tranny fluid change

[4play]

i think it's time for a change, but I dont really want to spend 300 bucks to get it flushed, I know on my f150 i have drain on the torque converter but I dont think our cars have one? do our cars have a re-useable tranny gasket? I was thinking about dumping the fluid from the pan, re filling it drive it for a few days dump it again change the fillter and refill. would tat be good enough?

[RF Overlord]

Depends on the condition of the fluid. If it's clear and pink, then yes.

Here's the deal: Drop the pan and install a new filter. Also install a drain plug in the pan...NAPA sells a good one for short money. Re-install the pan...yes, the gasket is reusable. Add 4 quarts of Mercon V. Drive the car around the block and drain the fluid again. Do another drain-and-fill every couple of oil changes, or whenever the mood strikes you. No need to replace the filter again for at least another 30,000 miles.

If your fluid is very dark, or is brownish and/or smells burnt, do a complete fluid exchange. Should cost more like $150 or so, not $300.

*EDIT* There's no drain plug on the TC...Ford dropped those in '01.

[fastblackmerc]

Depends on the condition of the fluid. If it's clear and pink, then yes.

Here's the deal: Drop the pan and install a new filter. Also install a drain plug in the pan...NAPA sells a good one for short money. Re-install the pan...yes, the gasket is reusable. Add 4 quarts of Mercon V. Drive the car around the block and drain the fluid again. Do another drain-and-fill every couple of oil changes, or whenever the mood strikes you. No need to replace the filter again for at least another 30,000 miles.

If your fluid is very dark, or is brownish and/or smells burnt, do a complete fluid exchange. Should cost more like $150 or so, not $300.

*EDIT* There's no drain plug on the TC...Ford dropped those in '01.
If your fluid is dark, has a burnt smell and there is alot of debris in the bottom of the pan, a fluid change won't help.

[Pat]

Noticed your in Canada, is the "300 bucks" for a tranny fluid change in US or Canadian dollars?

I pulled the receipt from my last tranny change and the bill was $193.00 US.
Breakdown: $58.00 labor, $111.00 fluid and some part (?), $8.00 shop supplies and $16.00 Tax.

The work was done at the dealer with a flush and gush machine. That is, the machine is tapped into the cooler lines and with the motor running, the old fluid is pumped out and the new fluid is pumped in, this method also replaces the Torque Converter fluid too.

I couldn't find what the mileage is on your car or if you, or a previous owner, have changed the fluid. Checking the condition of the fluid; level, smell and color, is always a good practice.

Regards,

[Merc-O-matic]

Complete transmission fluid change should be about $200 in USD.
Should be good for 30-40K miles.

Gotta Love It!:beatnik:

[Bradley G]

Do a J mod while you're down there.

[4play]

how would I do that? drill the holes bigger? fluid dont look that bad, just a little darker then new, still pretty light tho. also I take it I will have to tap new threads for the drain plug.

[4play]

ok I looked into the J mod, dont look too bad to do, the one part that confuses me is in this artical http://www.crownvic.net/tech/4R70Wnotes.pdf on page 5 it says

The 2-3 shift accumulator may have fallen during the valve body removal. Place it and the
spring plate back into the 2-3 shift accumulator hole. The accumulator goes in small end top,
large end bottom. Press it into the hole slightly. Then install the old round spring base; one
side is relatively flat and the other has a point; the point goes down. You may have to bend
the tabs out on this piece ever so slightly to get it to stay up in the hole..... plus it says to remove the 1-2 spring, so I remove them both?

[Bradley G]

You got it.
You do not have to use the accumulator springs, but I have heard members want to tone down the shifts.

[RF Overlord]

I take it I will have to tap new threads for the drain plug.Negative. Just drill a ½" hole in the back side of the little sump in the middle of the pan. That's where Ford puts it if you buy the "U-Haul" pan from them.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Drop the pan and drain all of the fluid. Figure out roughly how much fluid you removed, as compared to the overall system capacity including torque converter and cooler (I don't know that quantity offhand). Refill to full. Then disconnect the trans cooler line coming off the radiator as a return and put a length of clear tubing into a large container. Put a trans funnel in your trans dipstick tube. Start the car up and add atf at roughly the same rate it is being discharged. You want to remove roughly the quantity that remained in the system when you dropped the pan. You can use the color of the fluid coming out as an aid. I think some of the FSM's say to flush until the color of the fluid coming out is the same as new fluid.

I did this on my Taurus and I have to do it on the Marauder. It was a lot easier than it sounded, and I know I am doing more than changing 1/3 the system capacity like most people do when they only drop the pan, refill, and think they are done.

