Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum Torque converter shudder

My 14 ford escape had a pretty bad shudder between 30 and 50 mph. Have y’all had any luck just changing the fluid to help it or should I just rebuild it? I’ve seen a lot of videos where just changing fluid stops it. 142k miles on it.

I have no experience with this but if those are your two options. I would try the cheaper first. Change the fluid and see what happens. The worst is having to replace which you already said was option 2.

Do not change the fluid. A tube of shudder stop from the auto parts is the most simple and cheapest as a first option.

A bottle of Ford limited slip additive will fix it if it can be fixed with an additive.

Second the shudder stop. It’s about $9 a tube

If you do a complete flush. With an actual flushing machine. It changes the fluid completely. This will definitely help

I have a 2017 with about 115k miles and it started doing the same shutter. Changed the fluid and it’s made a big difference. Not perfect but definitely better than it was.

I've had two different certified Toyota / Lexus mechanics talk against a flush on high milage vehicles that are showing a problem. They said it's rolling the dice. Sometimes it helps , sometimes it won't make it 10 miles after doing it.

I jad my 17 rebuilt lasted a year and the shutter came back, put the shutter fluid in it and worked great for 3 months shutter is back, and been shuttering since last october and i drive it all over the state and pissed off the whole time

I have read that a fluid & filter change is better than a flush. When they flush they don't necessarily change the filter. The flush is easier for them and they charge more.

Might try some friction modifier from the Ford place. It worked in my last F150 I had.

Fluid only or fluid and filter change , but no flush on a high mileage with issues. Least that's what I've been told by people I trust.

I drive a 2017 f150 with 266k+ miles. It has the shudder but it's a enterprise fleet company vehicle. I just put up with the shudder. It would bother me if it was a personal vehicle and I would try the shudder fix additive.

Motorcraft (Ford) XL-3 Limited Slip Friction Modifier . I would imagine Spicer's limited slip additive would work well also. All I've ever used was Ford though.

Yeah, that’s some good stuff

Whats the difference between a fluid change and a flush?

Filter change doesn’t get fluid out of most torque converters.

Flush hooks into the trans cooler lines and pumps out old fluid and in with new. It changes all fluid . Just a standard drain and re-fill normally doesn't get the fluid in the torque converter. The problems it can cause as I understand it is there's some pressure involved and it can dislodge particles and such and they may clog holes and ports.

Midas shops which performs trans flushing states ' an already compromised transmission should not be flushed.'

The last time I thought I had a shudder it was a bad coil pack.