To do a proper flush you need to flush first and then drop the pan to change the filter. anything other than ATF4 will cause you problems. good luck with that.

The problem with using other than ATF+4 in Chrysler transmissions built starting around the mid 90s is the friction coefficient (μ) in the Chrysler 7176E transmission fluid spec. They started using a new clutch material at that time in the early electronically controlled trannys. You can get away with using ATF+4 in the earlier A518s and 727s, but not the other way around. If you haven't run it too long like that you may be OK to do a couple quick changes and avoid major problems. But if you run them like that for long they will be lunched sooner or later, depending on how hard they are being used.

What ever became of this?

I am with NadirPoint on this. I want to add an external filter to mine because the in pan filter just doesn't do that great of a job of catching junk. Besides, isn't the flow from the converter, through the cooler and then to the transmission? If so then when the converter sends junk (Particles really!) out in the oil then the trans will get those in the oil supply. If you put in an external filter in the line going to the cooler, you will catch that junk before it gets sent into your trans!!
I just put in a shift kit and I can tell you there is metal and clutch 'dust' inside the trans. It would be good to catch a little of that in a filter!!

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

Is this for sure? I was hoping there would be a drain plug! (I think I will still look to be sure! Easy enough except for having to 'roll' over that monster attached to the front of the trans! . . . LOL)

The stock tranny filter is basically just a rock catcher. I believe the prevailing theory on trans maintenance is the rock catcher will stop anything that migh cause catastrophic failure, stick a valve, etc. Whatever else doesn't settle out in the pan or on the magnet gets dumped on fluid changes. So with this minimalist maintenance they will normally make it out of warranty.

I'd prefer better. :w2:

Here are the updated links from my previous post:

http://stuff.is-a-geek.net/PhotoAlbu...ics/CRD_11.JPG
http://stuff.is-a-geek.net/PhotoAlbu...ics/CRD_12.JPG
http://stuff.is-a-geek.net/PhotoAlbu...ics/CRD_13.JPG

If you decide to do this, just make sure you get it plumbed right - in "bypass" mode. You can run a full-flow filter inline or in series in one line, but make sure it has an integrated bypass valve if you do. I would not recommend that anyway, because I don't know how or at what pressure level the relationship between any given bypass valve and flow through the circuit will affect cooling performance.

I will cut open this filter to see what it did after the next transmisson service and post the results here.

No drain plug in any of these stock converters that I have ever found.

Have toyed with this idea for a while because the stock steels spit so much metal out and good clutches spit material. Been told by multiple builders its not a good idea because of the potential for harming the trans lube delivery.

With a shift kit and much higher line pressures I am wondering if the pressure drop across a filter and the cooler is low enough to make it feasible. If we can hold more pressure thru a filter than the OE setup does without then it should work quite well.

Might have to put some ports in cooler output and return and check the actual pressure drops to see if they are good.

They are not thinking "bypass" mode, and from that standpoint they are correct. That is why I warn against an inline setup. Plumbed as shown in my pics above, there is literally zero effect on flow potential through the cooler circuit. I doubt it even requires the .035 restricror I have on the filter input. That is mainly to ensure slow flow through the filter.

What is the pressure drop from filter inlet to filter return? Just how effective is a setup like that and how to quantify it?

A bypass works quite well in pressure to no-pressure setup, not so well when you have pressure on both sides. Fluid simply takes the route of least resistance and unless the differential is great enough its relatively ineffective. Still going to route the majority of the fluid unfiltered and as the filter begins to work back to full bypass.

I really cannot justify something like that unless its going to be 90% effective. Too much work and potential leaks for a small return. A full flow filter with a bypass that is adequate would be much more worth the time and effort, IF the pressure drop is manageable.

Yeah you're right, it's worthless. I wouldn't bother with it if I were you.

Don't think like that!! It is worth it anytime you can do something to make the trans last longer and perform better!
To that end, I would rather install a full flow system. I have to agree with cerberus60 though on the points he made. So I have done some looking:

The OEM TC does NOT have a drain plug :argh: (My old 727 did so I was hoping they would have continued the tradition. Oh well . . . )

While they use .500" O. D. lines, the I. D. is .443" (or so. . . ) and the brass fitting on the side of the trans actually has an I. D. of .328" So if the cooler has line pressure on it, then what would the max pressure be (To help figure out flow numbers. If the filter can flow more than that figure, I would think the pressure drop across it would be minimal.)? (I was going to just install a filter with over 20 gpm flow with at least a 1" thread and consider it good. Now, I think we should determine flow and what the micron rating of the filter should be.) I think with enough research we can come up with some good filters that would meet the need here.

It seems to me the first question we need answered is what the pressure is in the cooler line.

FSM flows show full line pressure in TC lockup mode around 120 psi, 10-50 psi in non lockup mode. On a stock unit this means pressure will run anywhere from 10-120 psi depending on what mode the trans is in.

One question is what is the actual pressure in the lines because I was chatting about this with someone else and he was reading only 55 psi in lockup mode in the return line. Is his gauge accurate or the FSM specs what the internal pressure is and its orficed in the output line? Is there that much pressure drop thru the cooler? What happens when one modifies the VB with shift kits? I am maxing line pressure at over 200 psi, will an adequate filter handle that much flow? Efficiency drops off in higher flows and low micron ratings. What is it going to cost for the benefit and how to quantify the benefit?

Sizing the filter gets to be problematic as it has to be able to flow with minimal pressure drop at that range of pressure with adequate filtering capability. To little flow capability and it just goes into bypass under high pressure. Size it for max flow and it will drop maybe too low at other times.

Only way to tell is cut both lines and install ports to check with a known good gauge. Thats on my to-do list. Also need a bit more info on flow capability at different pressures and the associated filtering capabilities at those flow rates. Doesn't make sense to install something that is not capable of doing what it needs to in ALL conditions. :humm: