Tranny Flush or Pan Drop

[Lee S.]

Thanks Al....

How much fluid is lost (mess factor) when taking apart the cooler hose to attach the external filter. Will it help that I'm down 4 quarts from the pan drop or is this basically a non issue? I ask this because I definately want to do the pan drop this weekend but I probably won't have the external filter by then to install. As such I may be forced just to do the pan drop, and put everything back together and do the external filter the following weekend when the tranny fluid is full.

Thank for your advice.

Lee

 

[aldive]

You loose very little when doing the filter.

Good luck.....

 

[Lee S.]

That's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks again Al.

Lee

 

[Rhett]

I am about to change the filter and flush.
I am wanting to use AMSOIL but it's $7.80 per quart!

I am going to:
1. put under-bed 30 gal plastic storage container under pan to catch the approx 4 qts that will drop out.
2. drop pan, replace gasket
3. clean pan with bra-Kleen or simple green (or lacquer thinner, ??)
4. check torque on valve body bolts (what is torque spec?, anyone know?)
4. add some more magnets to the pan
5. install SPX Microfelt filter and o-rings
6. refill with el-cheapo trans fluid the exact amount that fell out when pan was dropped
7. drive for a little bit
8. do a flush, using cooler line, 1 quart at a time, using AMSOIL or Mobil-1
9. drive for a month or two, then change filter AGAIN

How does this all sound? What is best to clean the pan with? And what are the torque specs for the valve body bolts?

 

[aldive]

Sounds like a good plan.

My pan has never needed cleaning.

 

[Rhett]

My pan might be clean too, I flushed at 75,000 miles, and now I've got 104,000 miles, but it has been about 2-3 years. I'm more concerned about making sure I get that filter seated properly.

 

[Lee S.]

Rhett:

I'm about to do the same thing as you. Forgive my ignorance but can you tell me what the valve body is?

Also is the filter you are changing in #9 on your list the internal filter or is it a secondary (external) filter.

My plan is to do everything you listed (once I find out what a valve body is that is) but I will also be installing an external filter.

Just curious whether you intend to change the internal filter twice (before and after flush).

Lee

 

[Opera House]

What you do depends on what you find. I've always found a lot of sediment in the pan. What you find in the pan is only a portion of what is still left in the transmission. Changing the fluid won't make everything clean. New fluid will cause more sediment to come out. I have found the pan just as dirty 6 months later and HAD to change the filter. If everything is clean, that's great. Otherwise plan on doing it again in six mo. I like to throw in extra magnets. If thinking multiple filter changes, order filters from www.bulkpart.com for the best filter at half price $10. Pan gasket and O rings must be ordered seperately.

 

[Rhett]

Ok Lee.

I am only changing the internal filter. I may decide to add an external later but I have other mods that will take precedence...

I am going to do it twice. Once now and again in a month or 2 (maybe when it warms up a little) for 2 reasons:
1) I am switching to synthetic. Synthetic generally has higher detergent properties and may pull more accumulated gunk out of the transmission than normal. For this reason I may (emphasize MAY) get more sediment after just a few months. If I don't it won't hurt. Pretty much what Opera house said in the previous post.
2) I want to ensure that I get all of the old dino transmission fluid out. 2 flush routines ought to do it.

Valve Body:

This is the part of the transmission that's easily accessible when you drop the pan. I would defer to the trans experts on the exact function of the valve body. There are some bolts there that can come a little loose over time, but not always. Anyway I am going to make sure they're snug, since I don't know the torque spec on them...

What is the torque spec on the valve body bolts
on an A4LD?

 

[Opera House]

7-9 ft-lb. This isn't usually a problem with the A4LD and 4R. Passages got really tight with the 5R55E. There are reported problems with aluminum case warp. They even sell double thickness valve body gaskets for the A4LD to help correct this problem.

 

[Lee S.]

Opera House:

What do you mean by 'Passages got really tight with the 5R55E. There are reported problems with aluminum case warp.'

