think the previous owner just did "multi-point inspections" with her oil changes (IE checked the fluid) so I don't know whats in there, hell it could be original for all I know....


What say you? I would take the line off at the cooler and pump it into a drain pan, then refill... problem with that is I dont replace the filter...

Or is my best bet to do both? Pump until its clean, then drop pan (wasting a bunch of perfectly good transmission fluid) and changing filer?

I have never done the flush/exchange way on previous vehicles, only dropping pan and replacing filter/refilling.

 

[drakon543]

At 150k your best bet is to leave it alone and start saving for a replacement or rebuild. If a transmission hasn't been serviced like its supposed to be once your past the 125k mark your gambling on doing anything. Pan drop/system flush or even just trying to drain a little and adding some additive your still generally looking at a 50/50 wether your going to save it or kill it. If you aren't slipping yet while your driving and you dont do anything its a bet that it will continue working for a while longer. Give it extra time to warm up when you start it and be easy on it while accelerating and keep milking it till it can be properly fixed.

 

[mizzouguy]

I vote drop pan and change filter and top off, no flushing. At least then your filter will be clean.

 

[MichaelSE]

How does it respond at WOT?

 

[MichaelSE]

How does it respond at WOT?

Edit: Double post, ignore this.

 

[dross99_si]

It's a gamble. I personally would NOT flush. Never been a fan of flushing as it seems to induce problems. If I were you, I'd drop the pan, change the filter and top off with fresh fluid. Retaining some of the old fluid I feel helps to prolong the life of an auto trans.
I know it's apples to oranges, but with our 2004 Honda Pilot all I ever have done is drain & fill religiously every 30K. Dealer always tries to get me to do the flush and I decline. 199K on the odometer with many miles towing a 16' bass boat and it still shifts like brand new. That thing doesn't even have a trans filter.
I plan to buy a new pan for the Tahoe with a drain bolt so I can do drain & fills on it every 30K and filter maybe every other..
Good luck to you!

 

[02Lightning]

I prefer to get all the old fluid out myself, and have never had any problems. My opinion is if it goes out, it was going out anyway. It always makes me feel better with fresh fluid. I had a mechanic advised me not to change the fluid on my sons car with 100k on it, and I did it anyway. His car had a drain on the torque converter, so that made it easy to get all the fluid out. No problems, still shifting great.

 

[mizzouguy]

I know it's apples to oranges, but with our 2004 Honda Pilot all I ever have done is drain & fill religiously every 30K. Dealer always tries to get me to do the flush and I decline. 199K on the odometer with many miles towing a 16' bass boat and it still shifts like brand new. That thing doesn't even have a trans filter.

Idk about 04, but 05 has a cartridge style filter on driver side of tranny case, where the return line fed back into the case via a banjo bolt. Cover has three bolts, and has a cartridge filter sealed with o-ring. Factory. I also drain and fill ours every 30k or so.

@NateDiggity I think everyoen agrees no power flush but it would benefit from fluid and filter change.

 

[dross99_si]

That's cool you have a Pilot as well! Great vehicle. We nicknamed ours "Old Faithful" LOL. Never had a single issue with ours. The 04 doesn't have a filter. That's neat that they put them on the 05. Wish ours had one.

 

[NateDiggity]

How does it respond at WOT?

Honestly not sure, only had the vehicle a few weeks and I dont think its seen WOT.... I may have done it on the test drive but it could have only been 3/4....

I was gonna pull a cooler line off and flush, but I think I wll go against that logic and just make a mess... better do this in the gravel and not the new concrete driveway....