Real transmission filter - not the strainer in the pan

[Jhelms]

I picked mine up directly from magnefine on ebay (their official outlet) only $12ea shipped.

Magnefine 3 8" Inline Magnetic Power Steering Filter | eBay

 

[Kanoe]

Napa

I picked one up at Napa in Montana for $12-13 out the door. They had 'em in stock.

I am using it on my power steering return line. Got my fluid visibly cleaner than flushing alone.

 

[ben550]

I suspect that in most of these instances the transmission was having problems, and that's what prompted someone to service it in the first place. At that point it was so far gone a fluid change wasn't going to do anything for it, but the last thing that was done to it gets the blame for the failure.

I've worked with hydraulic systems for a lot of years (and overhauled several automatic transmissions when I was a broke young man), and dirt is never good. Even if the grit was aiding the clutches it would be killing all the spools in the valves, the pump, and the regulators. The clearances on those components is very tight, to the point where a lot of the surfaces are ground rather than machined.

I agree. I too have changed the fluid (disconnecting the return line) on several vehicles with high mileage. I have never had a problem (except people telling me my world was going to end...) Old fluid loses its lubricating properties and should be changed. Doing a drain and fill or even disconnecting the return line does not change anything from the normal function/flow of transmission fluid. You need to do it correctly get the level right etc... A failure after a fluid change indicates improper procedure or that the transmission was shot anyways and it was your last ditch effort to get it fixed before a rebuild/replacement.

Of course only do what you are comfortable with but I am a big believer in replacing the fluids (especially if buying used with no maintenance history). I get a good feeling watching the transmission fluid change from brown to red.

 

[cashmoney]

To each his own I guess.

 

[3bears]

mounted mine yesterday and cleaned up my horn wiring

 

[Jhelms]

Right on man - did mine on both 4runners too. I do not use a separate transmission cooler so I mounted them just off the return line from the rad.

Also some photos of the pan cleaning on my silver 4runner. Pan had never been dropped. Was great to add the filters right after dropping the pans.

 

[mendozer]

how is everything running after this filter add-on? Also, dropping the pan and cleaning the screen...is that considered a flush? When I hear flush I'm imagining a much more involved process than this. This just seems like a drain and fill with the addition of pan cleanup

 

[3bears]

ve been using my magnafine for 2 years now, well , swapped it a few months ago.
a flush is more involved, it has been discussed often, use the search on this forum and you should come up with it.
I flushed mine shortly after I got it, then a few months ago did it again and switched to synthetic.
I bet MTBTM has done a video on it, go to youtube type in 4runner transmission flush

 

[mendozer]

well I don't plan to flush it. I have 154 on mine. Bought it with 125. I don't know the history therefore won't take the chance. So these magenefines should be changed out regularly then huh? Is the whole point to not need dropping the pan out?

 

[3bears]

better filtration is the reason, and you can change it and not drop the pan
since I was doing a remote cooler, felt a good time to add. I have had them on several cars, including some Volvo automatics, that you can not change a filter at all, there is no pan to drop.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

well I don't plan to flush it. I have 154 on mine. Bought it with 125. I don't know the history therefore won't take the chance. So these magenefines should be changed out regularly then huh? Is the whole point to not need dropping the pan out?

I change my magnafine in line filters (both 97's have them) once a year.

I have a remote spin on filter on the CJ7. There ain't much room in the engine bay of the 4Runner for one so I opted for the inline.


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[tvpierce]

well I don't plan to flush it. I have 154 on mine. Bought it with 125. I don't know the history therefore won't take the chance. So these magenefines should be changed out regularly then huh? Is the whole point to not need dropping the pan out?

A flush is no more intrusive than driving the vehicle.
You pull the return line from the radiator cooler, and run the engine for a few seconds -- capturing the fluid in a container. A couple of quarts of fluid was pumped out, so you replace it with a couple of quarts of fresh fluid.
Repeat until what's being pumped out looks like what's being put in.
Dropping the pan and cleaning first makes the process more efficient since you're not mixing old & fresh fluid in the pan -- therefore requiring less new fluid for the flush.

The same process has been used for decades in RWD Volvo cars (with essentially the same AW transmission). Those trannys go for hundreds and hundreds of thousands of miles... and transmission failures are unheard of.