2003 SportTrac Transmission Fluid Change

[96XLTdriver]

Any help would be appreciated. About a month ago my wife informed me her 2003 SportTrac was starting to slip. About 300k miles and 5R55E transmission. This vehicle was inherited from her father who passed away so this is a must repair vehicle for sentimental reasons.

There is no dipstick to check the tranny fluid. Ok so now I go to the all powerful YouTube to find any oddities for this vehicle.

Sure enough, it says no dipstick that it is a sealed transmission that is never supposed to require maintenance. What idiot thought that up???
Everything I read and watched says there is a plug in the pan that serves to both drain and fill.

So off to the parts store I go. Buy 6 quarts of fluid and a filter. Jack the truck up and crawl up under it. Yep, you guessed it.... no plug in the transmission pan.

I have the factory service manual for this vehicle so I looked it up and all it tells the tech is to drain and fill using a machine. No information whatsoever about changing the filter then doing a fill.

I am certain I can get the pan off and change the filter.

How do I refill the transmission? My only thought is to remove the cooler line and pump it in. Is that possible?

My second concern is getting air in the transmission cooler. How would I burp the system to get the air out if I go that route?

My last concern is how much to put in. I have never been able to change transmission fluid without a mess. That added with the loss from the cooler when it comes out. Getting an exact measurement will be extremely difficult.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Rick]

Check this thread, it may apply to your situation:

5R55W Fluid Fill

Im working on my friends 02 Mountaineer...changing tranny fluid and filter.....Ran into a problem.....How do I put fluid back into the tranny? Need help with this one pretty soon. Thanks.

www.explorerforum.com

 

[96XLTdriver]

Check this thread, it may apply to your situation:

5R55W Fluid Fill

Im working on my friends 02 Mountaineer...changing tranny fluid and filter.....Ran into a problem.....How do I put fluid back into the tranny? Need help with this one pretty soon. Thanks.

www.explorerforum.com

Thanks, that applies to everything I found online, but not to mine. This transmission does not have a plug in the pan. I ordered a new pan today that will have the plug. I will try and do plenty of measurements prior to removing the original pan to ensure it will bolt up.

 

[Fredness]

Bit late, but...
If you have a 2WD, it's OK to use a 4x4 pan and filter - as long as they are used together.
You get added fluid capacity (but not much), and there is a sump to keep the filter inlet submerged in turns, inclines, acceleration/braking.

 

[lincolnlocker]

Any help would be appreciated. About a month ago my wife informed me her 2003 SportTrac was starting to slip. About 300k miles and 5R55E transmission. This vehicle was inherited from her father who passed away so this is a must repair vehicle for sentimental reasons.

There is no dipstick to check the tranny fluid. Ok so now I go to the all powerful YouTube to find any oddities for this vehicle.

Sure enough, it says no dipstick that it is a sealed transmission that is never supposed to require maintenance. What idiot thought that up???
Everything I read and watched says there is a plug in the pan that serves to both drain and fill.

So off to the parts store I go. Buy 6 quarts of fluid and a filter. Jack the truck up and crawl up under it. Yep, you guessed it.... no plug in the transmission pan.

I have the factory service manual for this vehicle so I looked it up and all it tells the tech is to drain and fill using a machine. No information whatsoever about changing the filter then doing a fill.

I am certain I can get the pan off and change the filter.

How do I refill the transmission? My only thought is to remove the cooler line and pump it in. Is that possible?

My second concern is getting air in the transmission cooler. How would I burp the system to get the air out if I go that route?

My last concern is how much to put in. I have never been able to change transmission fluid without a mess. That added with the loss from the cooler when it comes out. Getting an exact measurement will be extremely difficult.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Embark on Sahara desert tours to witness the stunning landscapes and immerse yourself in the rich culture of North Africa. From camel rides to desert camps under the stars, these tours offer a unique adventure in the heart of the Sahara.

