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Help with Transmission Fluid Change

b.voorhees

New Member
Joined
March 12, 2011
Messages
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City, State
NJ
Year, Model & Trim Level
1999 5.0 Limited
I am currently attempting to do a fluid change on my 4r70w transmission. There were no problems dropping the pan. I am now attempting to drain the torque converter and I removed the drain plug from the bell housing and no fluid came out, the area inside seems bone dry. I have done some research and and this drain plug is supposed to give you access to another drain plug. However I can not see another drain plug. So now I am completely lost, please help.
 



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I believe the drain hole just drains the bell housing and does not give you access to the torque converter. The converter has to be balanced pretty much perfectly so there isnt a drain plug on it. Your best bet is to buy a trans flush machine or just wait a few days and drain a little more fluid out and replace it.
 






Older torque converters had a small drain plug. My '98 has it, but I am aware that it was deleted from newer models of the 4R70W (probably as a money-maker for the dealers, not a balancing improvement, but that's debatable). Hopefully someone will chime in with the information whether it exists on your '99 or not. But frankly, once you get under and have the rubber plug removed, it's easy to find out yourself. Just put a wrench on the balancer bolt and turn the crank slowly by hand, shining a light at the coverter through the opening. If it's there, you'll see it.
If your converter has no plug, you can still do a complete change by disconnecting a transmission cooling line. There is plenty of information in the archives of this group about the exact procedure.

I believe the drain hole just drains the bell housing and does not give you access to the torque converter. The converter has to be balanced pretty much perfectly so there isnt a drain plug on it. Your best bet is to buy a trans flush machine or just wait a few days and drain a little more fluid out and replace it.
 






I have a 5.0 AWD 4R70W and have rebuilt the transmission on it and there is a drain plug on the torque converter itself. There should not be any fluid if you just pulled the rubber plug out of the bottom of the torque converter housing. You should be able to rotate the torque converter by bumping the engine or rotating the crankshaft and you will see it. The Ford manual says you are supposed to get a new drain plug if you take it out and retorque to 9 ft lbs. Not sure why it says that, but it does. Also, the manual says you can take off the pan and drain it first before removing the plug but I would have thought you would bump the engine to line up the drain plug and then remove the pan. Probably no harm if you don't actually start the engine.

Also, for what its worth, I like to put in an aftermarket drain plug on the pan. Make the next change much easier and cleaner.
 






B & M Trans Drain Plug
 

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It took me awhile but I got it figured out. Bumping the engine took quite awhile but I got access to the drain plug. At first I just had an "uuuuuuuuuhhhh...." moment. Thanks for all the advice!
 






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