New fluid in high mileage transmissions

[SysIntegr8tor]

Thanks for the tip.
I bought a case of Mercon V Valvoline MaxLife today for $42.
I am planning to unhook the coolant lines from the radiator and stick one in fresh Merc V and the other end in a clean gas can to save what comes out.
I don't know yet which line is the in and which is out but I assume it will be pretty much self explanatory.
Should I get some rubber hose or some fittings for the ends of the lines so I can put rubber extensions on them to flush with? Or what?
How many flushes will it take to be considered a good enough percentage for a flush?
It isn't like I was flushing out old where you just do it til it runs clean, you know?
Think I need to change the filter? It's brand new w/22miles on it.
Should I evacuate some fluid and change some that way before I do the flush with the lines? I guess whgat I mean is, if I di the flush, it will be running the transmission while I do it with the wrong fluid in it right?
Will that screw it up more?
In the 22 miles I ran it, it did a 2-3 shift flare once, wouldn't go into reverse once, and worked fine after it cooled down. Think I can still save it just by doing a flush with new correct fluid? Maybe it was going to fail anyway, and I am just wasting my time and $ messing around with flushes etc when I should be ttearing t down and doing a rebuld right off?

 

[SysIntegr8tor]

Ok,
So I'm going ahead with this fluid flush...
The two lines are on the drvr side of the radiator.
After I get them loose with my handy line wrench, I will have fluid wanting to leak out of the radiator, so I need to plug off those, and then fashion some kind of pair of line extensions so I can run the lines to a couple of jugs or 5 gal buckets...
Where on here is a you tube or something? Never mind, I'll go look, Not thinking very clearly right now (obviously)LOL

 

[fallenauthority]

If it stands for anything I flushed my trans last year at 195,000 miles and it runs fine other than the typical crap that happens when it gets old(had to adjust bands on it last week)

 

[2000StreetRod]

filter & ATF change

I have a 5R55E transmission with two external ATF coolers (I don't use the radiator one for ATF), a remote full flow filter and an ATF temperature gauge. I don't drive off road and the heaviest thing I tow weighs 1,000 pounds. My owners manual specifies changing the ATF every 150,000 miles which I now have on the vehicle. In the process of adding the coolers and filter, I have allowed a total of about three quarts (never more than one at any single time which I promptly replaced) to escape the system. The color and smell of the lost fluid was as best I could tell the same as the new. My temperature from the transmission to the cooler is always less than my gauge minimum reading of 100 degrees.

I will never change the filter (screen in my opinion) in the transmission except when it is rebuilt which I expect will be required in the next two years. I believe most of the failures associated with post filter/fluid change are due to contamination and starvation. If the transmission filter was anything more than a screen, then I would have had shifting problems at 70,000 miles like I encountered on my Volvo and my Tahoe. To me the risk of contamination to replace a screen exceeds the benefits.

I will, however, replace the spin on full flow filter every year which is a little less than the serviceable life of the seal on the filter. I believe 50,000 miles is a reasonable ATF change interval. The higher the temperatures the ATF is exposed to the sooner should be the interval. Right now I'm trying to decide whether to switch from Mercon V (semi-synthetic) to full synthetic to increase my fuel economy. If I decide to do it, I'll do it by disconnecting a hose to one of my coolers.

 

[SysIntegr8tor]

Best Solution/Answer to all Trans Problems and Issues

Now that you mention it, I can instantly see the logic to what you are proposing - that most post filter change problems are due to contamination and starvation issues. Wow! Of course! It only takes a particle the size of a human hair to cause problems and when I changed my filter I did NOT: make sure my new filter was basically sterile, NOR did I think twice about patting some of the fluid off of the trans with a shop rag to reduce drips etc.
I deserve any problems I get for not thinking it through MUCH more carefully and completely. Duh.
As far as using external screw-on equipment and avoiding EVER opening your factory trans - I agree completely. If the correct upgrades are added on early enough, there should never be a reason to change the factory filter until a rebuild is necessary. I am very sorry that I did. I believe I ruined my trans by doing so as an amateur and by not reasoning my way through it. The transmission is the most complicated and probably the most sensitive part on the vehicle and certainly warrants more attention to detail than I gave it.
I went at it like it was an oil change kind of thing, and now I have shift flares, the wrong fluid in it that needs to be removed. Most likely now it needs a rebuild.
Thank you for posting. Your approach to a transmission is evident of proactive treatment based on sound, advanced use of logic.
My hat is off to you sir.

