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Transmission Flush How To

jlsparky7

Explorer Addict
Joined
April 4, 2009
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City, State
Woodhaven, Mi
Year, Model & Trim Level
1996 5.0 XLT AWD
Transmission Flush How To Video

How I flush my transmission. There are several ways. This is the one I use. Dropping the transmission pan and changing the filter is another method.


ATTN MODS: Rick and I thought it would be a good idea to "double post" some of my how to's in different sections because a majority of them apply to more than just the 1996 stock explorer.

Rick, if im misunderstanding what you meant go ahead and do what you need to do with these how to's. Not that im giving you permission or anything cause I know you dont need it.
 



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jlsparky7 Nice post..
not tring to step on your toes at all you did a good job,

I used to work at a fast lube place. and we had the T-Tech machines. Since I could not afford the 3000$ machine for a tranny flush and using this machine for a few years. I came up with a simple solution.

tools needed, 1 small pipe cutter, 1 flaring tool 1 standard screwdriver, 1 friend for 10 min of work.

pick up a 5 gallon container of the proper fluid, pick up 6 ft of rubber hose, 2 small hose clamps . finally an empty 5 gal bucket.

DIRECTIONS.. Cut hose in half 2 3 ft sections cut the transmission line with a pipe cutter. Take out a small section, I usually go with about 3 - 6 inches. I pull the coil wire someone with safety glasses is watching both lines
Keying the engine over to see what one spits out fluid. Time to attach the hoses to the lines I cut the hose that spit out fluid goes into the empty bucket, the other hose into the bucket full of new fluid. Replace the coil wire.
Let the fun begin start your engine, transmission will do all the work as it takes on new fluid old is pushed out.

Don't suck the bucket dry. You do not want to take on any air it's just fluid that you'll have to add later.

Once your are finished. Single flair both ends of the tranny line you cut, use a piece of the rubber hose to bridge the gap clamp shut..
If done correctly you will check your fluid level and it will be dead on where it should be.
As well the 4 quarts inside the converter will have been exchanged.

Some caution. I left out the basics of securing car/truck this is not for everyone! If by any chance you are unsure do not do it!!

Another note you can do this to the low pres hose of the power steering pump, with much less fluid :)

Any quick lube place in the US. is required by law to accept up to 5 gal of used fluid for proper disposal per visit.

Next time I have to do one of these I'll take pics and videos.
 






Harbor Freight sells a transmission fluid exchanger machine: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93019
93019.gif
 






jlsparky7 Nice post..
not tring to step on your toes at all you did a good job,

I used to work at a fast lube place. and we had the T-Tech machines. Since I could not afford the 3000$ machine for a tranny flush and using this machine for a few years. I came up with a simple solution.

tools needed, 1 small pipe cutter, 1 flaring tool 1 standard screwdriver, 1 friend for 10 min of work.

pick up a 5 gallon container of the proper fluid, pick up 6 ft of rubber hose, 2 small hose clamps . finally an empty 5 gal bucket.

DIRECTIONS.. Cut hose in half 2 3 ft sections cut the transmission line with a pipe cutter. Take out a small section, I usually go with about 3 - 6 inches. I pull the coil wire someone with safety glasses is watching both lines
Keying the engine over to see what one spits out fluid. Time to attach the hoses to the lines I cut the hose that spit out fluid goes into the empty bucket, the other hose into the bucket full of new fluid. Replace the coil wire.
Let the fun begin start your engine, transmission will do all the work as it takes on new fluid old is pushed out.

Don't suck the bucket dry. You do not want to take on any air it's just fluid that you'll have to add later.

Once your are finished. Single flair both ends of the tranny line you cut, use a piece of the rubber hose to bridge the gap clamp shut..
If done correctly you will check your fluid level and it will be dead on where it should be.
As well the 4 quarts inside the converter will have been exchanged.

Some caution. I left out the basics of securing car/truck this is not for everyone! If by any chance you are unsure do not do it!!

Another note you can do this to the low pres hose of the power steering pump, with much less fluid :)

Any quick lube place in the US. is required by law to accept up to 5 gal of used fluid for proper disposal per visit.

Next time I have to do one of these I'll take pics and videos.

I would absolutely love to do that setup. The problem is I am HORRIBLE with text directions. You could have written that in Chinese and I would have understood it the same.

Pictures would be awesome.
 






After flushing the trans don't be surprised the trans will mess up. I've seen it my brother is a tech at a trans shop that machine makes them more money than you know. Tech as myself I see how it does
 






After flushing the trans don't be surprised the trans will mess up. I've seen it my brother is a tech at a trans shop that machine makes them more money than you know. Tech as myself I see how it does

Should we not change our oil either?
 






Should we not change our oil either?
Honestly if you stop into a jiffylube or a v.i.o.c. instant oil change location if your car has over 80k miles poke around about a tranny flush.. and i bet you they try to sell it to you telling you it's so good to be done. Now what they don't tell you till your car is hooked up to the machine is you need to sign your rights away if your transmission has any problems it's not their fault you can not seek repair cost..
this wavier is worded well, if there's not a problem with doing it why would they hire lawyers to write up this pice of paper that leaves you the customer S.O.L.