What is the suggested schedule for changing the transmission fluid on a 2007 V6? My Trac has 42,000 miles and I took it in this morning for an oil change. The called and recommended a transmission fluid change? I questioned them and they said it is recommended every 30,000 miles? Thoughts?

 

[oklagp1200r]

What is the suggested schedule for changing the transmission fluid on a 2007 V6? My Trac has 42,000 miles and I took it in this morning for an oil change. The called and recommended a transmission fluid change? I questioned them and they said it is recommended every 30,000 miles? Thoughts?

30,000 miles! Just a drop of the pan and replace the filter and fluid NEVER do a transmission flush with a machine!

 

[96XLTdriver]

Bit late, but...
If you have a 2WD, it's OK to use a 4x4 pan and filter - as long as they are used together.
You get added fluid capacity (but not much), and there is a sump to keep the filter inlet submerged in turns, inclines, acceleration/braking.

Thank you.

 

[96XLTdriver]

Any help would be appreciated. About a month ago my wife informed me her 2003 SportTrac was starting to slip. About 300k miles and 5R55E transmission. This vehicle was inherited from her father who passed away so this is a must repair vehicle for sentimental reasons.

There is no dipstick to check the tranny fluid. Ok so now I go to the all powerful YouTube to find any oddities for this vehicle.

Sure enough, it says no dipstick that it is a sealed transmission that is never supposed to require maintenance. What idiot thought that up???
Everything I read and watched says there is a plug in the pan that serves to both drain and fill.

So off to the parts store I go. Buy 6 quarts of fluid and a filter. Jack the truck up and crawl up under it. Yep, you guessed it.... no plug in the transmission pan.

I have the factory service manual for this vehicle so I looked it up and all it tells the tech is to drain and fill using a machine. No information whatsoever about changing the filter then doing a fill.

I am certain I can get the pan off and change the filter.

How do I refill the transmission? My only thought is to remove the cooler line and pump it in. Is that possible?

My second concern is getting air in the transmission cooler. How would I burp the system to get the air out if I go that route?

My last concern is how much to put in. I have never been able to change transmission fluid without a mess. That added with the loss from the cooler when it comes out. Getting an exact measurement will be extremely difficult.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciat

Any help would be appreciated. About a month ago my wife informed me her 2003 SportTrac was starting to slip. About 300k miles and 5R55E transmission. This vehicle was inherited from her father who passed away so this is a must repair vehicle for sentimental reasons.

There is no dipstick to check the tranny fluid. Ok so now I go to the all powerful YouTube to find any oddities for this vehicle.

Sure enough, it says no dipstick that it is a sealed transmission that is never supposed to require maintenance. What idiot thought that up???
Everything I read and watched says there is a plug in the pan that serves to both drain and fill.

So off to the parts store I go. Buy 6 quarts of fluid and a filter. Jack the truck up and crawl up under it. Yep, you guessed it.... no plug in the transmission pan.

I have the factory service manual for this vehicle so I looked it up and all it tells the tech is to drain and fill using a machine. No information whatsoever about changing the filter then doing a fill.

I am certain I can get the pan off and change the filter.

How do I refill the transmission? My only thought is to remove the cooler line and pump it in. Is that possible?

My second concern is getting air in the transmission cooler. How would I burp the system to get the air out if I go that route?

My last concern is how much to put in. I have never been able to change transmission fluid without a mess. That added with the loss from the cooler when it comes out. Getting an exact measurement will be extremely difficult.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

So a bit late but I wanted to update everyone. I have been fortunate enough to purchase a used transmission flush machine for $400. I did order a new pan with a drain plug for the next time I do the change. The new pan does not have the Ford refill plug in it though. The machine allowed me to add fluid a quart at a time for the refill. I did a 15 quart flush and a filter change. It looked more like used oil instead of tranny fluid. One bit of good news, there was no large debris so at least the major components appear to be intact. My wife says it has not slipped one time since the change a couple weeks ago. With this many miles, I expect the new fluid to break free a lot of debris and clog the filter. I plan on running it about one or two months and doing another full flush and filter change.