Flushing the 5R110W Transmission questions - Diesel Forum

Oneof6 · 01-07-2008, 05:27 AM

Hello all up here in the 6.0 forum. I don't post here much as I have a 7.3 with a 4R100 transmission. I have a new neighbor a good guy that is also a PSD owner. His is a 2003 6.0 and his transmission is just about due for its first flush. I believe his transmission is a 5R110W. We were talking about it and I agreed to help him with it. I looked up some flush procedures on the net. They seem similar to the flush procedure for the 4R100 procedure, let the unit self flush using it internal pump to pump fluid out one end as you put fluid in the other. With the 4R100 you just unhook the return line and pump it through the clear line until you see bubbles in the fluid, stop the engine refill the transmission, start it again and do that three times and the entire system is flushed. Only big deal is to start with a warm transmission and do it in the summer so the cooler is purged. I have done the 4R100 flush on my truck and others several times. In the 5R110W procedure I ran across in Truckblog it makes an issue of keeping the special SP fluid very hot and measuring the going out as you put the new in. Not certain if that was meant to be literal, pour fluid in one end as it is pumped out the other end. And how important is keeping the new fluid hot, and how hot? Is that the way to do it, put new in as the old is pumped out? Anyone have any tips on this procedure or know where another flush procedure is on the net, or has one they can e-mail me? Thanks, 106

Oneof6 · 01-07-2008, 08:05 PM

Wow, 65 views. Guess no one knows anymore than I do.

4x4Mark · 01-07-2008, 08:25 PM

The torqshift has a thermostat and if you don't keep it hot enough - I think 160 - 165, it won't pump it out to the cooler.

As the torqshift as a built in external filter, it may be just fine with a drain/replace and new filter. It won't get it all out, only about half, but the need to flush depends upon the condition of the coolant. Mine is still in good shape after 30k, so I just drain, replace filter, and add approx 8 quarts to top it off.

Mark

firesoutmatt · 01-07-2008, 08:31 PM

I did mine same as the 4R100 and worked fine. Yes be sure to use SP fluid in a 5R

Oneof6 · 01-08-2008, 07:00 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: firesoutmatt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I did mine same as the 4R100 and worked fine. Yes be sure to use SP fluid in a 5R </div></div>

Thanks, that is what I wanted to know.

**Mark Kovalsky** · 01-12-2008, 10:18 PM

There is a thermostat in the TorqShift. It will return about 90% of the cooler flow back to the trans and not to the cooler until the trans is over 165F. If you don't have the trans hot you're just mixing the old and new fluids. You're changing a mixture of old and new fluids. It's REALLY important to have it hot when doing the flush!

ryano2121 · 01-13-2008, 12:09 AM

How the heck do you get it over 165 then? Mine never goes that hot with just normal driving.

dgeesaman · 10-12-2009, 12:40 PM

Bumping this oldie toward the top:

I've got an 08' PSD coming that is due for the ATF change. Short of hooking up a heavy trailer and running uphill on a hot day, it will be tough to open the thermostat.

I was thinking it might work best to put a hot air gun on the part of the oil cooler where the thermostat is, and just keep that really hot. Has anyone tried that?

Or is there another connection on the oil cooler that I can open to drain the cooler side of the system?

**Mark Kovalsky** · 10-12-2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgeesaman

I was thinking it might work best to put a hot air gun on the part of the oil cooler where the thermostat is, and just keep that really hot.

Interesting idea, and it would probably work if the thermostat was anywhere near the cooler. It isn't. It is inside the transmission near the pump. You're not going to get a heat gun anywhere near it without tearing down the transmission.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgeesaman

Or is there another connection on the oil cooler that I can open to drain the cooler side of the system?

Draining the cooler is easy. Disconnect one of the lines at the trans and it will run out. You'll get a quart or two.

The question remains what about the 10 quarts or so that you don't get out of the transmission and torque converter without doing a flush?

patrickrc51 · 10-12-2009, 06:54 PM

Sounds like to much work. The dealer only charges like 175 to do it and your gonna pay like 100 for all the fluid. Besides they use a flusher and filter system to do it.
Thats where mine went for the flush and I do all my own work...

dgeesaman · 10-12-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Kovalsky

Interesting idea, and it would probably work if the thermostat was anywhere near the cooler. It isn't. It is inside the transmission near the pump. You're not going to get a heat gun anywhere near it without tearing down the transmission.

Good enough reason. On my RX-7 the oil cooler is thermostatically controlled and I'm told it's right at the base of the cooler.

Quote:

Draining the cooler is easy. Disconnect one of the lines at the trans and it will run out. You'll get a quart or two.

The question remains what about the 10 quarts or so that you don't get out of the transmission and torque converter without doing a flush?

Yeah, now I see the point if the balance of the fluid is hanging out in the trans not the cooler. But still a quart or two out of the cooler helps.

I was thinking about filling with Amsoil's Mercon SP ATF but at $9/qt it will be quite expensive to do partial fills and drains to get it to clear out. Sounds like the helper pouring in fresh fluid while shifting gears and draining method is best.

Fortunately if the thermostat is deep within the transmission, it might not take a mountain climb to get it super hot. If it's deep within the transmission it will stay warm for a little while. Maybe running the hot air gun over the transmission cooler might help keep things generally hot.

David