MisFires - How long to log a code?

[07EddyB]

Hah, oh my this sounds like my Explorer problem. The new filter/trans fluid helped get rid of my rumble strip issue. Ive tried just about everything to get rid of the little tach blip/rpm surge and pretty much gave up. I feel a lot better now that I did

I haven't done it yet - are you saying it didn't get rid on the surge when you did it?

If so, how long have you been living with it?

Did you change the fluid just once or twice? I'm only set for one change now - but having the vac I will do it twice if the symptoms persist. Not a complete fluid exchange of course - but every change increases the ratio of new fluid to old.

 

[07EddyB]

BTW - the remaining shipments showed up about 15 minutes ago. The parts are ready and willing - I'm just tired.

 

[PotatoExplorer]

Yeah, the new transmission fluid/filter only took care of the rumble strip issue but not the (As I've been calling it) rpm surge. Each thing I did seemed like it helped reduce the severity (could even be partially in my head), but never fully got rid of the problem. The most significant thing I did with the biggest improvement was a PCM reset. That really helped balance things out after all the updated parts. I thought about getting a 2nd round of new transmission fluid but I have trust issues with my local mechanics on doing it right and I definitely don't feel like doing that job myself.

 

[07EddyB]

Got it- thanks for the reply.

 

[07EddyB]

The pan has been dropped. Even after sucking fluid out there was still a lot in the pan so a mess was made. But not too bad I guess considering.

 

[tripplec]

Yeah for the times it needs dropping. I have a shop do it on their hoist. I don't want the mess on my garage floor. It would be there forever. LOL

I got a drain plug in one of my vehicles (factory and not sure about the other one yet) Those I'd attempt.

 

[07EddyB]

So I measured about 7.5 quarts that drained. Of course, I only got 6 quarts so the wife made a run for me. I've put about 7.5 in so far. Dipstick still showing low. Calling it a night - it was getting too hot there next to the cat and the exhaust was burning my hose while I was trying to get it in - of course this is while the truck is idling and getting hotter. Will hopefully settle out about 8 quarts - that would be pretty much what came out along with spillage. I have another quart if necessary.
For now - it's beer thirty.

 

[07EddyB]

Yeah for the times it needs dropping. I have a shop do it on their hoist. I don't want the mess on my garage floor. It would be there forever. LOL

I got a drain plug in one of my vehicles (factory and not sure about the other one yet) Those I'd attempt.

I hear you - I'm not real sure why I'm doing it. Transmission fluid is a lot like roofing cement - you just have to look at it and it gets everywhere. My garage really stinks right now.

EDIT - I guess I thought about it and figured out why I did it. I bought this 2007 in 2008 used with 19K miles. It went back to the dealer shortly and had the brake reservoir, the front grill, and the left front bearing replaced. Since then, no one but me has done any work on it. Oil changes, brakes, fuel filter, exhaust manifold, radiator, front and rear bearings, heater door actuator, new stereo with a back up camera, new plugs (none broken!), alternator, battery, the list goes on.
I do like to take care of things and challenge myself. I'm beginning to think it's a mental illness.

 

[PotatoExplorer]

So I measured about 7.5 quarts that drained. Of course, I only got 6 quarts so the wife made a run for me. I've put about 7.5 in so far. Dipstick still showing low. Calling it a night - it was getting too hot there next to the cat and the exhaust was burning my hose while I was trying to get it in - of course this is while the truck is idling and getting hotter. Will hopefully settle out about 8 quarts - that would be pretty much what came out along with spillage. I have another quart if necessary.
For now - it's beer thirty.

After I paid to have the filter/fluid done and it not fixing my rpm surge issue, I decided to take a peak to make sure the fluid was at the correct level. I'm not sure why, but I stupidly cracked open the dipstick cover after a long drive and with the vehicle off. Fluid started spewing out from the hole... and then I stupidly was reading the level on the dipstick with the car off. I further sucked out a quart. I turned the car on and checked the level... it dropped significantly (of course, don't ask what I was thinking). After getting some new fluid I made sure to put some in a little bit at a time with the vehicle on and hot. I had transmission fluid all over the place while trying to do this on my back, with the car on all 4 tires. I ended up melting the crap out of my hose as well.

My distrust for my mechanic came from when I noticed that he snapped my dipstick and tried to resin it back together. Well the resin was still attached to the base of the dipstick but the dipstick was no longer there. So thanks to him I have a piece of plastic dipstick floating around in my pan.

Question - where did you pick up the transmission fluid locally? I tried looking for some at my local Advanced and AutoZone with no luck.

 

[07EddyB]

After I paid to have the filter/fluid done and it not fixing my rpm surge issue, I decided to take a peak to make sure the fluid was at the correct level. I'm not sure why, but I stupidly cracked open the dipstick cover after a long drive and with the vehicle off. Fluid started spewing out from the hole... and then I stupidly was reading the level on the dipstick with the car off. I further sucked out a quart. I turned the car on and checked the level... it dropped significantly (of course, don't ask what I was thinking). After getting some new fluid I made sure to put some in a little bit at a time with the vehicle on and hot. I had transmission fluid all over the place while trying to do this on my back, with the car on all 4 tires. I ended up melting the crap out of my hose as well.

My distrust for my mechanic came from when I noticed that he snapped my dipstick and tried to resin it back together. Well the resin was still attached to the base of the dipstick but the dipstick was no longer there. So thanks to him I have a piece of plastic dipstick floating around in my pan.

Question - where did you pick up the transmission fluid locally? I tried looking for some at my local Advanced and AutoZone with no luck.

