Transmission Fluid Change Versus Flush: Which Is Best for Your Automatic Car?
When it comes to automatic transmission maintenance, many car owners often get confused about whether to change the fluid in their transmission (transmission fluid change) or flush out the fluid completely (transmission flush).
While both a transmission fluid change and a flush are meant to improve the health and performance of your automatic transmission, they're two completely different transmission maintenance services.
Stick around to learn the difference between these two car maintenance jobs, as well as which one is best for your car.
Transmission Fluid Change
If you check the owner's manual that came with your automatic car, you will see that it contains the vehicle manufacturer's instructions on when or how often you should perform a fluid change on your transmission.
A fluid change will remove draining dirty transmission oil from the transmission pan. To remove the oil, you'll need to first warm up the transmission fluid by going for a short drive. Idling the car can also get the fluid warmed up. Then, park the vehicle with the handbrake on and jacked up to allow access to the transmission pan. Before you remove the bolts holding the pan in place, put a drain pan directly below the transmission pan to collect all the dirty oil.
Once you've collected all the old oil, remove the transmission gasket and filter together with the oil pan. Clean the pan with a clean, lint-free rag before your reinstall it. You'll also need to replace the old gasket and filter to optimise the performance of the transmission.
Replenish oil supply with the correct type, quality, and quantity of oil.
Transmission Flush
Transmission oil isn't found in the transmission pan only. You can also find a good amount of it in the torque converter and cooler lines and as well. Fluid changes only help get rid of the oil in the pan, meaning that contaminated oil can still flow in the transmission after a fluid change.
A transmission flush is designed to remove all of the old oil using a pump inlet flush machine and fresh fluid added. This allows for optimal transmission performance because the entire system runs on fresh fluid.
Dirty or ineffective oil is the bane of automatic transmissions. Regular fluid changes and periodic transmission flushing are both essential to keep your transmission working smoothly and efficiently. Make sure both transmission maintenance services are performed professionally if you want to enjoy a durable and efficient performance from your transmission.
To learn more about automatic transmission services, contact an auto service company today.
