5r55e fluid change

[GSmithFL]

So I have been reading through the forums, and it seems that some folks have concerns about doing just a "fluid, filter and pan gasket" change as it doesn't really get all the fluid (and all the gunk/debris) out of the trans. The fresh fluid supposedly causes bits of gunk to dislodge and clog/jam up elsewhere in the trans.

Having had similar issues back in the day with an 80's GM fwd Metric trans, I am hesitant to just change the fluid, filter and pan gasket on the 99 Mountaineer I just bought. The fluid is not clean, not pink and I get the flashing O/D OFF light when the fluid gets warmed up and we get up to highway speeds (never lights up around town if I don't go over 50 or so. I need to do this soon. Money is a bit of a factor.

Has anyone here had the trans fail/clog up from just the fluid/filter/pan gasket change?

 

[GLOCKer]

I'm wondering the same thing. I have the 4R70W, and I was considering getting the 1-2 shift accumulator replaced, and the torque converter drained before it's all buttoned back up and refilled.

 

[974X4BLACKSPORT]

Drop the pan, change the filter, clean the pan and magnet, straighten out the bolt holes in the oil pan, install new gasket, refill with appropriate fluid. You dont need to do anything more, nothing more you really can do. If you have an improvement in the performance of the transmission, do another pan drop and filter change in 10-20k miles.

 

[koda2000]

Here's the deal:
If your transmission fluid is still pink (the brighter the pink the better) you can safely do a full fluid change/flush with a new high quality filter (Motorcraft or WIX) and be good to go for another 30k.

If your transmission fluid is brown, black, and/or smells burnt you already have significant wear inside your transmission and doing a full fluid change or flush can cause problems. The darker your fluid the more likely you may end up with shifting problems, or a slipping transmission shortly after replacing all the fluid. Why is this? Because the dark fluid means you have a lot of clutch material (and likely metal filings) suspended in your old fluid. Old fluid also no longer lubricates as well as fresh fluid. Fresh ATF fluid contains high detergents and friction modifiers. Changing/flushing all the dark fluid will wash out the clutch material which is now suspended in your old fluid, it can also loosen sludge sitting in the valve body, which can then cause shifting problems. People who report transmission problems and/or slipping after changing/flushing all the old fluid have problems for these reasons, because suspended material in the old fluid was the only thing that was keeping the transmission's clutch plates from slipping.

If your trans fluid is dark it's safer to drain only the trans pan (typically around 40% of the transmission's total capacity, as 50-60% is held in the torque converter) replace the trans filter and refill with fresh ATF. This probably wont hurt anything and if everything seems okay you can always come back after 7-10k and replace addition fluid.

I check my fluid level before draining, measure how much drains out and replace whatever came out. This avoids under or over filling the transmission afterwards. I find the 5r55 requires around 4.5-5 quarts on a pan drop and filter change.

I like to add drain plug to the trans pan to make draining fluid a much less messy job in the future, but a transfer pump used through the dipstick tube accomplishes the same thing.

The 4R70 torque converter is equipped with an easily accessible drain plug. The 5R55 torque converter does not have a drain plug.

 

[GSmithFL]

Here's the deal:
If your transmission fluid is still pink (the brighter the pink the better) you can safely do a full fluid change/flush with a new high quality filter (Motorcraft or WIX) and be good to go for another 30k.

If your transmission fluid is brown, black, and/or smells burnt you already have significant wear inside your transmission and doing a full fluid change or flush can cause problems. The darker your fluid the more likely you may end up with shifting problems, or a slipping transmission shortly after replacing all the fluid. Why is this? Because the dark fluid means you have a lot of clutch material (and likely metal filings) suspended in your old fluid. Old fluid also no longer lubricates as well as fresh fluid. Fresh ATF fluid contains high detergents and friction modifiers. Changing/flushing all the dark fluid will wash out the clutch material which is now suspended in your old fluid, it can also loosen sludge sitting in the valve body, which can then cause shifting problems. People who report transmission problems and/or slipping after changing/flushing all the old fluid have problems for these reasons, because suspended material in the old fluid was the only thing that was keeping the transmission's clutch plates from slipping.

If your trans fluid is dark it's safer to drain only the trans pan (typically around 40% of the transmission's total capacity, as 50-60% is held in the torque converter) replace the trans filter and refill with fresh ATF. This probably wont hurt anything and if everything seems okay you can always come back after 7-10k and replace addition fluid.

