Transmission Flush And Condition?? | Ford Explorer Forums

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Transmission Flush And Condition??

5.0L V8

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City, State
Paradise,Ca
Year, Model & Trim Level
97 Explorer 5.0 AWD
So, i've had it for almost 25,000 miles now and not once flushed it. I could not find a write up anywhere on here. Please post the link if you know of one? And is there any reccomended additives/fluids to throw in to help steady it out a bit. My 97' has 130k on it and the transmission seems to have seen it's better days.

Hard shifts from 1st-2nd and 4th-OD on cold drives and even after it warms up sometimes. I know i'm looking at a rebuild sometime in the next year or so. But until then, i'm gonna try and baby it. Anybody have some preferred/favored stuff to throw in that just worked wonders on thier transmissions?

-Evan
 



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Royal purple is always a good way to go however i dunno if u should get a full flush drive it for a while then flush again with the good stuff. I had mine done at a local place just flushed with oem fluid mercon i think (not sure don't kill me) and flushed at every 12k since and gonna do RP next round. First time was Black and last time was back to pink (almost). Mines and 02 with no dipstick. If you have one then i'd drain a quart and then add a quart and drive a bit till u get it completely changed. Best of luck
 






You can buy canned stuff to flush your tranny that hook up to your cooler lines that works ok. Just follow the instructions on that and don't forget to change the filter. As for filling, all tranny fluids are about the same. Synthetics stand up better to wear and heat.
 












I just dropped the pan on mine yesterday, 60,000k on the oil and the pan was very clean with just a little sludge on the magnet. Fluid looked good, not burnt, clean and red. Castrol Merc 5, same thing I put back on it.
Also drained the torque convertor which probably holds 4 qts. by itself. Used 12 qts. total, $75 at Autozone.

230k on mine, shifts great, rarely abused. 99 4R70W updated the weak points of the trans. Best moderate power level trans Ford ever built IMO. 99+ can handle 600 ft lbs all day stock.
 












Any special brand you would reccomend for the Micro felt trans filter?

Anyone got a write up on how to do it?!?!
 












Thanks a bunch ExDude !
 






Anyone got any info on how many quarts of ATF the transmission takes?
 






I used 12 in mine with draining the torque convertor.
 






Is the torque converter drain plug close to the transmission plug? How do you fill the torque converter back up? Through the transmission resevoir? If I just want to do the trnasmission for now, how many quarts does just that hold?
 






Just forward of the trans pan is a silver dollar sized hole with a rubber plug in it, its the bottom of the bellhousing. You take the rubber plug out and rotate the engine until you see a 7/16" headed pipe plug, remove that and the torque convertor will start to slowly drain out, takes about 5 minutes to drain and I would guess it holds 5 qts. all day long as it is very large. I think its a great idea to drain because then you are changing 90% of the fluid and not just half of it.
Torque convertor fills itself back up when the engine starts thus driving the transmissions pump. I used a deep well socket and 1/2" ratchet to rotate the engine to line up the torque drain. 27mm I believe on the front end of the crankshaft where the belt drive/balancer is.
 






[/INDENT]
Anyone got any info on how many quarts of ATF the transmission takes?
[/INDENT]

4R55E/5R55E
Total Fill.......................Service Fill (Pan Drop)
2WD---9.0L/9.5Q............2.8L/3.0Q
4WD---9.3L/9.8Q............2.8L/3.0Q
1995-96 Mercon
1997-98 Mercon V

4R70W
AWD---13.2L/13.9Q.........4.7L/5.0Q
1995-97 Mercon
1998-2001 Mercon V

Hope this helps!
 






so for my '97 5.0L AWD, it hold 5 quarts, and i get regular Mercon ATF. Not Mercon V?
 






Nope you get Mercon 5, or you can put the cheap stuff in and have your trans act like a POS. At that point you might as well not change the fluid.
 






so for my '97 5.0L AWD, it hold 5 quarts, and i get regular Mercon ATF. Not Mercon V?

5Q is just dropping the pan, and yes factory specs call for Mercon. However windsors03cobra is right in that Mercon V would be better with the upgraded heat and friction modifiers.
 












So 12 quarts all together plus the lubeguard? And that is ok to add in with the torue converter?
Once again, after i empty the transmission,replace the filter and drain the torque converter. i simply pour the 12 quarts or so into the Transmission filler neck in the engine bay after dumping in the lubegaurd down that same filler neck?
it will then evenly distribute throughout the tranny and the torque converter correct?
 



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So 12 quarts all together plus the lubeguard? And that is ok to add in with the torue converter?
Once again, after i empty the transmission,replace the filter and drain the torque converter. i simply pour the 12 quarts or so into the Transmission filler neck in the engine bay after dumping in the lubegaurd down that same filler neck?
it will then evenly distribute throughout the tranny and the torque converter correct?

im waiting to see a reply to this as well. my trans has unknown miles on the existing fluid.
 






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