transmission fluid change

[burt ragio]

Just had my transmission fluid and filter changed for the 1st time at 40000 mi. No drag raceing no hole shots no power brake launches mostly highway miles. The only hard use the tranny ever got was my 45 min. test drive when I purchased the car with 64mi. My point is the fluid was not toasted but slightly burned and over due for a change. I do have a Reinhart tune that does adjust shift points but I do believe that adjustment is better for the transmission when changeing shift points and increaseing line pressure for a more positive shift. Dennis correct me if I'am wrong. I will now be changeing my tranny fluid every 25000miles under nornal driveing conditions.

[Zack]

40000 miles?

You should be ashamed of yourself.

I sure hope you had the filter changed AND a flush, cause you still have 8 quarts of crap in there if you just dropped the pan.

[burt ragio]

Yes I did have the filter changed. I'am ashamed and very luckyfor no damage done.

[Zack]

My question was, did you just drop the pan and let the fluid drain out, or did you have a total flush done?

[burt ragio]

I didn't ask. went to a transmission shop asked to have the filter and fluid changed it took 45mins. and cost me $118.00.

[Zack]

Yeah, they dropped the pan and swapped filters.
You need a flush now.
Cough up another $150

[cruzer]

Had my 85,000 mile service--among the items was a transmission service---the pan was dropped , the new filter was installed---closed up refilled, then a full flush--fluid absolutely clear after 200 miles--total cost--$ 179.00. I have this procedure done every 15,000 miles---no tranny trouble. By the way , had my anti-freeze changed--GOLD fluid, flush--no air bubbles, no mess. I think I'll pay the price and stay with the dealer (SVT Ford dealer)

[TJCOX]

Does the torque converter have drain plugs?
Thanks!

[fastblackmerc]

No, the TC drain plugs have been missing for quite a few years. That is why you need the system flushed out.

[burt ragio]

What is the total quarts capacity for a full flush on 4r75w transmission? If I didn't get a full flush I feel slighted and stupid for not knowing to ask the right questions and the shop not giveing me an option. If a customer understood the differance and cared they would request a full flush.I would even if it cost me a few dollars more. Now I will just have to have a full flush done sooner than I would have scheduled.

[TCBO1]

Just make sure you go to a shop that knows what they are doing when it comes to flushing. I've seen what happens when they don't use a flush machine properly and they blow out important seals. Or, they end up giving your vehicle a bath in transmission fluid. :burnout:

[TCBO1]

What is the total quarts capacity for a full flush on 4r75w transmission? If I didn't get a full flush I feel slighted and stupid for not knowing to ask the right questions and the shop not giveing me an option. If a customer understood the differance and cared they would request a full flush.I would even if it cost me a few dollars more. Now I will just have to have a full flush done sooner than I would have scheduled.

According to OD5 it holds 13.9qts.

[RF Overlord]

burt, if the fluid wasn't really icky before the change, then just do a couple more pan drops and you should be fine. Install one of the so-called "U-Haul" pans from Ford that has a built in drain plug (about $75 from various vendors here) or install a universal drain plug in your stock pan ($10 from NAPA). Either way makes changing the ATF just as easy as changing the motor oil. Drive the car for a week and do another drain-and-fill, then do it again the following week. Note: these intervals are very approximate...you can do it all at your convenience. Do a routine drain-and-fill every 15,000 miles or so and your transmission will be happy as a clam.

I will be happy to install the new pan or the universal drain plug in your pan for you if you bring the coffee and donuts. :D PM me or Mary...

[fastcar]

The best way is a POWER FLUSH. But make sure your shop uses an exchanger that has a piston that separates the new oil from the old. This is a costly procedure.

Dropping the pan takes out just 4 quarts, and leaves 8. Not too great, unless you do it every time you do your engine oil...

Dropping the cooler line, and letting the transmission pump the fluid for you is better. You'll get about 8 quarts out this way, leaving 4 in. You could do this every other oil change... This is my method, b/c the price is right;)

Power flush does the entire 12 quarts, and should be done every 15,000 -20,000 IMHO, with hard driving.

fastcar

[RedMerc04]

Approximately how much fluid will dump out if i drop my pan and replace my filter? I would also like to install an aftermarket finned higher capacity trans pan. Can I do this in my driveway without getting drenched in mercon-V?:coolman:

[RF Overlord]

RedMerc, dropping the pan and filter will change approx 4 quarts, which is about 25% of the total. If done at intervals appropriate for the vehicle's use, that's just fine.

Yes, you can do it in your driveway very easily, but you will take an ATF shower the first time. ;) Most aftermarket pans have a drain plug built-in, so it won't happen twice...

Remember to save the OEM gasket as it's designed to be re-used and the cork ones supplied with most filters and aftermarket pans are junk.

