30k Mile Transmission Flush

Wanted to post this just for info for anyone who is on the fence of changing their transmission fluid. I am just over 30k miles and decided to do my first transmission fluid change. For reference I did the transfer case and diffs at 10k so this is just standard practice for me. I also installed the Revmax bypass kit at the same time and it made a dramatic difference in transmission temps. I am a bit thrifty, so I bought a $35 ebay pan and a couple gallons of Redline D6. I also used one of the $10 home depot sprayer pumps to pump fluid. I would 1000% recommend this and not the crappy transfer pumps we have all used. A couple pics attached. The pan was almost identical down to the magnets. It came with all new bolts but one of the torx heads wasnt cut well so I reused an old bolt and trashed it. You can also see the fluid had already gotten fairly grey for only 30k miles on a lifetime fluid. The transmission shifts much smoother with the new fluid and the 2-1 shift coming to a stop is a lot smoother as well. I need to order some more fluid but plan do drain the pan again and refill in the next month or so.

Edit: Forgot to mention I took 5 quarts out of the transmission. Im guessing close to a quart was for the lines to the Revmax kit. It took right at 5 quarts to fill also.

Not to question the effect of d6 which is a quality fluid, but maybe it is shifting better because it is operating at a lower temp? Which means the viscosity will be a little thicker, and that does smooth most moving parts in any type pf rotation.

What was the temps before and after?? thanks for update, so revmax way to go it sounds?

Burla said:

Not to question the effect of d6 which is a quality fluid, but maybe it is shifting better because it is operating at a lower temp? Which means the viscosity will be a little thicker, and that does smooth most moving parts in any type pf rotation.

What was the temps before and after?? thanks for update, so revmax way to go it sounds?

Click to expand...

I wouldn't disagree that the lower temps possibly help the shifting. I added some temp info the revmax thread, but I would read through for some other options other forum members have come up with. The kit is pretty straightforward to install though where the other options might require some fabrication.

Before I was running the standard 180 to 190 degrees that everyone runs. I have only driven the truck a couple times since the change, but with 55 degree air temp the transmission would stay between 130 and 140 degrees on the highway. Coolant and oil seem to be running a bit hotter which makes sense that they arent losing heat to warm the transmission anymore. We were unseasonably warm this weekend for Colorado in March so I will update on temps when we get cold again and see how it does.

Attached are a couple pictures after the two drives I've made so far.

joesstripclub said:

I wouldn't disagree that the lower temps possibly help the shifting. I added some temp info the revmax thread, but I would read through for some other options other forum members have come up with. The kit is pretty straightforward to install though where the other options might require some fabrication.

Before I was running the standard 180 to 190 degrees that everyone runs. I have only driven the truck a couple times since the change, but with 55 degree air temp the transmission would stay between 130 and 140 degrees on the highway. Coolant and oil seem to be running a bit hotter which makes sense that they arent losing heat to warm the transmission anymore. We were unseasonably warm this weekend for Colorado in March so I will update on temps when we get cold again and see how it does.

Click to expand...

that is scary good, on the edge of running to cold, lol..

Burla said:

that is scary good, on the edge of running to cold, lol..

Click to expand...

I'm a little worried what it will be like when it gets really cold but the fluid is almost like water anyway.

@joesstripclub - that's just how mine looked @ 36k miles this winter (I forgot to take pics). I put in Mopar ATF+4 and it operated quieter and smoother. All three engineering guys in my house noticed. It wasn't psychosomatic.

Took 1-1/2 gallons with both filters changed. $7+ per quart in gallons @ Summit Racing. Figured I'd just go with the less expensive stuff when changing every 30k miles, and the trannys don't seem to have lubrication issues - unlike the Hemi engines.

Here in Florida at 45° my trans still ran between 125-135° Now in the 80s I’m still sitting at 132° so I’m pretty sure that’s just where the trans is happy. I’ll be swapping in a ppe pan next year probably. Was debating on redline trans fluid but was holding off till further info has come out

Burla said:

that is scary good, on the edge of running to cold, lol..

Click to expand...

Going by my wifes stock 8 speed in her 2019 Challenger i don't think those temps are to cold Mike. On the week-end i took it on a 390 mile trip,for the first 40 miles at 78 mph the tranny didn't get above 138F,it took just over 70 miles with the cruise set at 78mph before the tranny finally got to 150F,and if i hadn't floored it a couple times it probably would of taken even longer to get to 150..
I don't think 130 or 140 hurts the tranny at all,on the whole trip the highest it got was 168 and that was on the way home,after it had 300 miles of freeway driving on it,plus it's basically all uphill from where i was to home,and i wanted to get home,so i had my boot stuck through the floor a couple times ,for the majority of the trip home,if i wasn't laying into the throttle,the tranny was running just under 160F

This morning on my drive to work the transmission temp only made it to 90 degrees. Granted I only drive about 9 miles to work and it was 40 degrees. I also feel like the new fluid has a bit less friction loss, the truck seems to be a bit peppier if that makes sense. Gas mileage was going up this morning too which doesnt normally happen on a colder morning. The smooth shifts were still there on a cold drive so I'm going to chalk that up to the fluid and not just running cooler. I need to find something to haul/tow so I can really test it out.

