Drivetrain fluid change cost

[NeBlackshirts]

Curious what fluids everyone has had luck with when changing them out. I’m leaning towards Aimsoil or Redline as a few options.

Does anyone have a ballpark of what it cost to have the 10-speed serviced. Also curious about the front, transfer-case, and rear diff costs.

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[swamp2]

I was quoted anywhere from $250 - $1100 for a trans fluid flush here in San Diego. $1100, that's a good one, eh ? Unfortunately, the shop offering the $250 price didn't actually have a flushing machine and stated that it was only a drain and fill and filter change. That gets you only about half new fluid. To add insult to injury they also raised the price to $450 when I showed up. I calmly told them to get their shit together on their phone estimates and walked out.

So, I did a 3x flush that left me with over 80% new fluid. It holds a lot back when draining, the torque converter and other parts.

 

[23OBX2.7]

I was quoted anywhere from $250 - $1100 for a trans fluid flush here in San Diego. $1100, that's a good one, eh ? Unfortunately, the shop offering the $250 price didn't actually have a flushing machine and stated that it was only a drain and fill and filter change. That gets you only about half new fluid. To add insult to injury they also raised the price to $450 when I showed up. I calmly told them to get their shit together on their phone estimates and walked out.

So, I did a 3x flush that left me with over 80% new fluid. It holds a lot back when draining, the torque converter and other parts.

Get a PPE pan with drain plug then can refresh when ever want.

 

[swamp2]

Get a PPE pan with drain plug then can refresh when ever want.

I put the PPE pan with extra capacity in long ago. It helps the whole process for sure, but even with the added capacity, a single drain does not remove but about half of the fluid, necessitating multiple drains for a significant flush. That and the almost unreachable fill spot right next to ones searing exhaust makes the process difficult.

Loosely related, I think, if a flushing machine can connect to the cooler lines easily, it would make the job very fast and easy for a shop. I understand the investment of the machine would need to be recouped, but $1100 is just insane.

 

[23OBX2.7]

I put the PPE pan with extra capacity in long ago. It helps the whole process for sure, but even with the added capacity, a single drain does not remove but about half of the fluid, necessitating multiple drains for a significant flush. That and the almost unreachable fill spot right next to ones searing exhaust makes the process difficult.

Loosely related, I think, if a flushing machine can connect to the cooler lines easily, it would make the job very fast and easy for a shop. I understand the investment of the machine would need to be recouped, but $1100 is just insane.

The flush machine is great but ned about 60+ qts to get a full change on previously untouched ATF fill because all it does it dilute old fluid with new so it uses a lot to get to new state and at the price per Q of full synthetic ATF (critical) its very costly.

With PPE pan, efreshing whatever you can every other oil change or selected frequency is more than enough to keep additive packages fresh which is the main point, while not wasting costly ATF.

Id say your early PPE pan puts you in an ideal situation with no need for a flush at all. You just need the optimal ool for accessing fill plug and to fill.

On my S550 Mustang I used 3' of extensions thst worked great and same lenght of tubing on a funnel.

 

[Onestepmore]

Curious what fluids everyone has had luck with when changing them out. I’m leaning towards Aimsoil or Redline as a few options.

Does anyone have a ballpark of what it cost to have the 10-speed serviced. Also curious about the front, transfer-case, and rear diff costs.

I just had my transmission fluid changed at 35,000 miles...it was $250.00 at the dealer where I bought it. Plus and oil change and tire rotation is $85.00 (every 5000). My dealer is Great where I bought it I know many haven't been as lucky to have a good one. They also just changed out my rear shocks from a recall at the same time.

 

[swamp2]

I just had my transmission fluid changed at 35,000 miles...it was $250.00 at the dealer where I bought it.

Seems very reasonable, esp at a dealer in part because fluid is expensive.

 

[23OBX2.7]

I just had my transmission fluid changed at 35,000 miles...it was $250.00 at the dealer where I bought it. Plus and oil change and tire rotation is $85.00 (every 5000). My dealer is Great where I bought it I know many haven't been as lucky to have a good one. They also just changed out my rear shocks from a recall at the same time.

Define "changed".

 

[Nc211]

You’ve got to drop the plastic pan on these things, and the transmission housing is aluminum, meaning very easy to strip the mounting threads if not done correctly. Because of that, I would only trust the Ford dealer to do it as insurance in case anything goes wrong. Someone not paying attention over torques the screws, and you have a problem on the transmission housing itself now. That said, inspect their work when done for this very reason. A flush won’t get the filter out, and if this is the first time you’re having it done, then you absolutely 100% want to replace the filter, as it’s holding all of the initial breakin material still. Which, given that I switched over to the PPE pan myself at just 4,000 miles and was stunned to see how dirty the filter already was, is significant.