[burt ragio]

I will be happy to install the new pan or the universal drain plug in your pan for you if you bring the coffee and donuts. :D PM me or Mary...<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
__________________
Thank you for the offer. I just returned from a short trip from southern Maine. I will install a napa drain plug this week add some new ATF valoline mercon v and do another change the following week.
Would you know who makes an after market tranny pan with cooling fins and drain plug and same oil capacity?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Dropping the cooler line, and letting the transmission pump the fluid for you is better. You'll get about 8 quarts out this way, leaving 4 in. You could do this every other oil change... This is my method, b/c the price is right;)


Isn't there a risk of damaging the pump and bushings by pumping the trans dry? It seems like there would be less risk only replacing 4 qts than pumping the trans dry and potentially galling parts -- I am going to do a fluid change since I already have the car up in the air for a driveshaft swap, and I thought about letting the trans pump fluid out, but that scares me.

Wouldn't it be better to put 14 quarts of fluid into a clean container, stick the inlet cooler line into the bottom of the container, and disconnect the outlet cooler line and pump that into a different container, and have someone watch the containers and have you kill the engine when it had nearly exchanged all of the fluid??

[RF Overlord]

VEB, you're close, but it wouldn't work unless you can hold the container with the fresh fluid high enough to gravity-feed; otherwise the transmission's pump will empty the pan and then go dry.

What many people do is to disconnect the cooler ouput line and redirect it into a bucket, start the car, and then put fresh fluid in through the dipstick tube, which keeps the pan full at all times. It's kind of a juggling act, but produces the same result as using one of the new fluid-exchange machines, for a lot less money.

If the transmission has been properly serviced from new, and not abused, doing a complete flush is unnecessary. Install a drain plug in the pan (or one of the available larger-capacity finned aluminium pans) and do a drain-and-fill every 10,000 miles and you'll be golden.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Aren't you draining out some of the new fluid if you run the car w/ the cooler line disconnected, while adding fluid through the dipstick, since the new fluid will mix w/ the old and then be exhausted through the cooler line? The resulting fluid in the trans will be some unknown mix of old/new. It seems like you'd end up throwing at least half of the new fluid out doing it this way.

I don't know about 10k mile fluid changes, I drive highway only and don't race and w/ synthetic fluid, that is throwing good fluid down the drain.

[RF Overlord]

VEB, you're right about the 10,000-mile interval. Given your driving conditions, that WOULD be overkill, especially with synthetic fluid. 30,000 would be more appropriate.

Doing a flush the way I described will not mix fluids. This is exactly the way the T-Tech (and other) fluid-exchange machines work, except the T-Tech uses a double-ended cylinder, with a disk in the middle (like a shock absorber). Fresh fluid in pumped into one end of this cylinder, pushing the disk to the other end. When it's full, the machine is connected to the cooler lines and the car started. The transmission's own pump then forces the old fluid into the other end of the cylinder, causing the disk to push the fresh fluid back into the transmission lines at the same rate.

The only difference in the method I described is that you would be putting the fresh fluid back in manually, one quart at a time.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

It seems that no matter what, you will always be discarding at least some new fluid, since once the new fluid gets added to the trans via dipstick or cooler line, it mixes w/ the old fluid once it finds its way back into the pan, and then you end up discarding some of it as you continue to pump out.

And yeah I have 29.5k so I am doing 30k intervals. I usually don't have to worry about going too many miles w/ newer car automatic trans's because usually the trans fails before the fluid changes are due, LOL. W/ my acura I was changing transmissions several times a year, which came w/ convenient automatic fluid changes.

[RF Overlord]

The only place the old and new fluids would mix is in the very beginning of the process. The fresh fluid would mix with the small amount of old fluid in the pan until the pump has drained it. Once that small mixed quantity has been pumped through, everything else behind it is fresh fluid. Yes, you're correct that there would be that small amount of mixing but that's why most fluid-exchange machines hold more fluid than the transmission does, to ensure that that small amount is completely flushed through.

No matter whether you use the machine or use the method I described, there will always be that small amount of mixing.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Thanks. Is it worth changing the filter at 30k or should I just flush the fluid? I assume the filter is large enough to not need a change every single time? Also which cooler line is OUT from the trans, to disconnect for fluid flushing.

Thanks again

[ts-pa]

I've read that the upper port on the trans is out to the cooler.

I've also read that if there isn't any debris in pan, the filter doesn't need to be changed. If you are changing pans, I'd change the filter just because it is exposed, then you will know it is done.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I will change pans at some point to the F350 pan w/ plug in it, but for now it's going to stay stock. Thanks

[RF Overlord]

Vic, the lower port is the hot fluid out TO the cooler.

Other than that, I agree with what ts-pa said ^^^. If you want to do the flush now and wait until you replace the pan to change the filter, that should be fine. It won't need changing again unless you keep the car for a very long time... :)

[ts-pa]

DOH! memory slip! RF is correct see here (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showpost.php?p=551995&postcount=2)

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Got it, thanks again guys