Tip for a pan drop/fluid change

[96eb96]

Here is a good way to avoid a Mercon Bath when you drop the pan. Carefully remove the upper cooler line using backup wrenches. Slip a tube over the cooler line, stuff a rag or paper towel into the open radiator line to avoid a slight fluid loss. Let the tube into a clear bottle (the 3 liter poland spring ones are great, you can fill it until it reaches about the 3/4 mark without worrying about stressing the pump). Now there will be very little left in the pan, and you can slip under the truck and loosen the 18 bolts. Be sure to set the parking brake or chock wheels. Call me nuts but I like to slip jackstands under the truck even if its not jacked up. When the pan comes down there is little fluid left. Make sure you clean the pan well with brake fluid, then wash it down. The new filter should come with two rubber rings that must go on. Tighten up the new filter, put back the pan and check for leaks.

You can also use this trick to flush your trans. Fill the poland spring bottle 75% with mercon, refill another bottle to the same level with new Mercon V. Dump in the new...Rinse and Repeat. The 3 liter bottles assure you are not ever coming close to running your trans dry. They take about 30-40 secs to fill.

Nothing wrong with exchanging a few quarts every say third or 4th oil change.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the tips! There is another way to do this without making a mess. This machine creates a vacuum to draw the fluid into a cylinder: http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=10122

 

[TheJackal]

lol, look at that picture... he sure dresses up for an oil change. And apparently he removed the filter before pumping out the oil...?

I've found that the Explorer was a bit less-mess than some, although mine was at a slight angle when removing the pan.

 

[BrooklynBay]

According to their information, you pump out the oil, then you remove the filter. You could open the drain plug to remove any left over oil which might still be in there. This tool comes in handy for pumping out transmission fluid before you take a bath under your vehicle. I have a product review on this tool: http://www.explorerforum.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/321/cat/500

 

[96eb96]

According to their information, you pump out the oil, then you remove the filter. You could open the drain plug to remove any left over oil which might still be in there. This tool comes in handy for pumping out transmission fluid before you take a bath under your vehicle. I have a product review on this tool: http://www.explorerforum.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/321/cat/500

Looks good, but I wonder if the tube will fit down the convoluted dipstick. Also, Some of the newer trucks are dipstickess.

P.S. I'm an ex-brooklyner. I used to buy my motorcraft parts cheap at champagne auto. I worked for a short while in some area car repair places. One very respectable owner of a bklyn trans shop told me if fluid was exchanged(not flushed, he said flush machines are bad and forced gunk into the valve body. Also, the flush chemicals are bad for the trans. I remember him showing me an AOD trans valve body a few hundred miles after a flush..it wasn't pretty)at the severe service interval(around 18-20K), and filter at the service interval(30-40K miles), he would be out of business. The majority of his remans were from obvious neglect with black tarry fluid. I spoke to three locally owned trans places where I live now, and they advise against a flush machine. Only a fluid/filter exchange and at most the pump procedure in this thread.

 

[chriswells78]

Or you can do what I did and install a drain plug. I picked up a drain plug assembly from Napa. It is basically a 1/2"x1"-18 bolt with a large hole drilled down the center. The bottom of the hole is threaded and a 1/4" bolt fits in the hole. There is a nylon washer to go on the pan side and a rubber washer that goes under the head of the drain 1/4" drain plug bolt. I had to drill one, half inch hole, thread it on. I torqued it to 10# just for my own **** retentiveness.

I installed it near the back of the pan in the center. Behind the hump in the bottom of the pan so that it is somewhat protected by the hump.

 

[96eb96]

Or you can do what I did and install a drain plug. I picked up a drain plug assembly from Napa. It is basically a 1/2"x1"-18 bolt with a large hole drilled down the center. The bottom of the hole is threaded and a 1/4" bolt fits in the hole. There is a nylon washer to go on the pan side and a rubber washer that goes under the head of the drain 1/4" drain plug bolt. I had to drill one, half inch hole, thread it on. I torqued it to 10# just for my own **** retentiveness.

I installed it near the back of the pan in the center. Behind the hump in the bottom of the pan so that it is somewhat protected by the hump.

I fear that without welding the plug it may work itself loose and leak from the vibrations. Your trans 4r70w has a optional stock pan that has a drain plug. You can probably get it cheap from an online dealer. They were made expressly for the U-Haul fleet. This is proof positive of the importance of timely fluid changes.

 

[chriswells78]

with the nylon washer compressed, it acts like a spring lock washer pushing on the threads so it will not come loose. The same goes for the rubber washer on the plug side.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I've had leaking drain plugs in the past, so now I solder a 1/2" X 20 nut to the inside of the pan, and use a magnetic drain plug.

 

[chriswells78]

worst case, I'll run a bead of weld around the bottom edge of the outer side nut