New fluid or recycle

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Ohio66Cuda

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I'm going to change the pan gasket and filter on my 727. All evidence leads me to believe it's the gasket that's leaking. When I drain the fluid I plan on using a clean container. Should I reuse the fluid? If I do should I do any filtering before I add the fluid back in? If I should use new fluid, what should I use. I've seen many posts about what to use vs. what's available.

66 Barracuda, 360 , 727
 
unless you just did this recently and are having to redo it - NEW. I'm sure others here will chime in on what type to go for, and I am equally sure damn near everyone will say NEW fluid. If the car is basically stock, a "regular", off the shelf ATF will suffice.. spend a few extra bucks on a name brand though..
 
If you reuse it, absolutely filter it. If it has any time on it, I would just pitch it and start with new; it will be clean.
 
You do not want ATF+4 for a performance application, to slippery! I only use type F in any 727 that I will be beating on.
 
Don't hate me,but in my personal cars,I reuse the fluids all the time;so long as it's not contaminated. To my way of thinking it's very difficult to wear out oil. Almost extremely difficult.So why do we change it? Cuz it gets polluted. Tiny bits of metal,or band material, or carbon, etc. Most of this junk gets stuck in the filter, and it is sacrificial.Some larger pieces in older trannys falls into the pan.So when doing a gasket and filter swap, the pan junk and filter get pitched, right? That's got to 99% . Right? So when I recycle the CLEAN APPEARING oil, it immediately gets filtered before it ever enters the system, by that brand new filter! IMHO, That's sweet.
Now for the clincher; You know that big fluid coupler they call a convertor? Well there is often more oil in there than in the pan. So if even if you change the pan-oil, something like 60% of the oil will still be OLD oil! heehee.
 
This is good to know as i expect I will be servicing mine this winter and do plan to "beat" on it!! :twisted:
69MOPE said:
You do not want ATF+4 for a performance application, to slippery! I only use type F in any 727 that I will be beating on.
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Why go through all that work and put the old fluid back in? While you're there replace it.
 
Cuz it was $12 that I didn't have,for #1. And I knew the oil in the TC was just gonna "contaminate " the new oil as soon as I started the engine, for #2. And Since I've been rebuilding Mopar autos since about the mid to late 70's, I said to myself "what's the worst that could happen?", for #3. And no I never lost a tranny that could be traced to this procedure. So by now (in 45 years) I've saved a suitcase full of cash. Well maybe not quite that much,heehee. But certainly enough for a free rebuild kit! And a shift kit ,too I bet.
I reuse other fluids too! The two fluids I don't reuse are engine oil and brake fluid; both, for obvious reasons.
Anyway, like I said ;please don't hate me.
 
I made a special funnel insert from a slotted cottage cheese container that holds coffee filters in place. It is a slow process when cold but it gives me some useable juice for a leaky power steering reservoir in a van that I never seem to have time to get around to.....
 
I only reuse it if it has little to no time on it. Fluids philosophy buy cheap / change often... I run plain old Castrol GTX in my race cars and change it every couple months / tranny fluid is usually parts plus brand by the case and it gets changed every season... Just depends on what you do with them and how you value your time... Am I going to strain $15-$20 worth of tranny fluid and dump it back in a $1K transmission, probably not...:happy1:
 
AJ/FormS said:
Cuz it was $12 that I didn't have,for #1. And I knew the oil in the TC was just gonna "contaminate " the new oil as soon as I started the engine, for #2. And Since I've been rebuilding Mopar autos since about the mid to late 70's, I said to myself "what's the worst that could happen?", for #3. And no I never lost a tranny that could be traced to this procedure. So by now (in 45 years) I've saved a suitcase full of cash. Well maybe not quite that much,heehee. But certainly enough for a free rebuild kit! And a shift kit ,too I bet.
I reuse other fluids too! The two fluids I don't reuse are engine oil and brake fluid; both, for obvious reasons.
Anyway, like I said ;please don't hate me.
Click to expand...

My response was directed at the OP. But Ive reused fluids that I know are good a few times during my most recent build. But when it comes to something that you are not sure about how good it is (like I'm gathering from what the OP has said), just replace it. Especially with how nasty that job can get on jackstands because of a lack of a drain plug. It's always nice only doing the job once :)

I got a pretty good deal on Jegs "quick shift" atf so that's what I'm running in my 904.
 
Type F in place of Dexron is a 50 year old trick... great for the strip. But harsher on the gears and friction surfaces. For street, I prefer Dexron III... aan upgrade to what was originally called Type A.
 
Like already mentioned, and I just brought it up in another thread that I will reuse the fluid if it's absolutely clear red when swapping pans or replacing pan gaskets.

I just slip a clean old Tshirt or a piece of a cotton sheet over a clean 5 gal bucket and run it through that.
When ready I take the cloth off and transfer the fluid to a cleaned 1 gallon oil container and put it back in.

I use cheap type F and always have without any issues whatsoever and have never personally lost a trans.
As far as type F being harsher on parts, (maybe, maybe not)
Ford must knowingly use a fluid that is damaging in that case, because Type F is a standard Ford fluid and has been around forever.
All those 60, 70, 80, 90's Mustangs, Lincolns, F series trucks, and every other Ford automatic out there used Type F fluid as a general rule.

We use it in our Mopars because it gives a slightly firmer shift.
 
Thanks for all the feedback. After reading through all of it I'm going to get new fluid. I'm a believer in doing it once and doing it right. The fact that the TC contains 60% of the fluid is somewhat of a concern but I can't do much about it. I'll have to see if Type F or Dexron III is available locally.
Thanks again for all the wisdom and opinions.
 
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