Full transmission fluid change

[rumpledoll]

I dropped the transmission pan on my 63,340 mile 2002 4.0L V6 Ford Explorer, replaced the filter with a motorcraft part bought from a dealer and put in 12 quarts of Dead Link Removed. Very odd smell to it, sorta like fish.

Anyway, while the transmission has given me no trouble and it shifts well, it shifts noticeably smoother with the Schaeffer's, IMHO. The All Trans appears to be a very high quality synthetic "sleeper" ATF. I did the old drain from the cooler lines to get out the old ATF.

This was a messy job with the pan drop and the pan bolts above the exhaust pipe in the rear were a bit of a pan. But hopefully this will extend the trouble free life of my transmission.

Rumple

 

[micachu]

Sounds like your went much more smoothly than the tranny fluid change I did in my 2004 a few months ago. I had wondered why there was not a dipstick for the transmission and I found out why the hard way.

 

[rumpledoll]

I hate that design withe the special "nipple" that has to be attached to the center of the pan drain. I had to install a new pan drain as the center plug was rusted in place and would not come out. Finding the little nipple was a pain too although one local "real" auto parts store (i.e. not Pep boys or a chain, but a placed filled with folk who know cars) had one.

It is a messy job made messier by the lack of dipstick. You know the fluid is full when it's dribbling out with the engine on, and you have to unscrew the nipple and screw in the plug insuring ATF fluid on your hands.

It may be my wishful thinking, but the shifts seem really, really nice and smooth with the Schaeffer's All Tran - it is a high quality fluid.

Rumple

I had wondered why there was not a dipstick for the transmission and I found out why the hard way.

 

[Thelt]

I have heard that it is very difficult to get the transmission full of fluid. Was that your experience?

 

[rumpledoll]

I wouldn't call it difficult, just a pita. You need the special adaptor that screws into the removable center plug of the pan drain, and you need some tubes and a pump to get the fluid into the transmission. The fluid has to be warm but not hot, the engine has to be running.

You know you are done when the ATF fluid dibbles out of the adaptor, which means you must remove your hose from it to see how you are doing. Once you are done you need to remove the adaptor and screw in the center plug, all the while getting warm ATF dribbled on your hands. PITA.

Rumple

I have heard that it is very difficult to get the transmission full of fluid. Was that your experience?

 

[mralex714]

You didn't mention the engine running. The engine needs to be running to get the fluid to the correct level.

 

[xtoolmaker]

You didn't mention the engine running. The engine needs to be running to get the fluid to the correct level.

Yes he did on post #3

 

[rumpledoll]

I now have most oils switched over to synthetic based oils:

1) ATF is Dead Link Removed
2) Transfer case is Mobil 1 synthetic ATF. The older version, not the current version.
3) Power steering is Mobil 1 synthetic ATF. Again, the older version, not the current version.
4) Front differential is Dead Link Removed gear oil.
5) Rear differential is Dead Link Removed gear oil.
6) Engine oil is Dead Link Removed motor oil.

Rumple

 

[daveleeander]

The "special" nipple is nothing more than an 1/8" pipe nipple of certain length. I put a post on here a couple years ago about flushing my own. Used a small pump. It went well. I forget what length nipple I used.
Flushing, with the rear wheels off the ground and blocked, tranmission in drive, and fluid coming out one cooler line while fluid is going in other line is only way to ensure torque converter gets changed too. I think it took 15 qts. maybe?

My whole car is all Amsoil. Has been for 2 years now. I have 185,000 on it, and expect to get another 100k.

D

 

[blackbeauty]

might be a little off topic here. but does anyone have an answer to why my newly installed tranny temp guage reads no higher than 130 at operating temp? the gauge starts at 100 and most of the time the needle doesnt rise, only when im going in the hills or stoped for a period of time after about 20 mins of driving. i have a factory tranny cooler and i did the same install as one of the stickys on here. btw it has been 0-30f here in ny so could that have an affect? 98 sport 4x4. but im reading this thread for the best fluid to put in as thats next on the list, along w/ a remote filter. also a drain plug in the tran pan.

 

[micachu]

I went about it a little differently. I measured the amount of fluid that came out and then replaced it with the recommended amount. Instead of using that process involving the nipple, I disconnected one of the tranny fluid cooler lines at the front and used a squeeze bottle. It was time consuming and there's no real way to get a leak free connection at the squeeze bottel, but I lost less than half a cup from it.

I went as far as actually dropping the tranny pan and wiping it clean, including lifting the magnet out of the pan and wiping the magnet clean as well. I reused the OE filter since it said it was a lifetime part.