Would you service a ZF with 200,000 kms?

[fgpsi]

Would you service a ZF with 200,000 kms that has never been serviced ? or would you just leave it ? Car is a 2013 mk II xr6 ute

[Dr Smith]

Two chains of thought, both experienced by myself.

VW Transporter 2007, six speed, Japanese Aisin torque conv. auto, 85,000km, bought brand new.

Service manual doesn't state a transmission service... at all..ever...and I decide to have one based on my upbringing of service before a problem...
well on driving out of the dealership the transmission starts to flare and slam into 4th from 3rd...u-turn back and end up with replacement box under warranty even though it showed no issue prior to the service...my service request meant after flushing all the wear and damage was fully exposed.


If your transmission is working smoothly, no slip, judder or delay in engaging and you're happy to keep going until it potentially fails, which it might never....then keep going.

If however you are experiencing some problems and don't want to get stuck one day by the side of the road, then book a service and be ready for issues...and use a trusted workshop as the less trusting side of my brain always thinks when you book a service with a list of issues you may get a full page of repair items and its hard to know what is necessary or not.

[Sprintey]

We serviced ours every 80,000 or so I think - 4 times.
Gearbox died in heavy travel use with 330,000+km on it. Has been rebuilt, and we'll change the fluids every 80K like before. Mechanic reckoned we did pretty well, he usually sees 170,000km out of a ZF?

[Blue Roo]

I service my ZF Gearbox every 100,000km. My 2013 F6 Ute has done 140,000km.

[boss351290]

Friend had a 2010 G6e non turbo cab bought new. Changed engine oil every 10000k and ZF auto and diff oil every 50000k. Over 600000km. Original Engine Box and diff.

[ToryMikey]

Yes. Please do.

I’m not sure where the “don’t service your auto transmission” myth comes from, but I’ve heard it too many bloody times. Maybe from the owners manuals referencing the so-called “sealed for life” BTR autos?

[fgpsi]

I have also heard of 200,000km plus zf's being serviced for the first time and then they start to get problems immediately after the service

The question is not whether we should service them, the question is should you service it for the first time ever at 200,000kms +

[Swordie]

I'd call a transmission specialist / expert.

They would of seen plenty of ZF's.

[Citroënbender]

Unless you have two exactly comparable transmissions, the argument will go endlessly.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

We serviced ours every 80,000 or so I think - 4 times.
Gearbox died in heavy travel use with 330,000+km on it. Has been rebuilt, and we'll change the fluids every 80K like before. Mechanic reckoned we did pretty well, he usually sees 170,000km out of a ZF?

Oh crap, better be prepared of my gearbox to **** itself then: about to click over 190000km on the FGII and the gearbox has never been touched.

Originally Posted by ToryMikey

Yes. Please do.

I’m not sure where the “don’t service your auto transmission” myth comes from, but I’ve heard it too many bloody times. Maybe from the owners manuals referencing the so-called “sealed for life” BTR autos?

Hardly a myth. It comes from the gearbox and vehicle OEMs. Having said that, I also appreciate that suitable lubrication is key to mechanical appartaus reliability.

[Sprintey]

FGX, it'll be how you treat it. He did seem convinced on the 170k for ZF no fluid, but if I recall that's also wherebouts the old BTR would pack it in.

We really killed ours, filled with Christmas gifts (including heavy garden plant stands my son had built for the Nana's), family and the Mrs spared no horses on the last 17 hr driving day getting into Perth in the heat...

Anyway, it now gets a new lease on life and after the bill she is cognisant that you have to give a bit of care to cars, too.

[Jastel]

I would have serviced it 3 times by now.

Having had 15 or so box changes in the cabs using them, most got over 300000kms before playing up, best was 500000 for a cab only an old guy drove, worst was about 175000 twice.

All serviced the same, first at 100000kms when out of warranty, then every 50000kms with new oil and filter. Have tried various oils...seems to be no difference either.

By "playing up" I mean they would go to limp mode once or twice a day...taxi drivers wont put up with that...a private driver might.

[Franco Cozzo]

I think you're doing well if you get 200,000km out of a modern torque converter auto, especially if you're doing suburban driving, think about how many times it'll slip the clutches for that nice smooth imperceptible gear change.

And that's before someone like me comes along and abuses it

[FairmontGS]

I drained and replaced the ATF from my 2011 DCT Fiesta with only 38,000 kms. Meant to be sealed-for-life, no service. Smelt and looked like wee-wee. Car was completely revived.

Change the ATF at least.

[fgpsi]

Originally Posted by Jastel

I would have serviced it 3 times by now.

Having had 15 or so box changes in the cabs using them, most got over 300000kms before playing up, best was 500000 for a cab only an old guy drove, worst was about 175000 twice.

All serviced the same, first at 100000kms when out of warranty, then every 50000kms with new oil and filter. Have tried various oils...seems to be no difference either.

By "playing up" I mean they would go to limp mode once or twice a day...taxi drivers wont put up with that...a private driver might.

yeah but would you have done a service at around 200,000 if it never had one before ?

