Which transmission pan and filter

[Oblivion]

Hello all,

This is my first post on here.

I have a 98 Explorer XLT, 4.0, OHV vin X, 4x2.

I am fairly confident that I have the 5r55e transmission. The pan is rectangular (does not have the slanted sides the the 4r70w seems to have). I have the transmission code D. It has 18 bolts on the pan not 14.

I plan on swapping the pan for one with a drain plug. I want to start introuducing some fresh ATF into my system. I don't know when the system was last flushed, so I don't want to flush just put some new fluid every 5k miles or so for a while. I will also be replacing the filter when the pan swap.

Which leads me to my question. Every time I look up this pan to buy (usually the Dorman product, I don't need a deep pan) it says it is for a 4x4, which I don't have. So do I or do I not have the 5r55e? And I have also read that I need to get a transmission filter for a 4x4 instead of the 4x2 since the replacement pan is a little deeper.

Thanks for any and all comments.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! The 4WD 5R55E uses a deep pan, and a filter with a deep sump attachment. You could simplify everything by installing a drain plug on your pan without going through the expense of purchasing an aftermarket pan with a drain plug.

 

[Oblivion]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Wouldn't installing a drain plug require welding? I don't have another car to take it to a machine shop or the tools to do that myself.

 

[BrooklynBay]

You don't have to weld it. Take a look at link number 75 in my list of useful threads: http://explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206353. Make sure that your plug will fit in the place you want to mount it before you drill the hole. Some plugs are very deep, and require a lot of clearance.