200K Mile Automatic Transmission Club

[caprice_2nv]

Originally Posted By: 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.


When I first started at the Ford dealer I thought the Taurus's all had bad transmissions, but from what I saw, all our customers that had the fluid changed every 30k (with the machine - flush or whatever you want to call it - it is just a fluid exchange, no reason to worry about it) they never seemed to have any problems. The 95 and earlier ones are the ones you should worry about even if you do take care of them.

I would buy one between late 90's and the last of the old body style if it was really cheap and not rusted out (the biggest problem with them here).

 

[Jarlaxle]

1989 Dodge Caravan, 2.5 turbo , 3-speed auto
Totalled with ~280,000 miles
Before 105K, unknown. Fluid changed at 105K and every fifth oil change after that (about 25K)...always drain & fill, never flushed.
Whatever was on sale, usually Super Tech, ProLine, or NAPA's house brand.
Had a factory-looking trans cooler...never towed, usually carried hauled a set of drums from 105K to the end. Can't be 100% sure the transaxle was original, but looked like it had never been out at 105K. I am 100% certain it went the next ~185,000 miles without being replaced.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Another:
1993 International Genesis school bus, DT466 engine and MT643 Allison.
313,000 miles.
In fleet service, filter changed annually (about 25K), no record of a complete fluid change.
Dexron III, I suspect out of a 55-gallon drum from whomever gave the best price.

It was a school bus, so most of those miles were city use. It must, however, be noted that the transmission is running at less than HALF its maximum weight (73,000lbs) in the Genesis (GVWR 30,000).

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

85 Crown Vic
215k miles
ATF changed out every 40K miles

88 Lincoln Town Car
315K miles
ATF changed out every 30K miles

88 Crown Vic
200K miles
ATF changed out every 30-40K miles

99 Mercury Grand Marquis
215K miles
ATF changed out out every 30-35K miles

All ATF changes were done by Ford using Mercon.

 

[demarpaint]

93 Ford Aerostar, 206,400 miles and going strong. I had a slight delay going into Reverse when it's cold outside which LG Red has eliminated. It shifts perfectly. The only repair was a bad vacuum modulator. Pan drops, fluid exchanges, and filter changes every 30,000-35,000 miles. I took over the maintenance at 50K when I bought it, prior to that the transmission was never serviced.

 

[genynnc]

2003 Toyota Corolla

254K
Changed at 80K, 145K, 220K
Fluid used- Castrol Import ATF

Lots and lots of highway miles, some city.

*Car is owned by my parents, I service it*

 

[Jarlaxle]

2006 Dodge Charger RT
240K as of a couple weeks ago
Changed every 60K
ATF+4 from Wal-Mart, brand varies

Car was tuned (Diablo Predator) when almost new...shifting was firmed up, which certainly helped longevity.

 

[bcossa2001]

1997 Toyota Avalon
203K
Changed at 30K--Dexron III. Magnefine trans filter starting at 150K and 30k afterwards. Tried Royal Purple once and could not tell any difference. Latest change is Dex VI.

Mixed mileage up to 100K. Highway miles for next 50K and mixed since then...

 

[5sfe91]

1991 Toyota Celica 2.2
279,800 miles
Dex III changed every 30k-40k

 

[juanw]

282,XXX miles
1992 Ford Explorer 4wd with the A4LD.
Fluid changed every ~50,000 miles with Mobil 1 synthetic
Complete DIY flush every time it rolled 100,000 miles.
The filter was changed with the complete flush at 200,000 miles.

 

[Gasbuggy]

1995 Accord 2.2 sohc
363000 miles
Original filter(you have to spilt the case to remove it. It' "non service" item)

Valvoline MaxLife dex/merc every 35-40000 miles. When I got the car at 194,000 it had a slip going from 3rd to 4th cold. It has gotten a little worse but not much. I also put in a little Lucas stop slip at ever change.

Originally Posted By: zorobabel
1997 Honda Accord (non vtec)
256k driven
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


Thats a Honda thing, my 95 does it and so does my dads 06 Ex-L

 

[XJay]

1992 Jeep Cherokee
203,000 miles
Filter was replaced only once
Valvoline Dex VI every year

 

[quint]

1997 toyota Corolla
3-spd auto
316,000 miles

Mostly Meijer store brand 'multipurpose' ATF and sometimes Oreilly or Advance Auto house brands. Drain and fill (about 2.5 qts) at every engine oil change since new. Never have dropped the pan, still shifts great, driven daily.



1984 Honda Accord
4 spd auto
293,000 miles

First change at around 60,000 when the orginal torque converter locked up and was replaced, next change (about 2 qts per drain and fill) at 220,000 and at every engine oil change from then on using whatever generic ATF was on sale. (a bad snowstorm and 2 wayward deer took the car out permanently)

Starting about ten years ago, every car I own gets a drain and fill at every engine oil change. Yes, its a bit obsessive/compulsive, but that seems to be what this forum is all about…

 

[Falcon_LS]

'00 Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero with an AW 4VAW2 4 speed automatic, currently at 350,000 km (219,000 miles)

ATF used since new has been Dexron III by the dealership, followed by:

- Motorcraft Mercon V
- Mitsubishi SP-III

Now running Liqui-Moly ATF Top Tec 1200, meeting both the above mentioned spec.

Fluid change interval has been 40,000 km (25,000 miles), using a cooler line flush each time. The screen filter has been cleaned at one interval and replaced at next (80,000 km/50,000 miles).

 

[SteveSRT8]

2004 GMC 3500 Savana 6.0 gas engine, over 400k miles. 4L80-E with regular services at 30k miles or so. Generally gets Amsoil Universal ATF but lately we use Dex VI from Castrol. Note these vans work every day at 9200 pounds curb weight!!!

2006 Same vehicle with 255k miles, same story.

1998 Pontiac Sunfire 2.4 with the 4 speed auto, over 225k miles and still running well. Unknown service history since 98k miles, only changed twice with Amsoil Universal ATF.

There's many more. We have a good time with slushboxes here.

 

[cappilot]

1986 Ford F-150 Supercab 5L/AOD 206,000. Bought new. Three or four pan drops over the years. Standard Dexron/Mercon. Neither engine nor transmission has been opened.

1994 Chrysler Town and Country 3.8L/infamous 4sp auto 210,000. In the family since new. Pan drops at about 50,000 mile intervals. Standard ATF+4 used. Neither engine nor transmission has been opened.

 

[macdole99]

2001 infiniti i30 267k

magnefine filter changed yearly

amsoil atf drain and fill every year approx 30k driven yearly

car shifted flawlessly until it got totaled a few weeks ago

 

[atc250r]

1997 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 Original Owner, original Transmission

210,000 miles

Transmission flushed 3 times at local trans shop. Not sure what they put in, but it works!

 

[turf1]

99 ford e-150 5.4L 274k
change every 35-40k
have used various shops and ford dealership
last change was at ford, seams to shift better than place before

 

[BISCUT]

97 Explorer 4.0 SOHC 210k Trans filter and pan dropped 4 times all times replaces with Mercon V.