After Market Spin on Transmission Filter Kit???

What's the overall consensuses with aftermarket in-line spin on Transmission Filter Kits? I can see where they would be beneficial. But are they safe for the system? If so who makes the best quality offerings?

ie;
The Derale 13090 Transmission Filter Kit

$58 Derale 13090 Transmission Filter Kit

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CJ25PC?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER#customerReviews

 

I believe our resident transmission expert @gearcruncher advises against transmission filters in the off chance of when they get clogged it can stop flow of fluid which can be a problem. I think a high quality spin on filter would be fine, as long as you use one made for transmission pressures. Normal engine oil filters will probably just open the bypass if they were plumbed up to a transmission I think due to the higher pressures.
Lets say it does filter and catch metals etc. I think you are much better off installing a larger transmission cooler rather than adding a filter. Keeping the fluid at proper temperature is going to go a lot longer way than filtering out metal particles which your transmission is constantly making.

I learned this just the other day I dropped my pan, cleaned it and replaced the strainer inside. Then I proceeded to do several pan fluid swaps to get mostly new fluid in. I noticed the first 4.5 quarts that came out with the pan & strainer were a slightly dark red, and after that the fluid looked pretty good. But I did notice a decent amount of metal in the oil even on my 3rd drain. Once I got the fluid pretty dang clean, when I drove the truck I noticed my truck shifted a lot more soft which is the opposite of how it should shift. It was like this for the first 10 or so miles and now it is shifting firm again.
Going forward I am not going to try and clean all the metal fragments out, I will probably just swap the pan fluid once and call it good every 30,000 miles.

Long story short just make sure your transmission has an adequate cooler for your use. I wouldn't worry about filtering all the metal out and I am starting to think leaving a little bit of it in the fluid actually helps it shift properly. If Aisin didn't want all the metal fragments in the transmission they would have put a paper filter inside the transmission like a 4L80 or outside with a spin on filter like some subaru automatics.

 

This is an interesting take on the motivation to avoid one of these systems. The concern of removing too much metal or sentiment from the fluid. Sounds like so many stories I heard before. Of where the transmission simply will not operate with a complete fresh fluid flush due to its absence. By this logic and your insinuation. The transmission may have been designed to purposely operate under these conditions. And for all I know they, or you may be right. And if this is true, It leaves me to wonder. Would the life of a new tranny be dramatically reduced if you were to run and maintain one with a quality filter system from the start?

As to the cooler advice, I happen to be doing an install this week. That's kind of what brought on the filter question. One of those "While I'm in there things". I'm installing a new OE Cooler I picked it up from a fellow member a while back. I know that it is not on par with the many other offerings available. But I have it already. I have a 4 speed 4 banger. And never toe anything heavier than my Fishing Kayak Trailer. So it's more of an add-on for transmission health in the Texas heat. Then a must-have because of HD use or off-roading.

 

I can't really tell you for sure one way or the other. I had a subaru that had a spin on transmission filter, when I changed it the car had around 220k, and it was the original Japanese filter. I later found out I changed it with the wrong filter so it was basically going to be in bypass mode 100% of the time, but it didn't really change the way the car operated. I am sure someone who works on transmissions all day could give you are more definitive answer but I think as long as you do a pan drain/fill on a regular schedule you shouldn't have to worry about adding any extra filters. From my understanding the metals help the clutches engage quicker. So if you kept the fluid clean all the time in theory it would just wear the clutches out sooner since they would be slipping more and generating more heat. I am not an expert though so I'm not saying that is 100% the case. I do like the tinker with things but some times I have learned it's better to leave things alone that aren't broken haha.

I am sure with that cooler your transmission will be more than happy for a long time to come. If you really wanted to you could get a scangauge or ultragauge to monitor your transmission temps and see how it does. I believe the ideal temperature is 175 F. I have gotten my transmission much hotter than that a few times but it is still holding up just fine.

 

I don't like adding another point of failure to a very reliable system.

If it was a domestic that was known for failures sure, but the tacos all have very reliable autos.

 

Solution in search of a problem. Aren't these the same transmission that used to be behind the 4.7? These autos just don't fail that much.

I'd be more wary about introducing more soft rubber lines and band clamps to the system. Just adding more places that can leak and drip

 

I run one - had it for about 6 years. It is also where I read the transmission temperature. Never had a problem with it.

Our transmissions do not have filters in the pan - only course screens. I like to pull as much gunk out of the fluid as I can. Old school? Yes - but it works for me.

I plumbed it on the passenger side, and plumbed a larger cooler on the driver's side.

 

There are already rubber lines in the system. Just tap into those.

 

Yes but the oem cooler lines don't have mickey mouse hose clamps that need to stay tight.

I'm agreeing with Bishop, it's an unneeded extra point of failure

 

It really depends on how you use your truck and how you maintain it.

Agree with who you want - it's your truck. The OP asked a question, I just relayed my personal experience.

YMMV

 

What brand is your filter system? The integration is nice BTW.

 

All I'm saying is, if you've got more particles in there than the factory screen and magnets can handle then you've got bigger problems

 

An experienced I had on my 87 el Camino. I had changed the fluid & filter. Soon after driving on the freeway it started slipping badly. Clutch plates have friction material. Apparently they were worn and the worn off material was in the fluid which helped them continue to grab. Once that suspended material was removed it wanted to slip.

 

Trans with out a filter 200K+ transmission with a filter 200K+

 

The filter mount is a Trans Dapt, and the filter is Derale. My cooler is a Derale also.

 

I don’t know if there’s any truth to it but someone told me the cooler fittings should be on top. His reasoning being the top could have trapped air.

 

I've heard similar.

However, Derale states on their web site that coolers can be mounted in any orientation.

 

You do realize that the bean counters (accountants) have at least as much to do with the overall design of a vehicle as the engineers, don't you?

There are many reasons "the factory" doesn't add an external filter - cost being one of the major ones.

 

2nd