Procedure for adding transmission fluid? Link or Advice?

[Bob Explorer 200]

I've got a 2002 2WD Explorer with a 4.0 L SOHC V6 engine that has a very slow transmission fluid leak. I'd like to check the fluid level and top off the fluid if necessary. Have been trying to find a how-to thread on this forum using the search engine but haven't had any success finding one.

Can anyone here either provide a link to a good thread here on the forum or maybe give me some instructions on how to go about it? I have a garage at my house and a fairly good assortment of tools. Any help here will be appreciated.

Bob

 

[fordysenior]

Maybe this will help, depends on which tranny you have.
5R55W Fluid Fill

 

[TechGuru]

 

[Bob Explorer 200]

Maybe this will help, depends on which tranny you have.
5R55W Fluid Fill

Thanks, fordysenior. Just what I was looking for. Will buy that filler tube and see if my mechanic can add some transmission fluid. A big help!

 

[Bob Explorer 200]

I appreciate it, TG. Looks fairly straight forward. But I still think Ford's decision to eliminate the dip stick here was moronic. Anyway, thanks for the help.

 

[TechGuru]

Thanks, fordysenior. Just what I was looking for. Will buy that filler tube and see if my mechanic can add some transmission fluid. A big help!

If having someone else do it be sure they use the correct fluid...

OR

 

[MrPulldown]

The filler adapter is just a 1/8 NPT thread to 1/4" hose barb fitting. Having dealt with many dipsticks in the past and seeing people over or under fill their transmission, I LIKE this system for filling the ATF.
If you have no leaks there really isn't a reason you need to be messing/checking the levels.

I think I might be doing a drain and fill with a pan drop tomorrow or this weekend.

 

[Bob Explorer 200]

The filler adapter is just a 1/8 NPT thread to 1/4" hose barb fitting. Having dealt with many dipsticks in the past and seeing people over or under fill their transmission, I LIKE this system for filling the ATF.
If you have no leaks there really isn't a reason you need to be messing/checking the levels.

I think I might be doing a drain and fill with a pan drop tomorrow or this weekend.[/QUOTE

Thanks, MrPulldown, I appreciate the info, but as I said in my original post here, I do have a leak. I bought the correct filler adapter, a couple of quarts of Mercon V (from Ford dealer), a bottle of Lucas transmission treatment (stop leak) and an inexpensive hand pump. And today I elevated the truck in a safe and level position.

MY PROBLEM: I tried removing the center screw on the transmission drain plug using the correct Allen wrench, but it's badly rusted up and won't budge and I'm afraid the head on it will strip if I keep trying to break it free. I found out that AutoZone carries the right replacement plug unit (i.e., the main plug with the center Allen head screw within it) but that would mean unscrewing the large plug screw and having to drain the entire transmission. I've never used one before but would an Easy Out extractor tool work on this? Specs in owner's manual say that refill would mean putting 12.7 quarts back into it on the refill. That's going to be a lot of pumping if I buy the replacement plug and then refill back through the bottom plug. Any worthwhile suggestions will be really appreciated here.

 

[TechGuru]

So don't let it all drain out...??? Using a catch pan screw the new one in as soon as you remove the old one, then measure how much was removed and replace that amount...

 

[Bob Explorer 200]

Yeah, TG, I guess that's what I'll have to do. With my lightning reflexes, I'm guessing I'm gonna have oil slopped all over the place but that's the way it goes. I'm going to order the replacement plug online and it should be in within a few days. Thanks for the suggestion and I'll post when it's done.

 

[TechGuru]

Yeah, TG, I guess that's what I'll have to do. With my lightning reflexes, I'm guessing I'm gonna have oil slopped all over the place but that's the way it goes. I'm going to order the replacement plug online and it should be in within a few days. Thanks for the suggestion and I'll post when it's done.

Don't forget to pick up some long kitchen gloves from Walmart...