I would have to half agree with pdmustgt If you have never kept up with the transmission service I would strongly advise anyone out there not to touch their transmission.

If your transmission is acting up and you are at 120k with 0 prior preventive mat. NO fluid exchange is going to help. It will just bring an end to the life or your transmission sooner.

I have had seen cars with 200k on them never serviced the transmission,
still running strong.
 






Going to jiffy lube and expecting good service is like going to a ***** house and expecting to not get a disease.

It wouldn't surprise me if they threw a 50/50 mix of water and used motor oil back in your transmission.
 






amsoil trans flush

I want to run a bottle of amsoil trans flush through first to clean it up before flushing(hoping it works as good as they say). The directions state to drain the entire system and the filter must be changed. That being said, can I start a flush with the filter changed and the pan dry and not do any damage or should I refill the pan and start flushing? I was hoping not to waste a gallon of atf but do want to run that cleaner first.
thanks
 






I want to run a bottle of amsoil trans flush through first to clean it up before flushing(hoping it works as good as they say). The directions state to drain the entire system and the filter must be changed. That being said, can I start a flush with the filter changed and the pan dry and not do any damage or should I refill the pan and start flushing? I was hoping not to waste a gallon of atf but do want to run that cleaner first.
thanks

Add the trans flush to the current fluid thats in the transmission. Then flush all the fluid out and do a filter swap and refill with the new fluid.
 






Take the truck to a reputable shop to get the tranny flushed,not a quick lube.It's nonsense to say it will trash the tranny if it is done correctly.That's like saying don't change your oil or coolant because it hasn't been done for a while.

I just had the tranny flushed on my 2000 with 175,000 miles and according to a couple of you,I am sitting on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck.I also did my 94 at 125,000 and then took it to Moab for 5 days,a 3000 mile round trip with 5 days of class 4 trails.Last year and 14,000 miles ago.

Utter nonsense.
 






i have 220km. no prevent mait. i definately think i should do a filter swap and partial flush! no problems yet, but i think its about time i swap the fluid out! am i wrong?
 






Tranny filter/fluid and pan gasket is one of the first things I do to a vehicle when I get them. Every vehicle I have ever owned was high miles. Every vehicle I have ever owned has been replaced because I got tired of it and wanted something different. I have never had to do other tranny work on my vehicles aside from filter/fluid change. The thing is, the dude is PARTIALLY correct regarding the flush potentially hurting it. If you're behind, or especially if it was NEVER done, drop the pan to change filter and fluid. This leaves SOME of the old fluid in the system and sort of weans it onto cleaner fluid. Channge your oil at the same time, and the next time you change your oil, do it over again. over time the new filter will have taken some of the nasty out of the remaining old fluid and thus will need changed again much sooner than with a full flush of clean fluid, and you've not made an EXTREME change that could hurt your tranny. I'm new to our explorer so i could be wrong but I assume the trannys are computer controlled. If your fluid and filter are horrid nasty then the computer is going to be making up for that and will neeed some mileage to correct itself. Doing it this way gives it time to make those corrections without the previous settings stored in there screwing anything up.

Also...quick lubes...yeah, no. I wouldn't let one so much as change my oil, much less mess with something as complicated and expensive as a transmission. They specialize in speed, not quality of service. Could be just fine to have a full flush at a real shop done right, I just take no chances. And I know too much about how electronics work LOL
 






thank you sir, you have just hammered the nail on the head with that last post.
 






Oh and for the record...NOT changing the fluid/filter out is one of the worst things you can do to a transmission. For one, it leaves all the crud the fluid is pulling around with it in there to cause added friction between the gears, which in the end will utterly destroy the insides, considering the ultra-fine measurements involved in there to make them work. For two if your filter gets too much crap in it it will block the fluid from moving through it completely. Dirty filters are actually one of the most common reasons transmissions fail. Clog your filter and your vehicle is not moving anywhere.
 






Awesome Read.
 






Need some advice but first some background.
I have a 97 Ex 4.0L SOHC XLT with the 5R55E auto box and need to do a transmission fluid change ( colour of fluid no longer red,a hint of burnt fluid and the start of a 2nd to 3rd flare ) The problem in South Africa is that there are only a handful of Explorers left in the country having been sold only in 1997/8.We don't have Jiffy-Lubes or suchlike and when talking to Ford dealers or gearbox repair shops about a fluid change on the Ex you either get a blank stare or a far away look.
I therefore have to do the change myself and having extensively read the various threads my plan is the follwing:
-Drop the pan.I will go the route of disconnecting the front propshaft at the TC after removing what appears to be a steel protection/skid plate below the TC ( It's not a cross member )
-Remove the filter and replace ( have managed to get a new one plus a pan gasket from Ford )
-Will slightly loosen the VB retaining bolts to try and get more fluid out.I do not want to remore the VB even though it makes good sense as I doubt any spares will be available if something needs to be replaced.Here's where I need advice !! Is this loosening of the VB bolts procedure recommended as I believe it's imperative to get as much of the old fluid out especially in the condition my fluid is in.
- Replace drained fluid with Mercon V ( will be using Castrol Mercon V as that's all that is available in South Africa.
In a month or so will just do the pan drop again and keep on topping up with Mercon V

Am I on the right track ??
Thanks in anticipation
Markn
 






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