Quick Transmission Fluid Question

[BarryCarey]

Hello All,

Stupid me drained my tranny fluid without new fluid on hand. I planned to run to the parts store to grab some. Their site said they had Motorcraft Mercon V in stock, but they didn't.

Would it be an issue putting a different brand in? I would assume not. Just wanted a quick second opinion.

The have their store brand, Valvoline, and Castrol in stock.

 

[Mustang Guy]

Hello All,

Stupid me drained my tranny fluid without new fluid on hand. I planned to run to the parts store to grab some. Their site said they had Motorcraft Mercon V in stock, but they didn't.

Would it be an issue putting a different brand in? I would assume not. Just wanted a quick second opinion.

The have their store brand, Valvoline, and Castrol in stock.

I always use Castrol Transmax Mercon V, great fluid and readily available.

 

[drdoom]

You assume correctly, no problem as long as it's MercV, stay far far away from multi-vehicle fluids.

 

[BarryCarey]

That's for the input guys. I figured as much. First time doing this so I wanted to play it safe.

 

[BigFellor]

Mobil One good to go?

 

[springwater]

How easy or difficult are you finding the process?

 

[BarryCarey]

It wasn't that bad. I did it in my driveway on ramps. Would be far easier in a garage.

By far the worst part was getting fluid back into it. The whole sealed tranny design makes the filling process rather annoying.

The hand pump I bought from O'Reilly was horrible. It works like a giant syringe and has a rubber hose that goes over the tranny fill nipple. It worked fine the first 2 fills. After that the internal plunger started getting lots of blow by. This resulted in tranny fluid pouring down the handle. Made a pretty stellar mess.

 

[springwater]

Did you use any kind of online tutorial or step-by step dyi thread?

If so, please post.

 

[BarryCarey]

I mainly used this thread:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118654

Read through the whole thing, there's a lot of good info.

You need a special nipple to put fluid back in.

Search Amazon for OTC-6604

However, I used an 1/8 brass hose fitting I got from the hardware store. Worked fine. Similar to this: http://puu.sh/iOHOa/ff69f51fff.jpg

This video shows how to properly fill it with fluid and set the correct level. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOgs_zbzA5I

 

[springwater]

Nice info there, thank you.

I noticed in the comments on the youtube video and on one of the pages from the thread you linked mentions a fill plug elsewhere on the transmission.

Can anyone confirm?

Youtube comment: "There is actualy a fill plug located to the passenger side right on the 4x4 model, on the back of the 2wd model."

This link seems to verify.

http://www.charlietranny.com/5R55Nfluidfill.htm

Wonder if this would make it easier or more difficult.

To refill from the bottom, the guy in this video used a part from Napa for $2?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9qu7OUc_dY

 

[drdoom]

Just use the Ford tool, it has a shoulder on it that assures easy removal when your done filling. Also use a soap dispenser style pump, and for folks using ramps LEVEL THE VEHICLE BEFORE REFILLING! The level will be way off if you don't.