The differentials and transfer case (especially the front diff and transfer case, thanks to drain plugs) are easy. So easy that basically anyone can do it, not a Ford specific thing. The rear differential does not have a drain plug, but is a great time to install the Ford Performcae diff cover which does have a drain plug for the future. You’re taking off the cover regardless for the service.

 

[ejpaul1]

Curious what fluids everyone has had luck with when changing them out. I’m leaning towards Aimsoil or Redline as a few options.

Does anyone have a ballpark of what it cost to have the 10-speed serviced. Also curious about the front, transfer-case, and rear diff costs.

do the front and rear diffs yourself, its relatively easy, the transmission? yeah, that needs to be done by a shop, ive spent 400'ish on an F150, looking to get my ranger in for a service of the same 10 speed thats in my badlands. Im expecting 500'ish

 

[swamp2]

You’ve got to drop the plastic pan on these things, and the transmission housing is aluminum, meaning very easy to strip the mounting threads if not done correctly. Because of that, I would only trust the Ford dealer to do it as insurance in case anything goes wrong. Someone not paying attention over torques the screws, and you have a problem on the transmission housing itself now. That said, inspect their work when done for this very reason. A flush won’t get the filter out, and if this is the first time you’re having it done, then you absolutely 100% want to replace the filter, as it’s holding all of the initial breakin material still. Which, given that I switched over to the PPE pan myself at just 4,000 miles and was stunned to see how dirty the filter already was, is significant.


The differentials and transfer case (especially the front diff and transfer case, thanks to drain plugs) are easy. So easy that basically anyone can do it, not a Ford specific thing. The rear differential does not have a drain plug, but is a great time to install the Ford Performcae diff cover which does have a drain plug for the future. You’re taking off the cover regardless for the service.

I would say it's somewhat paranoid to believe no shop but a Ford Dealer can properly drop the pan and filter when changing fluid. The mounting threads are not that delicate. There are aluminum female threads all over the engine and these get wrenched on by hundreds of thousand of mechanics, daily, all around the world.

Also, I thought the Raptor didn't have a rear diff drain plug. It does, it just fades more forward than backward. I strongly suspect the non Raptors have the same.

 

[ejpaul1]

Ironically ill admit I am a bit paranoid in that way

 

[Wilbur's son]

Local small town Ford dealership. For me, it was under $375 to do front & rear diffs plus TC and refill with Ford spec fluids. The service tech used a tube to suck all the fluids out of each.

 

[Nc211]

I would say it's somewhat paranoid to believe no shop but a Ford Dealer can properly drop the pan and filter when changing fluid. The mounting threads are not that delicate. There are aluminum female threads all over the engine and these get wrenched on by hundreds of thousand of mechanics, daily, all around the world.

Also, I thought the Raptor didn't have a rear diff drain plug. It does, it just fades more forward than backward. I strongly suspect the non Raptors have the same.

I don't think it's paranoid, but it's not something that you want someone to just wrench on until they think it's tight enough. You want someone who knows what the torque setting are supposed to be as second nature (or have immediate and easy access to that info on the spot). Doesn't have to be a dealer, but if you don't know who is working on your car and trust them, then the dealership offers you some recourse if it's damaged. Accidents like this happen everywhere, regardless if the dealership or not. Just easier to have a Ford dealer to deal with directly on the fix instead of some garage somewhere. My previous car was a 2014 MB E350 sedan. Three of the pan bolts were missing, sold to me as a CPO. Reason they were missing is because they were over torqued and stripped out the threads. MB never fixed it and I didn't even think to look for it when I bought it. Had to have them retapped. I've also had a front tire go flying off my car at 60mph because Mr. Tire forgot to torque down the hub bolts after a basic rotation and alignment out in the middle of the country of NC. $15k of damage, including having it flat bedded back to my local Toyota dealership here in DC for the repair work. They paid for it all, but not after a threatening letter from a nasty attorney to do so. Accidents happen..

I think the Raptor has the Ford Performance rear diff cover? That's the one I could consider to replace the stock non-raptor cover that doesn't have a drain plug. Only a fill. At least on mine, that was the case anyway.

 

[contented]

I actually bought a 1/4” drive torque wrench when I installed the PPE pan and new filter. Even removing the fill plug when trans is up to temp isn’t all that difficult once you figure out the exact way to precisely put your hand on the plug w/o burning yourself (and get over the fear of burning yourself). One also needs an inexpensive fluid pump to get fresh oil into the trans.

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