Draining the Torque Converter???

[BigJoCo]

I have a '96 Explorer Sport. It has the 4.0L V6 with the A4LD Tranny. I started changing the tranny fluid and filter yesterday. I couldn't get to the torque converter to drain it? Anyone done this or know how to do it? Where is the spot that I can access the drain plug on the torque converter? How do I get thru the bell housing?

Thanks in advance,
Josh

 

[Opera House]

There is no drain plug

All holes in transmissions are bad. That's why they have now eliminated the dipstick. The only way is to pump it through with a lot of extra quarts to dilute it.

 

[BigJoCo]

I am a little confused. There is no longer a way to drain the remaing fluid out of the torque converter when you are changing the filter and fluid. There is still fluid in the converter after dropping the pan. There is no way possible to drain it? There usually is an access hole or a rubber plug in the bottom of the housing in order to gain access to the torque converter to drain it.

 

[Opera House]

No

But keep looking. The high religeous officials in Iran halted the caviar trade because because the sturgeon was an unclean fish with no scales. After it was noted the economic impact this had on the country, they looked again. Lo and behold, they managed to find one scale. You might have this same religeous experience.

 

[Rick]

To drain the maximum possible fluid from the TC. Jack up the front of the car higher than the back. Drain the fluid from the pan, loosen the valve body and additional fluid will drain out. That will get about half the fluid out of the converter.

 

[SteveVB]

No drain stock

I dont think the stock converters had drain holes in the bell, and the converter- mine didnt. If the tranny has been rebuilt or the converter changed it may have the drain plug and a hole bored in the bell housing for access.

You can jack and drain like Rick said, or do a fluid change via the cooler hoses.

 

[TPLYNCH]

The only way get it all is to do a tranny flush. And unless you put a different transmission in, you have a 4R44E, a slightly upgraded and electronic version of the A4LD

 

[njsjfonline]

there is not way to open the converter to dran it's A welded tight. (DON'T TRY DRILLING INTO IT) I work for a converter rebuiling co. So when telling you that there is no way to dran. I know.

What i would do is drop the pan change the filter blow out the trans coolling lines and your done.
Hope this helps.
Sam

 

[zavetsky]

Chiltons

Wouldnt this also require a new valve body gasket??

The Chiltons manual says that there is a drain plug on the converter.... or is this a generic kind of thing?????????????????????

Originally posted by Rick
To drain the maximum possible fluid from the TC. Jack up the front of the car higher than the back. Drain the fluid from the pan, loosen the valve body and additional fluid will drain out. That will get about half the fluid out of the converter.

 

[zavetsky]

Chiltons

Wouldnt this also require a new valve body gasket??

The Chiltons manual says that there is a drain plug on the converter.... or is this a generic kind of thing?????????????????????

Originally posted by Rick
To drain the maximum possible fluid from the TC. Jack up the front of the car higher than the back. Drain the fluid from the pan, loosen the valve body and additional fluid will drain out. That will get about half the fluid out of the converter.