I put everything back together and started adding fluid. I got to about 5.5 quarts and it started overflowing! WTF - I pulled out almost 8 quarts? I put the dipstick in and the cap and started it and ran it for a bit while shifting and it let me put the last half a quart in and a little more. Then it overflowed again. That's when I remembered you have to check it running - so the last quart went in with it running and it's still low on the stick.

All my stuff came from Advance - I ordered it online shipped to the house because they don't stock the filter at the store - and shipping was free if I ordered everything together. But they do carry the SP here. Odd that they don't carry it there.

I will mention if some don't know - the pan gasket is reusable. I did not know that and ordered a gasket. No biggie but it was $27. I probably would have ordered it anyway - my life experience tells me that I WILL screw up a reusable gasket if I don't have a new one on hand and it has to be ordered.

I'm sure I'm not alone in that. It is Murphy's Law - there is no escaping it.

I will mention though that no fluid escaped when I pulled the stick. So that has me a little confused. And I did hear the air going in - so it was maintaining vacuum. I just figured that the valve body and all the other magical parts will leak fluid with the pan off.

 

[Bill MacLeod]

Your Advance has Motorcraft Mercon SP in stock?

 

[07EddyB]

Your Advance has Motorcraft Mercon SP in stock?

Yes - my wife picked up three quarts for me today.

 

[PotatoExplorer]

The overflow that happened when I cracked open the dipstick cap was from what I guess was the mechanic filling in too much fluid at probably the incorrect operating temperature. The next time I opened the cap to get the fluid to the correct level, I could hear the gurgling air sucking back into the transmission. Needless to say I don't use that shop anymore.

And I find it weird that your local stores stock SP. I freaked out for a second when I couldn't find any since I was already kicking myself for dumping out too much because of my own stupidity.

 

[Explorer_PL]

I got my SP also from Advance, i waited a day since they had to order it.

I got the filter from Ford dealer.

By now I dropped the pan 3 or 4 times. You can't break that gasket, it's really reusable

Yes, it's a messy job and it smells for a while.

Sometimes when I talk to friends who take their cars to mechanics, or I have to visit a mechanic shop just for an inspection or tires, and I see how they work - it makes me sick.

They just do not give a crap. I had my battery changed under warranty last month, and I did not notice right away, but later I noticed that they broke my 2 relays that I had screwed with a single zip screws to the inner fender next to the battery. He just yanked the battery out saving himself 2 minutes to put the relays out for a moment. Total disregard for someones property.

 

[tripplec]

Yeah, I had a Jeep in years ago for an recall. They disconnect the battery yeah. But when the mechanic tightened it he did not support the ratchet or whatever he used and twisted the -ve post off inside the battery. It started but the next day no go and it took me a while to figure it out. 1st thought the lead end was not tightened but soon after noticed the post also moving. I had to buy a new battery then on my own $$.

 

[07EddyB]

So I'm all done now - just took it out for a drive and all symptoms have so far disappeared. No surging in OD under load - no rumble strips encountered. I will give it a longer test tomorrow with work but I'm feeling pretty good about it at this point.
I ended up using somewhere between 8 and 8.5 quarts. I'm giving that spread because all the new fluid did not go in the transmission. Quite a bit of it went on the floor and on me. Hell - I wouldn't be surprised if there is some on the roof of the garage.
I was using this - Redirect Notice - works well but keeping one end in the transmission and the other in a bottle of trans fluid that likes to tip over while pumping it is a bit like herding cats. I took the filling in stages - quitting when it got too hot. I finally got smart today - I put the full bottle in another container so it couldn't fall over and wedged it under the frame so the hose wouldn't come out. The hose on the vac was just small enough to go into the transmission and was a bear to bend and insert in a tight space next to the cat. I took some one quarter inch copper I had laying around and bent it into a hook. It was too small to seal on the vac hose so I found a piece of tubing that fit it snugly - slid it on about a half inch and cut if off. That gave me a good seal to the vac hose. Added a hose clamp for insurance. Was able to hit the hole quickly then and the weight of the copper kept it from jumping out. The refill and check process started going a lot smoother with those mods.
Need to do some cleaning but it's definitely beer thirty.

Celebrate with me

PS - don't worry about the Redirect Notice link - It's just a link to Google image for the MityVac that I used.

 

[tripplec]

Well done.

I guess you're a slick guy all tranny lubed up for the day.

Its great when things come together into a fix.

 

[PotatoExplorer]

Nice! Did you do all of this on your back with all 4 wheels on the floor??

 

[07EddyB]

Fluid evacuation and pan drop and replace was done with the front supported by jack stands. Not a lot of room but enough to get under it. Refill done with all four on the ground. A lift would have been nice - but let's not spoil ourselves.
I woke up very sore today for some reason.
I'm getting too old for this.
Want to pass this along - it helped me pulling the pan by myself with no real way to hold it while pulling those last two bolts. I set a smallish pair of extra jack stands under it which gave me a much more controlled fall. I pumped the fluid out before I dropped it but the hose obviously didn't go all the way down to the pan.

 

[07EddyB]

Going to work this morning was fairly uneventful. About 5 miles of city driving and 8 on the interstate. I got one very minor surge on the interstate - wouldn't have noticed it if I wasn't watching for it. Had to run in to town for a meeting - spent several miles at 45 to 50 in overdrive and no problems there and back. Ran home for lunch - got some bucking around 40 going up a hill close to the house. A little concerning but I'm hoping things are still settling in. No problems on the way back to work.
Should I pull the battery cable and force it to relearn? Not sure if that would be necessary but the earlier problems may have affected shifts points.
What do you think?