Trans maintenance

[sandawilliams]

I've got the 2014 2500 with the 6.4 and 6 speed. 60,000 miles with at least 95% towing. I am going to do the severe duty maintenance on the trans and am wondering which option would be best. I am leaning towards the t-tech which replaces all the fluid without changing the filter. The other option is to drop the pan and replace the filter and add new fluid to top off. The only time I have ever seen a trans filter with debris in it the tranny was already shot. Your opinions?

 

[CG2742]

You should change the filters if it hasn’t been done.

 

[22hemi13]

I agree. Just pull the pan and do filters.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Why just do a half ass job. You wouldn't do an oil change and not change the filter, would you?

 

[sandawilliams]

Why just do a half ass job. You wouldn't do an oil change and not change the filter, would you?

There's no half assed about it. If you drop the pan and change the filter you only add a few quarts of new fluid. If you do the t-tech you replace all the fluid.

 

[Gr8bawana]

There's no half assed about it. If you drop the pan and change the filter you only add a few quarts of new fluid. If you do the t-tech you replace all the fluid.

Yes you replace all the fluid and leave the dirty filter in place.
You asked for opinions. It's your truck so you can do as you please.

 

[22hemi13]

There's no half assed about it. If you drop the pan and change the filter you only add a few quarts of new fluid. If you do the t-tech you replace all the fluid.

But leave possibly dirty filters? Why not do both. Filters and replace all the fluid. I just do filters and refill what’s lost. If filters are really nasty then I’d do all the fluid. But I’d much rather have fresh filters and just cycle fluid out.

 

[68PowerWagon]

I am always on the fence with this one. I have seen perfectly running transmission get a service & then not shift right shortly after it leaves the shop. It just takes one spec of dirt in the valve body to screw it up. On the other hand, when you work a tranny as hard as it looks you are, you really want to give it the best chance you can with a service.

 

[22hemi13]

I am always on the fence with this one. I have seen perfectly running transmission get a service & then not shift right shortly after it leaves the shop. It just takes one spec of dirt in the valve body to screw it up. On the other hand, when you work a tranny as hard as it looks you are, you really want to give it the best chance you can with a service.

Any issues I’ve ever seen are when they use those machines and power flush them. I will never have that done. That’s why I just do the drop pan replace filters and refill.

 

[sandawilliams]

I think I will go with dropping the pan and replacing the filter. Thanks.

 

[Txhillbilly]

I have always serviced all of my Mopar transmissions every 25k miles. Mopar trannies have always been a weak link in every vehicle they have made,it's cheap insurance to just change the fluid/filter out regularly.

I've never had a single transmission failure with any Mopar unit that I've owned,and I know a bunch of guy's that have,but they never serviced thier transmissions on a regular basis.

 

[chri5k]

The shop I use does a hybrid. They drop the pan. While it is down they flush in the "normal" direction of the fluid flow to get all the old fluid out of the torque converter, cooler, etc. then replace the both filters in my 68RFE. Yes, they flush the cooler after the bypass valve otherwise at room temperatures the bypass valve won't allow the flush to reach the cooler. It takes somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 qts. for the whole procedure. I tow a 12000 LB trailer about 50% of the time.

 

[CG2742]

The shop I use does a hybrid. They drop the pan. While it is down they flush in the "normal" direction of the fluid flow to get all the old fluid out of the torque converter, cooler, etc. then replace the both filters in my 68RFE. Yes, they flush the cooler after the bypass valve otherwise at room temperatures the bypass valve won't allow the flush to reach the cooler. It takes somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 qts. for the whole procedure. I tow a 12000 LB trailer about 50% of the time.

I did this my self. Ran truck with tube in new gallon of fluid and tube on return line to catch old fluid. Worked well actually. Not a flush in the word but it does refresh almost all fluid with new fluid.

 

[HammerHead]

I’d drop the pan to get those old filters out, and that spin on filter is paper. After 60k Miles and hundreds of heat cycles the paper is shot. Then top off with fresh fluid. Then do 3 transmission Transfusions over a week or two. See video:

 

[68PowerWagon]

I have always serviced all of my Mopar transmissions every 25k miles. Mopar trannies have always been a weak link in every vehicle they have made,it's cheap insurance to just change the fluid/filter out regularly.

I've never had a single transmission failure with any Mopar unit that I've owned,and I know a bunch of guy's that have,but they never serviced thier transmissions on a regular basis.

They haven't "always" been a weak link. Back in the day, the 727 TorqueFlite was a crazy tough transmission! Seen a stupid kid in high school try to destroy one once by traveling 55-60mph & then slamming it into reverse. It would lock up the tires until it came to a stop & go into reverse. He did this 5 or 6 times & finely gave up. Sometime in the 90's when they started adding more gears, it all went wrong, & they haven't been able to get it right since. So far, it sounds like the 8 speed has been doing very well in the cars & 1500 trucks. Time will tell if it will be a winner.

 

[22hemi13]

They haven't "always" been a weak link. Back in the day, the 727 TorqueFlite was a crazy tough transmission! Seen a stupid kid in high school try to destroy one once by traveling 55-60mph & then slamming it into reverse. It would lock up the tires until it came to a stop & go into reverse. He did this 5 or 6 times & finely gave up. Sometime in the 90's when they started adding more gears, it all went wrong, & they haven't been able to get it right since. So far, it sounds like the 8 speed has been doing very well in the cars & 1500 trucks. Time will tell if it will be a winner.

The 8spd is a winner. It’s been in 1500’s for what. 5 years now. You don’t see or hear of the complaints the plagued the 6spd. Sure always gonna have issues but I’d say it this point it’s safe to say the 8spd they nailed it.

 

[Tim Garceau]

The only thing FCA developed with the 8HP ZF tranny is the god-awful programming.

 

[gixxer]

And when you drop the pan add a milodon drain plug to the pan.

That way you just drain the fluid much easier each year until you've replaced the net amount of fluid from your tranny.

 

[68PowerWagon]

Has anyone replaced their pans with an after market aluminum one? If so, did it successfully keep your tranny cooler?

 

[SouthTexan]

You probably don't need to change the filter and it may be better for you not to. Filters generally get more efficient at trapping contaminants as time goes on meaning that it will actually filter better than new because their are less or smaller pores that contaminants can pass through. The reason why one should change a filter is if it too clogged to allow the proper amount of fluid/air past the filter. If you still have plenty of flow past the filter and foresee having plenty of flow until you change it at 120k miles, then leave it in because it will filter better than the new one. If not, then change it.