Flushing T-Case and Trans fluid this weekend need tips. 5.0 Engine.

[Nitrous SSC]

Ok coming up on 96k miles its time to get this stuff changed.

A problem that I'm having hopefully be a result of old fluid. When I'm at a stop light 100% stoped my transmission will shift for a split second. Its weird. Kinda feels like you're getting your rear bumper bumped.

My game plan to flush the system is easy and should work well. While other people take the sender line to a bucket then pour into the filler neck I think I know how to make the operation automatic

First I'm going to take the pan off and change the filter. Then refill.

Then I'm going to take the sending line to the trans cooler and extend it into a the top of a sealed container. Then I'll take another hose from the top and bridge it into the top of another container completly filled up with fluid and have the line that goes back into the trans hooked into the bottom of the fresh fluid container.

This should provide a semi-hydraulic effect and basicly as it pushes the old fluid out it will force the new fluid in getting a pretty close ratio of whats going out to whats going in. But of course it will only work if I have everything pretty much air tight. (hotglue works wonders) I will also be installing a new/larger tranny cooler so the fluid in the stock one won't bother me.

What do you guys think?

P.S. Is the AWD X-case as easy to change fluid as the V6's?

 

[Cali' Explorer]

One thing you may want to do as well, reset the computer (shut it off for a bit). The computer learns your driving style and modifies how it shifts. The weird bump could be a result of its learning.

I just reset my computer, its amazing the difference the learning makes. I don't know if I like all the things that it "learns", but it definately is a huge difference.

 

[cjbarron5]

sounds cool but you know that places like jiffy lube and most tranny shops have a machine to do that but its cool that you are going to build your own i was going to buy a 4 inch piece of clear pipe and find a "piston" that i could make fit and seal and then fill one side with clean fluid and put on line on each end of the pipe and hook up then as the pump in the tranny pumped the fluid out it would push the new fluid in just another take on your idea

 

[Bill Kemp]

Here is a site w/info on the trans. One of the things on there that I want to try is the torgue converter drain. Seems that if you do that it wouldnt be necessary to do a messy flush. http://tccoa.com/articles/tranny/index.html#

 

[cjbarron5]

most relacement tc come with a drain plug in them and its very easy to put one in too

 

[cjbarron5]

most relacement tc come with a drain plug in them and its very easy to put one in too

 

[aldive]

Seems that if you do that it wouldnt be necessary to do a messy flush.

Bill, why do you say the flush is messy?

 

[Bill Kemp]

Because many of the posts here and other sites talk about cleaning up trans fluid spilled during a flush.
Now I'm sure that if everyone took their time and made no mistakes and were almost perfect they wouldnt spill any fluid. That usually doesnt happen.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105581

 

[aldive]

The tranny flush is easier and cleaner than an oil change' there is no reason to spill a single drop. A 15 minute job.

 

[IAmTodd]

Whoa, You have AWD right? I remember someone saying that the viscus fluid is not/should not be changed. You might want to make sure about that.

 

[Nitrous SSC]

Whoa, You have AWD right? I remember someone saying that the viscus fluid is not/should not be changed. You might want to make sure about that.

AWWW S@#$ are you serious? I hope someone can mention in more detail.

 

[Cali' Explorer]

That is not 100% correct. It is correct that the Visous fluid should not be changed, but that is maintained in the clutch assembly. It is seperate. The Transfer Case fluid is just plain old ATF and that can be changed.

If not, I would have been in trouble a while ago cause I changed the T/C fluid in my AWD about 25k ago and more recently about 5k ago and the Transfer Case is still working AOK.

 

[IAmTodd]

OK, didn't know it was seperate, just thought I'd mention it.

 

[Nitrous SSC]

whew thanks for clearing that up Cali.

I did change my fluid tonight but I didn't have time to construct a nifty little setup like I'd mentioned. I just did it the ole fashion way. I used the return from the cooler so I could flush that too. HOLY CRAP does that stuff spray. The wife fired up the truck and stuff just shot everywhere like a hose. Good thing I've got a sealed garage floor and lots of oil soak. My SHO's AX4N didn't have nearly the pressure this trans has!

I went through and sucked out 14 qts and put in 14 qts. I hope that was enough because that stuff was EXPENSIVE! I used Castrol GTX semi-synthetic Mercon V. 48$!

I held off on the transfer case because of the post on this thread about possibly damaging the AWD. I guess I'll go pick up few more QT's.

My overall impression is that my trans fluid was stock. I have 96k on her now and the fluid came out a nasty smelling almost deep orange color!!! The transmission now shifts much higher between 1st and 2nd and the TQ converter chatter I had in 3rd is gone now. Also the truck is ALOT quieter inside.

P.S. I had to hold off on the new tranny cooler install because I had to juggle this in with going to the Thunderbirds Airshow today and didn't want to miss it

 

[coled43]

That makes me wonder. I did a flush with the return line on a 99 SOHC recently and the flow was very managable. It took about the same time for a quart to go in my milk jug as it did to pour one in a small funnel. It didn't seem like there was much pressure behind it either (no Spray). Hope my trans is pumping OK. I did have similar results with much better shifting.

 

[aldive]

That makes me wonder. I did a flush with the return line on a 99 SOHC recently and the flow was very managable. It took about the same time for a quart to go in my milk jug as it did to pour one in a small funnel. It didn't seem like there was much pressure behind it either (no Spray). Hope my trans is pumping OK. I did have similar results with much better shifting.

Mine has been exactly like that every time I have flushed.

 

[Nitrous SSC]

By the time I'd emptied one quart into the dipstick hole going as fast as I could I had a freaking milk carton full!! And that was with a little reducer/adaptor I put on the line to extend the hose with some silicone see-through. It sprayed all over the damn place. The only way I could get it to stay in was to ziptie the hose into the jug heavly pinched. Even then it flowed pretty good.

I had to basicly drain a gallon and then put in a gallon with the wife starting/stoping the engine.

Like I'd mentioned the last time I did an ATF flush was with my SHO and it didn't have pressure anything like this.