I have a 5R55E which I will be servicing. Is there anything in particular I should pay attention to when i drop the pan other than the internal filter?

Lee

 

[ric232]

I'm confused. So can I flush out all of the old fluid (and add new fluid) w/o installing the external filter?

 

[Lee S.]

Yes you can flush with out an external filter by disconnecting the cooler line. There are instructions on how to do it elsewhere in this forum. If I can find it I will post a link for you.

Lee

 

[Opera House]

Just check to see that all the bolts are tight 8 ft-lb id just a light hand twist. The valve body in the 5R55E is physically the same size as the older one, but now they have added four extra solenoids making it more complicated. The valve body is like a fluid circuit board. You have added more "circuits" to the same space so the sealing space between chanels is now smaller. That makes it easier to blow a gasket. Aluminum is difficult to cast and it can sometimes warp. A standard valve body gasket is 0.008" thick and you might be able to compress it 0.001 inch. This takes up the gap in normal machining. Remember there are two gaskets seperated by a seperator plate. If the body is warped slightly, an A4LD double thickness gasket will help correct this.

I can guarantee that you will find a couple of bolts loose on your 5R55E. If they were all loose, that could be explained by gasket shrinkage. A couple loose either indicates quality control problems or maybe warpage. Retorquing should put things back as they should. Don't forget the four bolts on the steel servo cover too.

 

[Lee S.]

Thanks Opera House

I'll definately check the torque on the valve body bolts now that I have a better understanding (thanks to your info) of what to look for.

Lee

 

[schadler]

Has anyone ever thought of the concept that the tranny oil is actually good for more than 30K (or whatever the change interval is), and the manufacturer's change interval for a pan only change is based on this? This is probably why the pan drop technique is adequate, and what the manufacturer recommends...by changing a fraction of the total volume long before the oil is actually "bad", like 90% of all owners and dealers and mechanics do, you never have to change all of it, and no harm comes to the tranny. Ask yourselves this: have you ever heard of a tranny that failed due to bad fluid that was changed via the pan drop only method at the recommended intervals?

 

[Lee S.]

You make a good point but from what I've been reading in the various threads it better to be safe than sorry with these trannies. I will say that since adding the external filter and a week later, doing a pan drop and internal fiter change (at 56K miles) my X seems a lot happier. It really seems like my tranny is much more responsive and I appear to be getting better gas mileage than before.

I believe that Ford recommends the tranny be serviced at 60K so I'm on schedule with that and a little better off with the external filter. Haven't done the flush yet but it should be easy to do thru the external filter set-up.

So far so good and I want to keep it that way.

Lee

 

[schadler]

The external filter concept is a great idea...I wish it came like that stock.

I understand the logic in a complete flush, but since most of these jobs, when done commercially, neglect to change the filter, I don't undrstand the big benefit. With all this talk about sludge, sediment and particles that "fill cracks", you would think the filter change woould take precedence.

Ford did my fluid at my 60K interval, and changed the filter. I plan on doing the same thing myself, now that I'm nearing 90K, and will replace whatever I can get out (pan drop and maybe cooler drain) with Mobil 1 MERCON.

BTW: 2 Ford dealerships told me the ONLY way to know what ATF to use is to read what's on the dipstick (mine says "use MERCON"). He said model trannies could change several times in a model year, so you can't go by a Haynes manual (mine says MERCON V).

 

[aldive]

I have always used synthetic ( Mobil 1 ) ATF in my tranny and every time the panis dropped, it looks new, never any dirt or sludge. I douby I will ever drop the pan again' the external filter definatly is worth its weight in gold.

 

[schadler]

Al,

I thought Mobil ATF was only Mercon DexronIII compatible. Doesn't your tranny use Mercon V?

Glad to hear you have had luck tho. Can you recommend any towing mods? I already have the towing package with dual coolers, and could use advice for beefing up rear suspension

Thanks!

Mark