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Rstoney51's avatar
Rstoney51
Explorer
Nov 16, 2017

Transmission circulation on 4 wheels down

Have a 2009 Ford Taurus X FWD that I have been told could be towed 4 wheels down. We have towed it for over 2000 miles and am having to replace or rebuild trans. I want to know if there is a pump to help circulate the fluid while being towed. Thanks in advance! It has only 40,000 miles on it. Yes I have.
  • Some "modern automatics" that are flat towable do not rely on the internal pump to lubricate the moving parts while being towed. For example , the GM six speeds that are flat towable have "slingers" on the axle shafts which spray or "sling" the oil either directly on the moving parts or on to stamped metal trays which direct the oil to the needed area. The motion of the axle shaft is all that is needed to provide the lubrication.
  • ScottG wrote:
    Not sure why you quoted me when I didn't refer to anything like that.

    My mistake.
  • We have flat towed our 2008 Ford Taurus X FWD over 80,000 miles since we got it in the spring of 2008 without any problems following the procedures outlined in the owners manual. You either got a bad one or have problems unrelated to it being towed.
  • theoldwizard1 wrote:
    ScottG wrote:
    If your Taurus had a bit over 100 to 150K, that's a normal time for a trans rebuild under normal circumstances.
    Also, a rebuilder should be able to tell you if towing it had anything to do with the failure.

    No "modern" automatic, even non-electronic ones, make enough pressure from the "governor" to adequately circulate fluid in an automatic.

    The problem with an electric pump is making sure that the tow vehicle is supplying adequate voltage for it to operate and that the pump does NOT restricting the flow when the vehicle is being operated normally.


    Not sure why you quoted me when I didn't refer to anything like that.
    If some other company like Remco says it's flat towable than they probably know better than us. I suspect they are right because a trans that is not towable wouldn't last anything close to 2000 miles. Also, trans that make enough pressure on their own often do so through they're own internal pump.
    I dont know how the Taurus works.
  • ScottG wrote:
    If your Taurus had a bit over 100 to 150K, that's a normal time for a trans rebuild under normal circumstances.
    Also, a rebuilder should be able to tell you if towing it had anything to do with the failure.

    No "modern" automatic, even non-electronic ones, make enough pressure from the "governor" to adequately circulate fluid in an automatic.

    The problem with an electric pump is making sure that the tow vehicle is supplying adequate voltage for it to operate and that the pump does NOT restricting the flow when the vehicle is being operated normally.
  • If your Taurus had a bit over 100 to 150K, that's a normal time for them to get a trans rebuild under normal circumstances.
    Also, a rebuilder should be able to tell you if towing it had anything to do with the failure.
  • Remco

    According to FMCA that model is towable. Did you do all the things the owner's manual said to do?