[4play]

so it's basically the same as useing a flush machine, except Your the machine lol

I'm still pondering If I should do the J mod, 120,000 miles on the tranny I dont wana risk blowing it up 5000K down the road, hmmmmm, how many of you guys done it, does it really make that big of a difference if I take the springs out?

[JimmyXR7]

Drop the pan and drain all of the fluid. Figure out roughly how much fluid you removed, as compared to the overall system capacity including torque converter and cooler (I don't know that quantity offhand). Refill to full. Then disconnect the trans cooler line coming off the radiator as a return and put a length of clear tubing into a large container. Put a trans funnel in your trans dipstick tube. Start the car up and add atf at roughly the same rate it is being discharged. You want to remove roughly the quantity that remained in the system when you dropped the pan. You can use the color of the fluid coming out as an aid. I think some of the FSM's say to flush until the color of the fluid coming out is the same as new fluid.

I did this on my Taurus and I have to do it on the Marauder. It was a lot easier than it sounded, and I know I am doing more than changing 1/3 the system capacity like most people do when they only drop the pan, refill, and think they are done.

Good Advice!
I would like to add, the reason the pan is dropped is to clean the magnet at the bottom of the pan. The clean magnet can then function properly again.
Marauders are driven harder than Taxis and the transmission needs servicing at every 30,000 miles (or sooner). DO NOT wait until 60,000 miles on a Marauder.
Jim

[bob6364]

I'm at 80k with 0 trans fluid changes:eek:....I'm DOOMED!

[Paul]

I know there are threads out there on this. You don't need to drop the pan, you can disconnect the return line from the cooler, put it in an 8 qt bucket, start car and let idle til the fluid coming out starts to sputter/bubble. Should be about 5 quarts worth. Turn car off, reconnect cooler line, refill with fresh Mercon V. Do it again next oil change, or whenever. You will gradually refresh the fluid this way and keep it fresh. I also added a Magnefine inline filter to catch any potential wear particles.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

^what scares me about that way is you are running the trans out of fluid. If you know the system has 13 quarts total, and you disconnect the return line from the cooler and let it pump into a large enough container, and just keep adding fluid through the dipstick tube at about the same rate its pumped out, and stop when you've run about 13 quarts through, then you won't be running the trans low. I don't know if running it dry for a split second will hurt anything but I am not gonna find out on my car. Gotta do my trans flush tonight and I will do it with the huge bucket / keep topping off method

[JimmyXR7]

I'm at 80k with 0 trans fluid changes:eek:....I'm DOOMED!
Two or three scheduled transmission services at $200 each is alot cheaper than a trans rebuild at $2,000 with a week of down time and a rental car.
Do you change the engine oil?
Why not your transmission fluid? (the trans fluid is oil based too.)
The magnet in the trans pan can collect only so much before it is no longer useful.
100 dollar wise and 1,000 dollar foolish is what I hope to not be.
Jim

[Jim_Rockford]

Dropping the pan and valve body for the jmod takes 10 quarts, Your good just changing that.

[bawazir]

i think it's time for a change, but I dont really want to spend 300 bucks to get it flushed, I know on my f150 i have drain on the torque converter but I dont think our cars have one? do our cars have a re-useable tranny gasket? I was thinking about dumping the fluid from the pan, re filling it drive it for a few days dump it again change the fillter and refill. would tat be good enough?


.



Who Recommends Flushing As Maintenance? People who want's to make money out of you that who.. Do Not Flush is bad for ur trans
The shops that want to sell you the engine or transmission flush charge anywhere from $49.95 to $99.95, not including a new engine or transmission. Those are extra. And they state quite emphatically that it is recommended that it be done. But who actually recommends that it be done? I checked with GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Honda and several other new car manufacturers and not one recommended an engine or transmission flush as routine maintenance. In fact, they specifically don't recommend it at all!! The new car dealerships that do sell them use the implication that since they are the dealer that it must be the factory that recommends it. And if they do say the factory recommends it, they are flat out lying to you.
The only ones who do recommend flushing as a maintenance procedure are the companies that sell the flush machines and the shops that buy them. The flush machine manufacturers state quite clearly in their operating manuals not to use their machines on "high-mileage vehicles". That simple statement proves that flushing is not a safe procedure. It also absolves them of any responsibility of any damage that may occur due to the use of their equipment. This leaves the shop wholly responsible for anything that happens and the cost of correcting the damage that occurs.


I know this since I recently appeared as a witness in a lawsuit where a person was sold an engine flush that destroyed his engine.
The Facts...


