Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle atx flush pitfalls?

Big Jim did you ever have one of your three ATXs power flushed by a machine at a lube shop like Jiffy Lube before?

below is from the Jiffy lube site. It seems that Tech 1 is the only atx service for the contour.


Automatic Transmission Services

The purpose of automatic transmission fluid is to lubricate, clean, cool and provide the hydraulic pressure necessary to ensure smooth operation of the vehicle’s transmission. This fluid should be changed at manufacturer recommended intervals to assure trouble-free shifting as well as to extend the life of your vehicle’s transmission. There are three Jiffy Lube Automatic Transmission Services.

1
Automatic Transmission Fluid Fluid Exchange
This premium service

Safely and completely exchanges virtually all of the fluid in the transmission system, including the torque converter
Ensures the presence of all additives necessary to keep the transmission operating properly.
Disposes your old transmission fluid in an environmentally conscious manner


2
Automatic Transmission Filter and Gasket Replacement
Many manufacturers recommend changing the automatic transmission filter and replacing the pan gasket when performing an automatic transmission service.
Jiffy Lube technicians
Remove the transmission pan and drain the old fluid*
Remove the old transmission filter (screen if applicable)
Install a new transmission filter
Clean the transmission pan
Install a new pan gasket on the transmission pan
Install the transmission pan
Fill the transmission with new fluid according to the vehicle manufacturers specifications

* this service does not include the exchange of the automatic transmission fluid in the torque converter

3
Automatic Transmission Drain & Fill
Another manufacturers service option is the automatic transmission drain and fill.
Jiffy Lube technicians
Remove the transmission drain/check plug
Drain the old transmission fluid*
Inspect, clean and install the transmission drain/check plug
Replace the washer on the drain/check, if necessary
Fill the transmission with new fluid according to the vehicle manufacturers specifications

* this service does not include the exchange of the automatic transmission fluid in the torque converter

As I have said before (in other threads on the subject) ... I have researched this quite heavily. Until I do what I plan, I am merely sharing the knowledge that I have gained from OTHERS. That being said, why would anyone listen to someone who claims to be the "**Official CD4E BURNER**"? You can't even learn from your own mistakes, much less from what others have to say. I will end this thought with yet another quote of your signature ... "2 CD4E failures, and counting...", as if you still wish to continue to be ignorant and repeat your failing ways.

My reply to the thread that started it all.

If you read my reply, you will see that the application of DIY Flush was contrived from watching how Jiffy Lube's T-Tech Pro Plus operates. So, before you start to criticize where I quote my sources, try reading the post in question. You participated in that thread and I just assumed that you had read my reply ... what was I thinking

I will now step off my soap-box and NOT address you or this thread until I have confirmed that this does indeed work. I will be doing this soon and will document the entire process and write a detailed how to.

no way i could afford a tranny failure at this point. sh*t, i thought i could actually make things better by flushing. oh well. so we've established that flushing = bad idea for such a high mileage tranny. but what about drain and refill method? mix the old used fluid with at least some percentage of new fluid?

Thomas
95 LX v6

fastcougar,

I have looked at the exploded views of the CD4E, and I can tell you that your method will work
only if the CD4E is AIRTIGHT, which I know it is not, it is vented.

The ATX Oil coolant return line connects to the inlet of the CD4E and inside the CD4E,
that flow is directed through a single tube and it exits to splash onto the drive chain for lubrication.
From there, the oil falls to the bottom of the CD4E where it is picked up by the Sump Filter.

So unless your dipstick makes an airtight fitting,
and the vent on the top of the side pan is also closed or blocked,
there is no way that the CD4E itself will draw fluid from the second bucket.
There is no connection from the inlet of the CD4E back to the Oil Pump.
The Oil Pump picks up the Oil from the Sump Filter.

The outlet of the CD4E comes directly from a bleed off from the transmission pump pressure regulator.

I have not tried this myself, so I cannot say with 100% certainty that this doesn't work,
but under the conditions that I've outlined, it should not.

I also enjoy your remarks about my CD4E burner signature.
My transmissions failed due to internal Torque Converter defects that FORD has failed to recognize.
Since I am the ONLY Contour owner on this forum that regularly makes very long trips with his Contour,
I happen to be the only Contour Owner who has experienced this problem.
Both transmissions were serviced at my dealership, and they were both service at FORD's recommended interval.
There wre aslo serviced the same way that Jiffy Lube services automatic transmissions with the T-Tech PRO Plus.
Both transmissions failed within 2,000 miles of their very first service,
which was done at 30,000 miles, on FORD's recommendation.
There was nothing that I could have possibly done to create the environment that caused the failure.
I don't beat my Contour, I don't do neutral drops, and I've never towed anything.
I just take very long highway trips, which in reality is supposed
to put less stress on your vehicle than City driving.

I call myself the Official CD4E Burner, because I have a lot of personal experience
and knowledge of the typical service failures that this tranny experiences.
I have searched the internet for many sites that offer much of this information,
and myself and others have left many links in many threads so that others can read up on what we've found.
I have even had discussions relating my failures with the President of FilterTek,
who incidentally won a Ford Customer Service Excellence award for redesigning the Sump Filter so that Fluid flow would not be impeded,
should the filter medium become clogged due to debris inside the CD4E.
All FORD REMANUFACTURED CD4E transmissions now carry this Sump Filter.
I would be more than happy to forward those emails to you if you would like to read them.
Should I change my signature to the CD4E Doctor ?

The Jiffy Lube T-Tech PRO Plus service works because the new ATX Oil is fed to the inlet of the transmission
under pressure, so that the transmission never loses any fluid at all during the service.

RoadRunner,

Sorry for my mouthing off ... I seem to have done a lot of that lately. I am bitter at life and lashed out ... sorry! I am in a situation where I want to A) ensure that my transmission last a hell of a long time, and B) I can save as much money as possible in doing so.

My wife is unemployeed and pregnant, thus I got the Contour for the baby and the automatic for the wife. Her being unemployeed is really stressing us financially, so when I read about this method, I was very pleased at the prospect that it would A) help my transmission last a longer life and B) save me money in the process. My personal financial and home life situations steered me into my stance ... a biased opinion ... not good.

I just got back from lunch, where I talked at length with a local transmission shop owner about the CD4E and more importantly, about transmission flushes in general. He said that he rebuilds many transmissions a week due to such flushes and the shop themselves do nothing of the sort and are vietmaly agains them. He sited the same reasons that you have pointed out ... the process dislodges sludge/grime that are integral to seals that have been set for many many miles. He said "there is no reason that a properly operating transmission can't run it's fluid 100K miles without changing ..." key words there being properly operating

He was familiar with the CD4E and stated the following:

"It's a good little transmission and only has two main failure points ... high line pressure on heavy acceleration and forward rolling reverse commands ... other than that, it should last a long time".

I asked him about auxilary filters and coolers and he highly recommended both, but warned about frequent filter changes. I don't mind paying a few extra bucks every 12-15K miles to ensure that wear materials are being removed from the tranny. Splitting open the filter after servicing will give some indication as to the internal state of the tranny's wear parts.

I would say do the 4 quart drop and fill every 20,000 miles
and you should be fine, but don't hold me to it.

This weekend I plan on doing the drain and fill and inspecting the hose routing for a later date install of a secondary cooler/filter combo along with a temp gauge.