Transmission question

[SailorKane]

I have 100,000 miles on my 97 explorer 5.0. Need to change the transmission fluid. The local mechanic place will "flush and replace fluid" for $160. But that doesn't include replacing the filter.
The price supposedly includes the fluid. It takes a lot of fluid to replace the transmission fluid, so that price doesn't look bad.
Question is: how important is it to replace the filter too? Dropping the pan and replacing the filter would be a pain.

Any thoughts? Thanks, Mark.

 

[jonlax]

If your filter has never been changed before i would do it.

Also it takes about 5 quarts if empty but a flush takes more. I have seen shops do as much as 15 quarts threw the transmission to make sure its all new fluid.

Also 160 seems a little high.

 

[pckid]

Flush

I purchased a used 99 4.0l OHV with 100,000 miles on it. I took it to the dealer and had it flushed, pan dropped and new filter for $150.00.

It has been 30,000 miles and it still shifts great and the fluid still looks like new. I will have the fluid/filter changed again at 36,000 mile intervals. I took it to the dealer only because I had it there for another service issue.

 

[gavin]

make sure they use Mercon V, NOT regular Mercon.
That stuff is spendy; ~$90/case or so (iirc, been a while since I got any).

the nice thing about these, is you can drain the torque converter and pan yourself, getting 99% of the old fluid out yourself and changing your filter while you're there.

definitely want to get the filter changed though. Better safe than sorry!

 

[dogfriend]

Flushing the trans without changing the filter is a poor practice. Dealers do it that way because its easier for them.

 

[Electrohacker]

how do you drain the torque converter?

 

[gavin]

the torque converter has a drain plug, which is accessible via an access hole on the bottom of the bellhousing.

remove rubber plug; rotate crank until drain plug is accessible, pull plug.
although it does take forever to drain because the drain hole is pretty small

 

[Electrohacker]

and it refills from the trans? so i assume you fill the trans then spin the converter with the engine, then fill the trans, and repeat till full?????

 

[gavin]

yeah... a VERY long process refilling, since the transmission as a whole, holds around 13 qts iirc (that includes TC and pan).

fill up through dipstick, go through gears, check dipstick to see if any's left in the pan, repeat.

when I did this, I want to say it took me about 30'ish minutes or so by myself. Just to refill the trans

I just started up the truck and let it run. Never shut it off between adding/checking fluid level. Just poured in 3 quarts or so, hopped in and switched through the gears a couple times, jumped out, checked fluid, added more as necessary.

 

[jonlax]

yeah... a VERY long process refilling, since the transmission as a whole, holds around 13 qts iirc (that includes TC and pan).

A compleatly dry transmission after a rebuild is around 14 to 16 quarts depending on type of converter and if its an E or W 4R70. You can expect to put about 1 1/2 quarts extra in if you drained out the cooler and lines. The torque converter in these transmission holds roughly 6 quarts!

at 16 quarts it will cost you about 80 dollars at a 6% sales tax.

32 quarts for a full flush, 160 dollars sounds about right..

I guess i have been spoiled by having Mercon V for about 2.60 a quart and forgot the price.

You can do a flush by yourself but i would at the least chang the filter and clean off the magnetic peice in the pan. The filter is listed at 24 dollars so go for the 160 but make sure they change the filter or they are just being lazy!

Jon

 

[gavin]

A compleatly dry transmission after a rebuild is around 14 to 16 quarts depending on type of converter and if its an E or W 4R70. You can expect to put about 1 1/2 quarts extra in if you drained out the cooler and lines. The torque converter in these transmission holds roughly 6 quarts!

at 16 quarts it will cost you about 80 dollars at a 6% sales tax.

32 quarts for a full flush, 160 dollars sounds about right..

I guess i have been spoiled by having Mercon V for about 2.60 a quart and forgot the price.

You can do a flush by yourself but i would at the least chang the filter and clean off the magnetic peice in the pan. The filter is listed at 24 dollars so go for the 160 but make sure they change the filter or they are just being lazy!

Jon

I was close!
and $2.60/qt? you lucky sob... lol

 

[jonlax]

I was close!
and $2.60/qt? you lucky sob... lol

AAFES or otherwise known as the PX!

Join the military and they give you good discounts.


I did a drain about a month ago on a 99 Eddie and it is a ***** trying to get to that converter!

I usually go to the auto care center and work on peoples cars for money on the side. People save a buck since i charge 50 bucks per hour depending on what the job is. The mechanics on post have a going rate of 105 dollars an hour so every one runs to the auto care center which just cost 3 dollars to rent a bay and they have parts galore on hand.

Jon

 

[SmoothJimmy]

Since lots of the junk in the tranny passages will collect in the filter, visual inspection will give an indication if there are some problems or problems to be. And, since it's out, replace it. Ford will sell you one for ~$40 (4R70W) and I have seen aftermarket for somewhat less.

There is a writeup on this site of a tranny flush process that uses the cooler lines to the radiator. I tried it a couple years ago and was cake. Replaced the filter and added the lost 3-5 qts beforehand, of course.