The fact is, if you do frequent engine oil and filter changes and service the transmission every 15,000 miles there is no need for a flush. I have customers that change their oil every 3,000 miles and they don't need to use fancy oils and filters, and after over 100,000 miles, the oil comes out almost as clean as it goes in. They have regular transmission services and their transmission still shifts like new, even with well over 100,000 miles on it.
If you have neglected regular oil changes and you want to do some interior engine cleaning, get the oil and filter changed and replace one quart of motor oil for one quart of transmission fluid. The transmission fluid has a high detergent content that will clean the engine without damaging it. Do this every 3,000 miles and you will clean the inside of the engine slowly and gently.
If you do get a flush, I recommend you do it when you can afford to replace the engine or transmission.


Read more at Suite101: Do You Need To Flush?: (http://autotechrepair.suite101.com/article.cfm/040206#ixzz0b8T2ylRT) http://autotechrepair.suite101.com/article.cfm/040206#ixzz0b8T2ylRT (http://autotechrepair.suite101.com/article.cfm/040206#ixzz0b8T2ylRT)

[fastblackmerc]

.



Who Recommends Flushing As Maintenance? People who want's to make money out of you that who.. Do Not Flush is bad for ur trans
The shops that want to sell you the engine or transmission flush charge anywhere from $49.95 to $99.95, not including a new engine or transmission. Those are extra. And they state quite emphatically that it is recommended that it be done. But who actually recommends that it be done? I checked with GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Honda and several other new car manufacturers and not one recommended an engine or transmission flush as routine maintenance. In fact, they specifically don't recommend it at all!! The new car dealerships that do sell them use the implication that since they are the dealer that it must be the factory that recommends it. And if they do say the factory recommends it, they are flat out lying to you.
The only ones who do recommend flushing as a maintenance procedure are the companies that sell the flush machines and the shops that buy them. The flush machine manufacturers state quite clearly in their operating manuals not to use their machines on "high-mileage vehicles". That simple statement proves that flushing is not a safe procedure. It also absolves them of any responsibility of any damage that may occur due to the use of their equipment. This leaves the shop wholly responsible for anything that happens and the cost of correcting the damage that occurs.


I know this since I recently appeared as a witness in a lawsuit where a person was sold an engine flush that destroyed his engine.
The Facts...


The fact is, if you do frequent engine oil and filter changes and service the transmission every 15,000 miles there is no need for a flush. I have customers that change their oil every 3,000 miles and they don't need to use fancy oils and filters, and after over 100,000 miles, the oil comes out almost as clean as it goes in. They have regular transmission services and their transmission still shifts like new, even with well over 100,000 miles on it.
If you have neglected regular oil changes and you want to do some interior engine cleaning, get the oil and filter changed and replace one quart of motor oil for one quart of transmission fluid. The transmission fluid has a high detergent content that will clean the engine without damaging it. Do this every 3,000 miles and you will clean the inside of the engine slowly and gently.
If you do get a flush, I recommend you do it when you can afford to replace the engine or transmission.


Read more at Suite101: Do You Need To Flush?: (http://autotechrepair.suite101.com/article.cfm/040206#ixzz0b8T2ylRT) http://autotechrepair.suite101.com/article.cfm/040206#ixzz0b8T2ylRT (http://autotechrepair.suite101.com/article.cfm/040206#ixzz0b8T2ylRT)



Well at least we know "Mr. Walmart" can cut-n-paste.

Tell how the 1 quart of tranny fluid in your engine works out.......

[Jim_Rockford]

Tell how the 1 quart of tranny fluid in your engine works out.......

I've done it on used cars for years, doesn't hurt a thing.

[RF Overlord]

I checked with GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Honda and several other new car manufacturers and not one recommended an engine or transmission flush as routine maintenance. In fact, they specifically don't recommend it at all!! The new car dealerships that do sell them use the implication that since they are the dealer that it must be the factory that recommends it. And if they do say the factory recommends it, they are flat out lying to you.False. Read the factory service manual. It specifically states that doing a fluid exchange is the PREFERRED method of servicing the transmission.
The flush machine manufacturers state quite clearly in their operating manuals not to use their machines on "high-mileage vehicles". That simple statement proves that flushing is not a safe procedure.Wrong again. Nowhere in the manual for the T-Tech machine does it say anything of the sort.
...replace one quart of motor oil for one quart of transmission fluid. The transmission fluid has a high detergent content that will clean the engine without damaging it. Do this every 3,000 miles and you will clean the inside of the engine slowly and gently.That is an old-school myth. ATF does NOT have a high detergent content.

bawazir, NONE of what that person wrote is correct, although I don't expect anyone to take just my word for it. Do some research on BITOG and Noria and you'll realise what a dis-service that person was doing by posting blatantly inaccurate info.