 

[SysIntegr8tor]

EliteMembership

I must add... Noting that there are numerous Men of your caliber on this site, I regret that I did not become an Elite Member the moment I bought my truck. I will do so as soon as possible. Thanks again for your post.
Resources like ExplorerForum are priceless.

 

[SysIntegr8tor]

Hey George, Since I need to do a full flush now, and don't want to drive it any further til I do, I am going to do it at home.
I bought a case of Mercon V.
What do you think is the best way to proceed?
I thought to connect extenders onto the coolant lines with them off the radiator and just run new in and old out, but now I'm at a loss, because I have seen posts mentioning contamination - and I agree - I DONT want to contaminate, nor do I want to get even a moment of starvation...Tow it in and have a shop do it?
I am as poor as a poster can be and still own a truck LOL POst Chemo does that to you! I would rather do it myself, but I will think it through VERY thoroughly before proceeding. A resource like Elite Explorers is invaluable. I would advise anyone who values their Explorer to sign up as soon as possible to support having such a forum as a resource. What would we all do without it?

 

[Drew2o2]

is it just me or is the qouted transmision "specialists" sound like dumb ass mechnics who employ the throw parts on a car philosphy as the best fix such in this case a new transmission instead of service instead of truely evaluating the problem

 

[SysIntegr8tor]

Thanks to this forum, I bought a "Miti-Vac" and r&r'ed 4 qts four times over the course of 100 miles. Trans works great, no shift flares, reverse is fine. It took care of my "mixed fluid" problem and slowly, gently added the new fluid I needed.
Since something as small as a piece of lint can damage a 5R55E ford Trans, if at all possible, refraining from removing the pan is a good thing. If early in the life of the trans, a screw on external filter, and a aftermarket cooler added, there should never really be a reason to drop the pan til a rebuild is needed.
Thanks everyone. Now I have to deal with a new prob... The sending units weren't working , it lost fluid somehow, and my wife let it get hot enough that the #5 plug is fouled and bubbles in the water. I shut it down and now I'm off to look for a set of heads and a gasket set! See you all in the classifieds!

 

[Gabe96Explorer]

After reading this entire thread, I decided that I AM going to go ahead with my trans flush.

I recently bought a 96 Explorer Sport 4x4 with 156k and it hasn't towed anything in its life span.

The trans fluid is very very dark, but does not smell burnt. I do believe that I am right on the point before it burns up, hence the factory interval of 150,000 miles for trans fluid.

Tomorrow, I will be doing the pan gasket, new filter, and about 6 qts of new fluid, then in about 3 weeks, I am going to take it to the local Jiffy lube (I know the manager, and I always watch the techs working below like a HAWK, but I always take care of them after they are done, and they know I do, which is why they pay close attention to my vehicles) and have them do the full fluid flush with new Synthetic Ford Fluid.

Thanks for all the information everyone.

Edit - does anyone know which Pan Gasket set I need? I have the 4x4 trans, so I would assume Deep pan right? http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=289816

As you can see, I have 2 choices here - http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...ilterByKeyWord=Transmission&fromString=search

 

[BrooklynBay]

4WD uses a deep filter.

 

[ragajungle]

I've bought a lot of used cars... everytime I do the first thing I do is (regardless of mileage) bring it it my Oil Change outfit and have them do a complete trans flush/fill, Cooland Flush/Fill, Oil Change, & Fuel Filter and Diffs if applicable. Never Ever had a problem UNTIL I got a truck w/ the 5r55e and took a dump after a flush....

My sisters Explorer (Quarter Million on the Clock) Never had a T-change it's the v-8 so I believe it's the 4r70w trans (?) and it never gave her grief - when it did we flushed it and now it ok.

I just think the 5r55e is a big slushly POS and while I am all for regular maintenance this transmission is a classic example of planned obsolescence... Read Frankentrannys (SP) thread. He sheds some light on the deficiencies of the a4ld and 5r55e transmissions. I guess on top of regular maintence you should save a little $ for a new 4r or 5r OR learn how to rebuild them (Thats what I am doing )

 

[pablowest]

Hi Stranded, thanks for sharing you information about that new fluid. I'm thinking to do all your advices. I will not do the father said to his son.