ATF flush drain refill

[montyf1]

http://www.genuineservice.com/default.asp
go there and check on your specific model, for 2004 its 150k for 02 is 30k, so i dunno

Hmmm it does say 150k for my year 03'. But my owners manual says 60k Kil. which is like 30k miles so I'm just confused. It would take me like 10 years to put on 150K

 

[Timoteo]

it isnt a pump it is a screw in adapter that you use to fill it,
something you can stick a hose onto.

You need to use a pump to get the ATF into the tranny via the adapter, unless your able to flip the vehicle upside-down and use gravity.

 

[Xzibit A]

You need to use a pump to get the ATF into the tranny via the adapter, unless your able to flip the vehicle upside-down and use gravity.

you should also go by years, with ford says the averege is 15k a year, so 10 years doesn't seem that bad

 

[Glacier991]

This link might provide some guidance.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118654

 

[spindlecone]

Chris
Inyo, why do you think ford went with the dipstickless tranny? is a stupid design

 

[Glacier991]

I can only speculate, but hey, idle speculation is a devils playground so lets!

With the advent of FORD using MercV and with it's semi synthetic properties, there is no reason it cannot easily (and safely) go past 75,000 mi prior to any change.... and what is the powertrain warranty period? Hmmm... so will it likely be needing change before the expiration of warranty? Nope. There is a cost and hassle associated with the dipstick tube.... and now and then idiots put the wrong stuff down it (like Merc III or worse) wait! - I know, we can.... a) SAVE the idiots from themselves and (or); b) Save a few bucks... hmmm times 2- 3 million units (carry the 2, add 4...) WHOA big savings at ZERO risk.

That's my take on it.

 

[spindlecone]

Might also be an advertizing gimmic, fords new trannys are sealed, will last the life of the truck, no service ever req.No need to ever ck fluid levels, no hassles, nothing ever to worry about, your in good hands with allstate, right

 

[jnsnwt]

Another possible reason for not installing a dipstick is the cost savings of probably $1.47 per vehicle. Make a million cars and save $1.47 per unit gives the CEO a nice bonus.

 

[davidmmm69]

You need to use a pump to get the ATF into the tranny via the adapter, unless your able to flip the vehicle upside-down and use gravity.

duh i know that but that isnt what he was asking.. you need a special adapter that you use has 2 parts that unscrew and that is how you check once the fluid is back into the tranny..

 

[ExplorerDMB]

the sealed transmission isn't new -- I have worked on a VWs with sealed transmissions and have had to do some strange things. VW, and i'm sure ford does it now, makes you hook up the scan tool to see what type of temperature the fluid is at then you can either check the fluid level (by pulling the plug at the bottom). Then you let it pour out til it's dripping. Reason for sealed transmissions? Reasons for non-serviceable fuel filters? So you will take your car back to the dealership and feel comfortable with them doing the work instead of a local bubba shop down the street.

-Drew

 

[Xzibit A]

the sealed transmission isn't new -- I have worked on a VWs with sealed transmissions and have had to do some strange things. VW, and i'm sure ford does it now, makes you hook up the scan tool to see what type of temperature the fluid is at then you can either check the fluid level (by pulling the plug at the bottom). Then you let it pour out til it's dripping. Reason for sealed transmissions? Reasons for non-serviceable fuel filters? So you will take your car back to the dealership and feel comfortable with them doing the work instead of a local bubba shop down the street.

-Drew

i agree with him its because they want you to know you have to take it back to the dealer at somepoint, so why not just take it there all the time, also alot of people dont know that you check the transmission fluid hot and whit the engine running, so they are filled incorrectly most of the time when people check it them selves so ithink they did away with that

 

[ExplorerDMB]

also alot of people dont know that you check the transmission fluid hot and whit the engine running, so they are filled incorrectly most of the time when people check it them selves

Good point!

 

[davidmmm69]

still fairly easy to do if you have the fitting...

 

[jnsnwt]

Here's my thought on how to refill the sealed trans.
Get 5-6 feet of rubber hose and snake it down to the fill plug from under the hood then attach a funnel at the top.

IF and that's a BIG "IF" the filler plug is 1/2 inch NPT you can use 5/8 heater hose which will slip over a 1/2 inch pipe nipple.
Does anyone know for a fact what size the fill plug is ?

 

[JoeR]

It's not a fill plug in the usual sense. It's a drain plug that has yet another plug tapped into the center of it. As it turns out, that center plug has 1/8" pipe threads, so it seems like you can make a simple adapter by going to Home Depot/Checker/whatever and getting a 1/8" pipe thread with a hose barb fitting, and then using a simple pump (also at Checker Auto) to pump in the new ATF. I confirmed the fit of the barb tonight, and will see if it all works tomorrow, but this fitting looks just like the one posted so I can't imagine why it wouldn't work.

The downside is that hand-pumping 12 qts of ATF just doesn't sound like any fun at all. I've seen posted (in the pre-02 Explorer forum) a discussion of taking the two hoses from the tranny to the cooler and putting each in containers--one empty to catch the old fluid and the other full to suck in the new ATF. But there seemed to be a debate there whether there was really enough suction to pull in the new ATF. I have to admit that I'm dubious, since I'm guessing the tranny pump is designed to push rather than suck (no jokes about these trannys sucking!). Does anyone know about this??

BTW, the other problem with the process is that it's nearly impossible to remove the hoses from the transmission cooler (or at least that's the case on my V8 with, supposedly, a heavy duty tranny cooler.) The Haynes manual says you need to remove the radiator to get to the tranny fittings, and after staring at it for quite awhile, I think they're right. I'm adding a tranny filter, so I'm cutting the hoses, which could make it possible. But after that, I think the only good option would be to use the fittings at the tranny itself. At that point, I'm willing to pay the dealer or local tranny shop the $120.

 

[ma96782]

Someone will come up with a fitting and make big $$$$...........just wait alittle..........."Where there is a will, there is a way."

Too bad, I'm not the guy. Though, the remote "extra filter" maybe a starting point.

I mean how many of us had "thought" about a FUMOTO before it got manufactured??

Aloha, Mark

 

[BrooklynBay]

I once saw an interesting idea in a magazine many years ago about an electronic dipstick. It was basically a long, flexible rod with electrodes placed on different levels. It had a connector on top that has a harness that plugged into it. That harness went to a level gauge inside of the vehicle. When you started your car, it showed your oil level as either a bar graph, or as a gauge (low, medium, or full). The company was trying to get the OEM interested in manufacturing it, but I've never seen it since then. It was probably 20 years ago that this was developed. I think Nasa was involved in some way. They have stuff called "spin offs" that are things originally designed for their own use, then converted into consumer items. I think the article was in Nasa Tech Briefs magazine.

 

[daveleeander]

I just changed my fluid myself

I recently changed the solenoid body on my 02 XLT, 4.0 L. I did it myself. The "special fitting" is a 1/8" pipe nipple. The "special Gun" is a suction gun I picked up at NAPA (Lincoln). The gun sucked air as it sucked fluid, but I was able to bleed most of the air out by turning the gun with the hose up, and slowly pushing in the plunger. It holds almost a quart if you bleed all the air out of it each time. Wasn't hard to do.

Dave