This is bizarre, you guys found a way to make the zf8 run cooler then the rfe's, the universe is in flux. Good for you though, imo you will have longer lasting transmissions.

Burla said:

This is bizarre, you guys found a way to make the zf8 run cooler then the rfe's, the universe is in flux. Good for you though, imo you will have longer lasting transmissions.

Click to expand...

Mission accomplished! I've always heard it's a good transmission but I just didnt feel good about the temps that the truck ran from the factory, especially hearing what the cars and HD trucks run.

Mine felt peppier as well after doing the delete. Shifts were snappier and still super smooth. And @Burla these transmissions are more efficient so they run cooler which is why they added the heaters to them. Or so that’s what I was reading from the engineers documentation.

crazykid1994 said:

Mine felt peppier as well after doing the delete. Shifts were snappier and still super smooth. And @Burla these transmissions are more efficient so they run cooler which is why they added the heaters to them. Or so that’s what I was reading from the engineers documentation.

Click to expand...

Add in the fact their best selling vehicle the Ram 1500's are the only vehicles they add the heater to.Makes you wonder why the same 8 speed in the 5.7 and 6.4 cars don't get the heater ,would it be,because the amount of cars sold,doesn't really make a dent in FCA's EPA and Cafe numbers,i'm thinking it's because they sell enough 1500's to offset the car sales to the point they don't need to add the tranny fluid heater to the cars to still maintain corporate milege and emissions claims.
Going by my wifes car,if you drive around town like Grandma,the 8 speeds in the cars will hardly ever see 135/140F,and Grandma probably gets more life out of her 8 speed car,then Grandpa does out of his 8 speed equipped 1500,just my 02,lol

All of this "advanced tech" only guarantees that vehicles will fail sooner as a rule, and since the gov't mandates this stuff, the auto manu's get to sit back as a group and throw their hands up as if they don't love every minute of this. Yes mechanically heating trans fluid was one of the worst ideas ever for the longevity of that transmission, but neither the gov't or the manu give a dirt turkey if that transmission lasts a double life. Gov't and manu are in bed together, and they don't prefer threesomes so you aren't invited, you just payed for the hotel room that they are all snugged up in.

Getting the trans to run cool was really easy. Just some research first. I made a device that accomplishes the same thing as the Revmax kit but is easier to install and remove if you felt so inclined (cheaper, too). I sold 10 of them to users here and on Facebook, currently I don't have any in stock but if interest rises I'll likely make more.

FWIW to ya, I think the higher coolant and oil temps is from the PCM keeping the grille shutters closed more because the trans isn't at the temp it wants to see. Mine has exhibited the same behavior. I'm not concerned about it at all.

caulk04 said:

Getting the trans to run cool was really easy. Just some research first. I made a device that accomplishes the same thing as the Revmax kit but is easier to install and remove if you felt so inclined (cheaper, too). I sold 10 of them to users here and on Facebook, currently I don't have any in stock but if interest rises I'll likely make more.

FWIW to ya, I think the higher coolant and oil temps is from the PCM keeping the grille shutters closed more because the trans isn't at the temp it wants to see. Mine has exhibited the same behavior. I'm not concerned about it at all.

Click to expand...

Good call on the shudders, I didn't think about that. I'm not really worried about it either, the cooling system will take care of itself. Temps haven't been high by any means just higher than I was used to seeing them.

Burla said:

All of this "advanced tech" only guarantees that vehicles will fail sooner as a rule, and since the gov't mandates this stuff, the auto manu's get to sit back as a group and throw their hands up as if they don't love every minute of this. Yes mechanically heating trans fluid was one of the worst ideas ever for the longevity of that transmission, but neither the gov't or the manu give a dirt turkey if that transmission lasts a double life. Gov't and manu are in bed together, and they don't prefer threesomes so you aren't invited, you just payed for the hotel room that they are all snugged up in.

Click to expand...

epic rant!

What i find crazy is the 6r140 torqueshift in my brothers 6.7 superduty operates at 190-195 even in below zero weather

Travis8352 said:

What i find crazy is the 6r140 torqueshift in my brothers 6.7 superduty operates at 190-195 even in below zero weather

Click to expand...

I drove a family members 18 F150 with the 10spd last year in texas. Trans ran 215 at night and I was just cruising the highway.