[Jastel]

Yes

Changing oil wont fix a box with problems, but it might lessen them or smooth them out for a bit...if your box has no problems then I cant see how new oil will cause a new problem.

First thing I do with any new car is change every fluid so I know whats in it.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

I drained and replaced the ATF from my 2011 DCT Fiesta with only 38,000 kms. Meant to be sealed-for-life, no service. Smelt and looked like wee-wee. Car was completely revived.

Change the ATF at least.

Sealed for life is a scam.

Old man's manual Fiesta ST started getting hard to get third gear, changed the trans fluid which isn't on the service schedule and it fixed the problem.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by Jastel

I would have serviced it 3 times by now.

Having had 15 or so box changes in the cabs using them, most got over 300000kms before playing up, best was 500000 for a cab only an old guy drove, worst was about 175000 twice.

All serviced the same, first at 100000kms when out of warranty, then every 50000kms with new oil and filter. Have tried various oils...seems to be no difference either.

By "playing up" I mean they would go to limp mode once or twice a day...taxi drivers wont put up with that...a private driver might.

Would have been an interesting exercise to run a similar sample size without changing the oil to see what you would've ended up with.

At the moment, you don't really have any comparative data ad you only have one data set, as impressive as that is.

The problem with comparing your data to Sprintey's mechanic ate is that we don't know the usage pattern. I'm guessing your cars would all be used in similar sorts of environs.

[ToryMikey]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Sealed for life is a scam.

Old man's manual Fiesta ST started getting hard to get third gear, changed the trans fluid which isn't on the service schedule and it fixed the problem.

Complete and utter scam in my opinion. Just look at the Jatco CVTs...sealed for life, just so happens the life is 30,000km!

I would service it every 40000km's or 2 yr's if you drive hard...

[Franco Cozzo]

Maybe 'life' just means 140,000km in this day and age?

[Jastel]

Originally Posted by FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0

Would have been an interesting exercise to run a similar sample size without changing the oil to see what you would've ended up with.

At the moment, you don't really have any comparative data ad you only have one data set, as impressive as that is.

The problem with comparing your data to Sprintey's mechanic ate is that we don't know the usage pattern. I'm guessing your cars would all be used in similar sorts of environs.

Not too many Fords left in Cabland anymore...
Mine all had the same driving conditions as you put it...but none were new to me from the factory...how the cops or whoever drove it before I had it who knows...

Weve all heard the cops flog them to death stories but again in my experience a cop car would ALWAYS be better mechanically kept and as it was always at operating temp I found they were more reliable than other cars owned by some other mob who used them less.

You also cant compare a Melbourne car to me in Qld, or a country car to a city car, its no strain on a cars gearbox to cruise at 100kmh all day compared to a city car doing 1000 take offs to 50kmh all day long.
Those 1 million kms wonder cabs are ALL in cities with freeways and do 3/4 of their life cruising back and forward to the airport.

People can do what they like but if someone offers me a glass of nice clean water or a glass of water from a mud puddle I know what I am drinking.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0

Oh crap, better be prepared of my gearbox to **** itself then: about to click over 190000km on the FGII and the gearbox has never been touched.



Hardly a myth. It comes from the gearbox and vehicle OEMs. Having said that, I also appreciate that suitable lubrication is key to mechanical appartaus reliability.

Similar with me. I did change the oil at 150000km on my FG zf only because I had a new heat exchanger fitted. No difference before and after. Traded it at 170k km.

Territory has 6r80 which is similar to the zf. Currently has 170k km on it and unopened. I don't plan on touching it. Service book says trans service at 245k if used for towing etc.

[irish2]

I have a 2009 G6E turbo. I changed the heat exchanger, and fluid at 80'000km's. Then again at 170,000 km's, and am preparing to do the same now at 260,000km's. Very hard to find an OEM heat exchanger currently though.

[Jastel]

Yes the OEM ones are getting scarce...

Just got 3 el cheapo's from ebay that finally arrived...they look the same but actually weigh MORE than the OEM ones by the feels?? Not used any yet to see reliability but at $100 each you can do it once a year if you like.

[janddbone]

Yes, but with that history change filter and fluid WITHOUT flushing, only change what comes out when the pan is dropped. It will be fine.

[portokatsiki]

Serviced my TTG transmission at 300000k and installed an external cooler no issues here. Make sure you use genuine ford transmission oil

[oldgringo]

Absolutely. I had my 2013 FG ZH auto serviced for the first time at 204,000KM. Complete fluid flush, new filter and external trans cooler fitted.
Now at 258,723 km and no adverse issues.

[stock1991]

Originally Posted by fgpsi

Would you service a ZF with 200,000 kms that has never been serviced ? or would you just leave it ? Car is a 2013 mk II xr6 ute

I would service

[IanC]

I have a 2003 BA wagon with the 4 speed BTR. It has 230,000 on the odo and I have had a transmission cooler fitted. I get the trans fluid changed every 4 or 5 years but when I got it done last time the mechanic put a note on the service printout saying that I should get the trans power flushed at next service. What is the forum's opinion on that?