Originally posted by storch
my 99 toyota is approaching 240k with nothing other than maintenance. it pulls trailers up 5k GVW routinely. when I change the tranny fluid it is dark and burnt. by draining the pan every oil change and replacing the 3-4 quarts it takes the breakdown in the fluid can be mitigated never the less I change it every 15k or so as I stated. it's pennies and easy to do.
my previous truck was a ford ranger that got clobbered by a tow truck I forget how many miles I had on that but it was over 200k as well.
storch you're right, when the transmission is used for severe duty enough that the fluid gets discolored you absolutely should be servicing the fluid frequently.
One suggestion, though - pressure flushing rigs are pretty common now. There's some considerable sense in going that route rather than dropping the pan.
When you drain the pan, you only get about half the fluid out. Pressure flushing not only flushes out the torque converter, but also the oil cooler and its lines. 100% of the fluid is changed, this is obviously better. Many of the better quality oil change places now offer this service, as well as most transmission shops. Plus, its a more idiot-proof procedure than changing the pan gasket, which often results in leaks due to carelessness and/or improper technique.
The cost is comparable to what a shop would charge for dropping the pan. I recommend you check it out.
