should I expect this tranny to die soon?

[ronp]

I dropped the pan on my moms 02 Windstar. No exaggeration, the magnet had at least 1/2" metal sludge build up on it. After I cleaned it off it was only half the size it looked like with the build up. The fluid in the pan was a slush of very dark purple.it didnt smell burnt but definatley didnt smell like atf. Actually smelled closer to motor oil then anything else.

I was just gonna replace the 4 qts suggested capacity of the pan and change the filter. 6 qts drained Out. I had an incorrect filter so I just put the pan back on for over night with filter off. Next day got correct filter. It had drained about 3 more qts over night. so I ended up replacing 9 of 12.25 qts.

My worry is that all that new fluid will clean the sludge around clutch packs and the the clutches will have nothing to grab hold of and will just slip if they are too worn down

I did notice that the fluid that drained to the pan over night was not full of so much mettal debris like the fluid in the pan. It's my hope that the majority of the metal was trapped in the pan and not so much In the rest of the unit.

 

[CharBaby]

How many miles are on the tranny?
Is there any issues with the tranny prior to the ATF change?

I don't think anyone can predict the actual outcome of the tranny(13 yrs old) with the new ATF. The magnet and filter may have done it's job well. Personally, I don't think you have any worries!

 

[tony1679]

Miles? Has it ever been changed before (sounds like it hasn't)? I don't have anything to offer, but I hope you update us with what happens in the long run. I'll be watching this thread

 

[ronp]

It has 134,000. I don't believe it had ever been done by the looks of it but I dunno the full history of it.

You could feel a vibration to the van under your bitt when driving. It only recently started
isn't doing that now and is shifting smoothly so far but I just did it last night.

 

[demarpaint]

If it dies it won't be because of the new ATF, even though many people would have you believe otherwise. Good luck!

 

[ronp]

Thanks

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: ronp
It has 134,000. I don't believe it had ever been done by the looks of it but I dunno the full history of it.

You could feel a vibration to the van under your bitt when driving. It only recently started
isn't doing that now and is shifting smoothly so far but I just did it last night.


Are you completely familiar with the Windstar's driving experience. In other words, have you driven this vehicle on a regular basis or only now & again?

Notice whether the vibration occurs when the A/C is on or the cooling fan(s) turn on. And does the vibration disappear when the fan(s) turn off? This particular vibration can be misleading!

 

[ronp]

I drive it here and there. Never noticed the vibration till yesterday. It did it while running the ac. After I changed the f/f it isn't vibrating anymore. Ac was on then too.

 

[Kruse]

I don't have a dog in this fight, and my blood runs Ford blue, but the Windstar tranny has got one of the absolute worst reputations in the industry. I've seen many not make it to 100K. I'm just preparing you for what will happen sooner or later. Probably sooner.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

It's living on borrowed time.

 

[Ram01]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
It's living on borrowed time.

Indeed you are

 

[Burt]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
It's living on borrowed time.


Hear, hear...by my reckoning, its got at least another 80,000 miles left - if driven gently.

 

[Kuato]

1/2" of fuzz at 134k sounds normal to me, and I have opened up used trannies from 50-145k.

Since it is shifting fine, just drive it. Automatic transmissions are designed for clean fluid.

But fluid cannot substitute for failed parts.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: Kruse
I don't have a dog in this fight, and my blood runs Ford blue, but the Windstar tranny has got one of the absolute worst reputations in the industry. I've seen many not make it to 100K. I'm just preparing you for what will happen sooner or later. Probably sooner.


If it has one of the worst reputations how bad were the Honda minivan transmissions of same era

Alot has to do with the person driving and how they drive it for those 100,000 miles.

 

[RF Overlord]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
If it dies it won't be because of the new ATF, even though many people would have you believe otherwise.
^^^This.

If an automatic transmission dies soon after a fluid change, it was going to do so anyway.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
If it dies it won't be because of the new ATF, even though many people would have you believe otherwise. Good luck!


+1 on this. New ATF never hurts a transmission.

You might want to add a Magnefine inline filter, its sure to catch a bunch of crud that will be cleaned up by new ATF.

 

[4wheeldog]

Originally Posted By: RF Overlord
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
If it dies it won't be because of the new ATF, even though many people would have you believe otherwise.
^^^This.

If an automatic transmission dies soon after a fluid change, it was going to do so anyway.


Yup. The myth of new fluid killing unserviced trannies has more to do with the fact that the service finally takes place when the trannie starts acting up. So......It is already damaged, and fails shortly after the change.

If you caught it early enough, you may have saved it. But if it dies, it was already mortally wounded.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: ronp
I drive it here and there. Never noticed the vibration till yesterday. It did it while running the ac. After I changed the f/f it isn't vibrating anymore. Ac was on then too.


The reason that I was asking is because, the A/C &/or running cooling fans can often cause vibrations that are sometimes felt in the seat, steering wheel or floor...or all 3, depending on th condition of the engine/tranny mounts. This is not to say that the mounts are bad, it's just a charactor of most vehicles and can often be noticed as the vehicle ages!

I think you'll(your Mom) will be just fine!

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: Kuato
1/2" of fuzz at 134k sounds normal to me, and I have opened up used trannies from 50-145k.

Since it is shifting fine, just drive it. Automatic transmissions are designed for clean fluid.

But fluid cannot substitute for failed parts.


+1 for the above statement!

 

[ronp]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Originally Posted By: ronp
I drive it here and there. Never noticed the vibration till yesterday. It did it while running the ac. After I changed the f/f it isn't vibrating anymore. Ac was on then too.


The reason that I was asking is because, the A/C &/or running cooling fans can often cause vibrations that are sometimes felt in the seat, steering wheel or floor...or all 3, depending on th condition of the engine/tranny mounts. This is not to say that the mounts are bad, it's just a charactor of most vehicles and can often be noticed as the vehicle ages!

I think you'll(your Mom) will be just fine!

Good info. Thanks. When I go back up there I will check that out.