To flush or not. not again

[mjjstang]

ok I have been reading up a lot about this and also posted about other fluid questions, but I believe having the right fluids and clean fluids is one of the most important part of keeping a car in tip top condition, anyway. I just got off the phone with dealer, and they said for my 97 4.0 sohc it is recommended every 30k to flush (at 79k this is probably the first time it will be flushed) and he laughed when I told him there are people who view flushing, as a bad idea. He laughed even more when I asked about the price sans fluid being that I wanted to add my own synthetics, and he told me blasphemy. what they use is recommended. (he told me they use a semi synthetic so I assume they are using motorcraft) and they back flush it. being its a screen filter, it is pointless to purchase a new filter. All contaminants should be removed during the process. This does make sense if it is just a screen. I want to believe him. for 110 bux i can get it over and done with and call it a day. I am mechanically inclined but I don't want to get into the flushing business myself as that scares me a bit.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Don't backflush a filter in a transmission! This will push dirt out of the filter, and into other parts of the transmission. The transmission is designed to push fluid in one direction only. You don't want to put pressure against check valves, and other parts inside of it. Replace the filter, and flush in the same direction as the normal fluid flow. Mercon V is semi-synthetic. According to 2 websites which I've posted information from, they say not to use it in a 97. Here is the link: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1348273&postcount=10. I don't have an explaination why other than the clutch materials might be different like in the A4LD, and 4R55E. You have the 5R55E. 98-up use Mercon V.

 

[dogfriend]

Its not a screen filter in the 2nd Gen Ex, at least not in the 5R55E which was introduced in 97.

I agree you should change the filter. I had mine flushed by the dealer at 33k miles and thought that they would change the filter, but they did not. (Lazy *******s). When I changed it myself at 79k, even though the fluid was still red, the filter was black. I am using AmsOil Syn and have 116k on the clock now.

P.S. Brooklyn Bay, my 97 manual says to only use Mercon V for the 5R55E.

 

[BrooklynBay]

According to 2 websites, they only recommend it on the 98-up 5R55E. Does your manual say to use it on the 97? Is it the Ford owner's manual or a different manual? What kind of filter is it if it's not a screen? Is it microfelt?

 

[dogfriend]

According to 2 websites, they only recommend it on the 98-up 5R55E. Does your manual say to use it on the 97? Is it the Ford owner's manual or a different manual? What kind of filter is it if it's not a screen? Is it microfelt?

Yes, in the 97 Owners Manual, it specifies Mercon V for the 5R55E, regular Mercon for the 4R70W (5.0L). Also calls for Mercon V in the Ford Service Manual and it is stamped on the Trans Fluid dipstick.

The original filter was like the one in Glacier's thread, a Microfelt. I replaced it with another Motorcraft filter.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the information. I was able to locate one website which had the information that I had mentioned: http://www.aa1car.com/library/atf.htm

 

[dogfriend]

From the article you linked:

Mercon V -- Ford's newest type, introduced in 1997 for Ranger, Explorer V6 and Aerostar, and 1998 & up Windstar, Taurus/Sable and Continental. Must not be used in 1997 or earlier Fords.

The first sentence is correct; he should revise/clarify the second sentence because it conflicts with the first one.

 

[mjjstang]

yah i noticed this in another post by you. and was very worried, I agree that it must be certain models, since my tranny dipstick says only use mercon V anyway. I got all this information from the dealer. I am so torn from everything that is being said here I dont know what to do. I assume the dealer knows what they are doing, but apparently not here? O my why is everything so difficult.

 

[dogfriend]

yah i noticed this in another post by you. and was very worried, I agree that it must be certain models, since my tranny dipstick says only use mercon V anyway. I got all this information from the dealer. I am so torn from everything that is being said here I dont know what to do. I assume the dealer knows what they are doing, but apparently not here? O my why is everything so difficult.

I would ask the dealer how much it would be to flush and replace the filter. Make it clear that you want to replace the filter.

If you are adventurous, you can drop the pan, replace the filter and then flush yourself using the "pump one quart out, add one quart, repeat" method. That is what I did when I switched to synthetic because I wanted to get all of the old fluid out. (It is ok to mix non-syn and syn, BTW, they are compatible with each other) More about it in these threads:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79372&highlight=flush+ATF

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38434&highlight=ATF

You may have already seen this one:

Dead Link Removed