[quote=73shark;138272]+1

Dropping the pan and just changing the filter and a few quarts of fluid is like draining your oil and not changing the filter.[/quot

That doesn't even make sense!
If you flush you still have the same dirty filter. Have you ever seen the bottom of a pan and noticed the metal? You think there's none in the filter? A drain and change replaces 5 qts, that is not insignificant. And you start with a clean filter.
I wouldn't get a flush done unless they change the filter first!

 

A good flush machine cleans the filter. Changing the filter is a thing of the past.

 

The filter has a fiber membrane. A flush will not clean it. I can give several links from places that do flushes that still replace the filter. It's not a thing of the past. Not doing leaves the job half done.

 

Personally, that would depend on the shop for me. Though, when I flush my trans, I'm going to change the filter. But I'm a stickler when I can afford to be.

 

I was going to have mine flushed ('99 Tahoe w/175,000 working fine so far) as I'm not the original owner but was advised against it by the shop. Sort of follows my theory considering putting some nice cool thing on the truck. You run the risk of pissing off the car Gods and having something really serious go wrong :-)

 

Dropping the pan really doesn't do much at all aside from getting to the filter. It leaves about 3/4 of the old transmission fluid in the torque converter. What you need is a flush, but not all flushes are the same. I'm aware of two different ways of flushing, "Cooler Line Flush" and "Pump Inlet Flush". It's complicated to explain, but the latter is the better method because is it supplies fresh fluid to the pump intake as the old fluid is dumped. Cooler Line flushing results in fresh fluid being mixed with old fluid. It sort of dilutes the old fluid with new fluid. It can also result in pump starvation.

 

Based on all of the input I've benn getting on this thread I'd say it's pretty much 50/50, between people who are for the flush and those against it. I personally remember my father's car having a flush done at jiffy lube then my aunts and both needing rebuilt trannys shortly after.

Although I don't have any solid evidence to prove it was the flush itself or the person doing the flush it's a pretty big coincidence otherwise. As I said earlier if I had it done it would be by the dealer, and I don't know the history of the tranny service or use on the vehicle being that I bought it used I don't know if it was used to tow etc. What I do know is that it shifts nicely, very crisp, and the tranny kicks down nicely. I just am afraid that if I do the flush I'll end up having to pay to rebuild the trans later down the road. One more thing that jiffy lube claims they use the same machine as the dealers.

 

if you are very worried I would just keep all documentation and go to the dealer if possible (especially if you are still under warranty). transmissions seem to be finicky so I would rather drain and fill the oil a few times vs forcing fluid through it. I do not think getting 100% of the fluid out is worth it to me because I would be nervous after a flush from what I have heard.

 

Sometimes Jiffy Lube even has a hard time doing oil changes correctly. I have heard many horror stories.

 

X2... I had the wifes oil changed there a couple of months ago. I didn't feel like doing it. they upset me when they pulled the brand new air filter, that I jsut dropped in there, to show me how ti looks, and they got it greasy. I just told the guy to finish up, and I'm never coming back.