WTF is this in my 4R70W trans???

[r37ribution]

Ok i have no idea what this is...i was just changing my trans filter and found this laying in the bottom of the pan! any ideas?

 

[section525]

It's a plug from the factory. 100% normal. It's your first tranny fluid change, huh??

 

[spindlecone]

Is a plug from the tranny tube, installed at manufacture, throw it away and carry on no biggie

 

[r37ribution]

thanks a lot guys especially for such a quick reply, 5min!!!...it did have me pretty worried there.

i hope its not the first filter change @ 120k! the fluid looked VERY clean, so it must have had at least a flush. either that or the last guy that dropped the pan didn't know what it was either and just put it back in lol.

not burnt, no metal shavings, felt nice 'n smooth to the touch...puuurrrfect (almost too perfect actually)

there pretty large pictures, go ahead enlarge them see what i mean by the fluid. i almost don't wanna sell this think now that i've seen this.



magnet didn't look all that bad either...


anyone know torque specs for the trans pan?

:edit:I bet there around here on the forums, I'll go try that search button.

 

[spindlecone]

12 ftlbs, ck after a couple days

 

[r37ribution]

ok thanks...

One last question (I don't want to FUBAR this):

I have read (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125346) that these motors use Mercon V, but the thread below says that some '97 Xs used Mercon III. This is a '97. I don't have an owners manual and the dipstick just says "Use Mercon" on it. I bought Pennzoil Dextron III/Mercon (please see http://www.pennzoil.com/products/trans_fluids/dex3.html). The web site and the bottle say "It's compatible with all qualified brands of DEXRON-III, DEXRON-IIE or MERCON fluids." I don't know what fluid was last used, for all I know this may have never been changed. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Glacier991]

Go ahead and use the Dexron III. If you later get some shudder PM me and I will send you a bottle of the FORD additive to make it behave more like Merc V. (I bought a damn case of the stuff on E-bay for like $5.) I sent someone else a bottle some time back, never heard a word (or even a thank you), but assumed it helped. Save the plug for me <g>.

 

[r37ribution]

thanks a lot glacier, ill see if i can find it...just threw it in the dumpster.

you might remember me, we chatted on aim before about my lifetime warranty on the 4r55e.

 

[r37ribution]

I took the truck for a test drive after putting 4 quarts in the trans. well at first it looked like i overfilled it but it ended up being the ATF fluid getting on the dipstick from when i filled it.

i let it idle for about a half hour and checked it. it was half way up on the "c" part of the dipstick so i added a little over another quart and called it a day.

I'm still not sure what to classify the Pennzoil as, since it just says Mercon. It doesn't specify what type of Mercon. If anyone knows anything about this ATF fluid please enlighten me; otherwise I think I'm gonna call Pennzoil tomorrow.

Glacier your in luck, I found the plug in the dumpster.

Thanks everyone for all your help.

 

[Glacier991]

I'd not obsess. It is undoubtedly meeting Mercon III. Mercon V is semi synthetic and expensive. Like I said drive it a while and it you have any shudder let me know. It will not hurt anything.

 

[MalcolmV8]

Glacier, you know a lot more about this stuff than I do so I thought I'd run this by you. I was speaking to a Ford tech via email who saw my thread on the 4r70w and he told me not to run straight Mercon in it even for testing because it will deteriorate the clutches, or maybe he said bands, I forget. He said he'd not seen it himself first hand but that was the info they were given at the dealership so he was passing it along to me. He said this applied to 96 and newer Ford trannys that were spec'd at having Mercon V only.

 

[MalcolmV8]

BTW - r37, that pan looks very clean especially for the mileage. In the last few weeks I've pulled the pan on three 4r70ws and they all looked much worse than yours. Do you run an external filter?

Thanks
Malcolm

 

[Glacier991]

I am not going to discount what a FORD mechanic says. I'm not one. My only Q is how is it that in the 5R when they used Merc III the addition of a friction modifier was enough to make it all ok.... the base fluid was still Merc III. Let's just say I am really curious how ATF base in Merc III can harm friction material. I'm not obstinate, just curious and a little skeptical. Can you get more info? Feel free to copy this and share with him... he may be able to educate us all.... and I like education! (And have a zillion other Q's for him too!)

 

[r37ribution]

malcolmv8 - Regretfully, I'm well aware of your misfortunes. My Explorer actually was at least 2 quarts low for a month or more. I got lazy and wasn't checking the fluids. I didn't know when the filter was last changed and when I found that I was going to need to add at least 2 quarts, I decided that instead of waisting money on oil when I would have to re-add it when I finally did change the filter, I would be better off just dropping the pan.

To my suprise, when I pulled the pan, there was the above OEM plug sittin in the bottom of it. As you may have read, this suggests that this filter is origional and has been on my truck for the last 120,000 miles! I was very happy with the cleanliness especially with all the abuse the trans has had.

Your comment about the Mercon has me worried, Glacier and I believe it was in fact Mercon III previously in my truck. Hopefully using the Pennzoil, (of which i have no idea what Mercon spec it conforms to...prolly not a good thing) which should at a minimum meet Mercon III, will be fine.