I check my fluid level before draining, measure how much drains out and replace whatever came out. This avoids under or over filling the transmission afterwards. I find the 5r55 requires around 4.5-5 quarts on a pan drop and filter change.

I like to add drain plug to the trans pan to make draining fluid a much less messy job in the future, but a transfer pump used through the dipstick tube accomplishes the same thing.

The 4R70 torque converter is equipped with an easily accessible drain plug. The 5R55 torque converter does not have a drain plug.

Thanks so much for the detailed explanation. The partial change is where I was heading.

 

[96eb96]

I'm wondering the same thing. I have the 4R70W, and I was considering getting the 1-2 shift accumulator replaced, and the torque converter drained before it's all buttoned back up and refilled.

If you have a 98 the 1-2 accumulator is updated.

 

[fast_dave]

The fluid is not clean, not pink and I get the flashing O/D OFF light when the fluid gets warmed up

@GSmithFL

Here's the short reply; Your new to you 20 year old Mountaineer is telling you that you already have a transmission problem - hence the flashing O/D light.

Seriously - All that's left now to decide is how much $$$ & RISK it's worth to YOU to hang on to it OR should you sell it before it breaks down...

BTW - How many miles on it???

Anyways - Hope That Helps and Your Mileage May Vary

 

[GSmithFL]

@GSmithFL

Here's the short reply; Your new to you 20 year old Mountaineer is telling you that you already have a transmission problem - hence the flashing O/D light.

Seriously - All that's left now to decide is how much $$$ & RISK it's worth to YOU to hang on to it OR should you sell it before it breaks down...

BTW - How many miles on it???

Anyways - Hope That Helps and Your Mileage May Vary

252K miles, and I only paid $700 for it.

 

[fast_dave]

252K miles, and I only paid $700 for it.

Just to close the loop - any service records?

FWIW: GOOGLE "rebuilt 5r55e" to get an ballpark idea of the $$$ involved for a typical bench swap price.

To clarify, bench swap means the price of your removed trans & torque converter hand carried into a trans shop and exchanged for a rebuilt trans w/ torque converter.

If you don't have access to a garage, are in an HOA environment, or have an angry wife who is against your decision to purchase a 20 year old Mountaineer - add about $500 for a transmission shop to remove & install your 5r55e.

All the prices are ballpark and quoted just to help you out with your thought process - hope that helps!

 

[BruceExploder]

When I changed my valve body and gasket it fixed everything that was happening on my 5r55e. The od light and that hard shift going into overdrive.

I had to change the fluid twice too because the first time I put the pan back on I got the dipstick stuck and had to drop it again and get a new dipstick.

Shifted like a dream afyer

 

[ohohedbauer00]

So I have been reading through the forums, and it seems that some folks have concerns about doing just a "fluid, filter and pan gasket" change as it doesn't really get all the fluid (and all the gunk/debris) out of the trans. The fresh fluid supposedly causes bits of gunk to dislodge and clog/jam up elsewhere in the trans.

Having had similar issues back in the day with an 80's GM fwd Metric trans, I am hesitant to just change the fluid, filter and pan gasket on the 99 Mountaineer I just bought. The fluid is not clean, not pink and I get the flashing O/D OFF light when the fluid gets warmed up and we get up to highway speeds (never lights up around town if I don't go over 50 or so. I need to do this soon. Money is a bit of a factor.

Has anyone here had the trans fail/clog up from just the fluid/filter/pan gasket change?

 

[ohohedbauer00]

So I have been reading through the forums, and it seems that some folks have concerns about doing just a "fluid, filter and pan gasket" change as it doesn't really get all the fluid (and all the gunk/debris) out of the trans. The fresh fluid supposedly causes bits of gunk to dislodge and clog/jam up elsewhere in the trans.

Having had similar issues back in the day with an 80's GM fwd Metric trans, I am hesitant to just change the fluid, filter and pan gasket on the 99 Mountaineer I just bought. The fluid is not clean, not pink and I get the flashing O/D OFF light when the fluid gets warmed up and we get up to highway speeds (never lights up around town if I don't go over 50 or so. I need to do this soon. Money is a bit of a factor.

Has anyone here had the trans fail/clog up from just the fluid/filter/pan gasket change?

Iv ownoe 3 explorers I've 15 years oreillys sells a pan w/a drian plug .I change the pan ,filter and,gasket then just fluid 3 times over the next yr never had a problem