200K Mile Automatic Transmission Club

[RPMster]

Has your original automatic transmission gotten to 200,000+ miles without a rebuild, on all original components? Tell us about it:

- year / make / model

- number of miles driven so far

- fluid / filter change interval

- ATF used

- any other details you'd like to share

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: RPMster
If your original automatic transmission has gotten to 200,000+ miles without a rebuild, tell us about it:

- year / make / model

- number of miles driven so far

- fluid / filter change interval

- ATF used

- any other details you'd like to share



2000 Ford Taurus (purchased new)

252.8K miles

Fluid changed yearly (approx 35K)

Whatever my mechanic puts in it (usually NAPA or Valvoline)

 

[bullwinkle]

2004 E-350 Super Duty 6.0 diesel TorqShift, 258K of the hardest miles you could put on a transmission, has had the Mercon SP changed 4 times since new, ZERO problems except for occasional clunking on upshifts.

 

[Chris142]

Nope. Never got anywhere near that milage out of an A/T. Thats why I refuse to own a car/truck with one today.

 

[daves66nova]

95 Camry 210,xxx miles. Not original owner.

 

[hstuehmeyer2000]

1992 Mercedes Benz 300ce 220,000 miles. I use Dino Dex III ATF if it. I am not the original owner,so I do not know what oci for the trans was.

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo


2000 Ford Taurus (purchased new)

252.8K miles

Fluid changed yearly (approx 35K)

Whatever my mechanic puts in it (usually NAPA or Valvoline)


That's impressive for a Taurus. But I'm guessing that 35k a year is mainly highway so you're not stressing it that much.

Has your mechanic used Mercon V or Mercon or just anything?

 

[tdpark]

Honda Odyssey 2004
202,100- original transmission

fluid changes ever 30k with Honda ATF- started on Z-1 now on the new honda stuff

 

[03hemi]

1995 dodge 3500 386731 hard mile fluid change every year

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: RPMster
Has your original automatic transmission gotten to 200,000+ miles without a rebuild, on all original components? Tell us about it:

- year / make / model

- number of miles driven so far

- fluid / filter change interval

- ATF used

- any other details you'd like to share


I've had several.

My 66 Dodge Polara (A-727 trans) made it to about 250,000 before an internal piston seal failed from hardening. No other damage inside, but rebuilt it anyway.

ATF- a mixed bag of Dexrons as top-off (very little fluid, as far as I know) up until I got the car with 180k on it, then M1 ATF from then on. When I changed the fluid at 180 that was probably the first time, and I changed it twice before the seal cracked

My 73 Satellite (A-904 trans) was pretty much the same story as above, except that the front clutch pack wore down to nothing at ~210k miles. It had gotten antifreeze in it years before that when the radiator cooler failed, and I think that wore the internals quite a bit.

Dad's 92 Dodge Dakota (A518 transmission) is out there still running on its factory fill. Dad sold the truck with >212k miles on the clock. It had a fluid leak around the input shaft so it got a pint every few months for the last years he owned it. Whatever brand of ATF+3 and then later ATF+4 was available.

 

[cak446]

1987 Chev Suburban C10 6.2L diesel 700r4 transmission, family owned since new.

250,000 miles

Total of 5 oil/filter changes.

Store brand Canadian Tire atf used for last 4 oil changes.

I attribute the long life to keeping the transmission temps in check. I installed an auxiliary oil cooler as soon as I got the truck from my grandmother around 60,000 miles.

Each time I changed the oil and filter I would also attempt to flush out as much of the old oil as possible. My procedure was as follows:

1 - Disconnect the transmission cooler line and run it into a bucket
2 - Start up truck and pump out about a gallon of atf.
3 - Drop oil pan, without spilling a bunch of oil all over myself due to step #2
4 - Change filter, re-install oil pan and refill.
5 - Start truck and pump out another gallon or so
6 - Refill and repeat step 5
& - Refill one last time

 

[oldmaninsc]

My 1995 Ford Aerostar with the A4LD transmission has just over 200K miles. I changed the fluid and filter roughly every 30K - 40K miles or so with mostly Valvoline or Castrol transmission fluid and a Fram filter.
I didn't buy the vehicle new, but it had around 30K miles on it in 1997 when I bought it. It still shifts nice, no slippage, no leaks.

 

[brianl703]

'97 Ford Crown Vic P71. Was a state PD car for 100k and then a taxi for the next 150k. Has 277k on the original transmission. I know it's original because I had to replace the cat on the driver's side, which had obviously never been removed (and must be removed to replace the transmission). Since I got it at 261k, I changed the fluid twice via the cooler lines, 4 quarts each time.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: rjacket
Originally Posted By: Tdbo


2000 Ford Taurus (purchased new)

252.8K miles

Fluid changed yearly (approx 35K)

Whatever my mechanic puts in it (usually NAPA or Valvoline)


That's impressive for a Taurus. But I'm guessing that 35k a year is mainly highway so you're not stressing it that much.

Has your mechanic used Mercon V or Mercon or just anything?


Went back and checked paperwork for the last couple of changes, anyway. They were Mercon V. All have been pan drops, I won't let them near my car with a flush machine.
Car is driven approx 90% highway. The transmissions are the weak link in these cars. Keeping fresh fluid in them is the key to longevity.

 

[JHZR2]

94 Toyota Previa
235k miles
Fluid changed every 36k
Toyota dealer fluid (bulk dex?)

96 MB E300D
220k
~60k mile OCIs
MB fluid 236.6

83 MB 300D
228k
~30k mile OCIs
Dex III

85 MB 300D
233k
~30k mile OCIs
Dex III

 

[OVERKILL]

1989 Lincoln Town Car
-215,000 miles
-Changed very rarely
-Dex III/Mercon

Car probably had its original fluid for the last 15 years until I changed it.

 

[HTSS_TR]

- year/make/model: 19914 Lexus LS4000

- number of miles driven so far: 280+k miles

- fluid/filter change interval: Every 3-4 years, fluid only with Mityvac fluid extractor, added 10oz Lubegard Red on last change about 2 years ago. Filter changed once at around 120-130k miles.

- ATF used: Toyota Type II, then Castrol Import Multi Vehicles.

 

[zorobabel]

1997 Honda Accord (non vtec)
256k driven
no ATF change until 248k; drained and filled with DW1 at 248k and Castrol Import at 253k. Filter is untouched.

I bought this car at 247k with service records, nothing on there related to transmission. Fluid was light grey and semi-burnt smelling (meaning I've smelled worse). Drain plug was a b*tch to remove, I'm confident it had the original fluid. Shifting got smoother after the 2 drain& fills.
I've never had the transmission slip; going to reverse and especially drive is somewhat of a slow 2 stage process - not sure if normal, I've never driven another Honda auto.

Of all things I never expected the engine to go out before the transmission, it might have a bad rod bearing or something.

 

[dishdude]

I had a 1995 Neon with a little 3 speed auto that I sold with 185k, I ran into the second owner when the car had over 200k on it and he said everything was fine with the car, so I assume he crested the 200k mark on the original transmission!

 

[tig1]

My old 96 Merc GM with 218K when I sold it. Changed M1 ATF every 40K.